Last updated on July 17th, 2024
July in Italy is hot! But, this is the reason for all the bountiful produce you’ll come across at Italian open air markets. All the produce planted early in the year is at its prime, often picked and sold only days beforehand, making it some of the best I have ever tasted in my life!
I’ve been living in Italy since 2012, and I’ve learned that eating seasonally is a true gift. Italians enjoy only what is grown locally and at the moment.
Let’s take a look at the fruits and vegetables we’re eating here in July. Look for any of these foods in markets and at grocery stores and look for dishes made with these ingredients on menus at restaurants.
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Seasonal Produce in July in Italy
July is the prime growing season in Italy for a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. It can be extremely hot but this is what many local crops need to do well and produce a lot of goodies for us.
July in Italy brings plenty of color to our table with brightly flavored vegetables such as peppers, zucchini, herbs, tomatoes, eggplant and fruits like peaches (of all kinds!), plums, apricots and the tail end of cherries.
Good To Know: Fruits and vegetables that you find in July are very similar to what you will also taste throughout all the summer months in Italy.
Seasonal Vegetables in July in Italy
Don’t miss all the colors and flavors in June in Italy with this comprehensive list. For the best shopping experience, I suggest buying Italian produce at open air markets.
Learn more about Italian Markets:
How to Shop at Markets in Italy
10 Rules for Shopping at Markets in Italy
Incredible Food Markets in Italy
My Favorite Markets in Florence
Food Markets in Florence
Top Markets In Tuscany
Food Markets in Venice
Rialto Market in Venice
Salad
Salad of all varieties grows in Italy year round. Ask the market what the local variety is, which will be the best tasting. Fresh salad is actually one of the vegetables I find to have the best flavor, should you get it very fresh and local.
Radishes
Small, round radishes are more of a spring vegetable in Italy but you can still find them in July.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are at their height in July and August in Italy. They are great in salads and most commonly used to make panzanella, a Tuscan bread salad.
Fresh Herbs
Italy grows amazing herbs throughout the entire summer including basil, parsley, rosemary, sage, chives and mint. Herbs that are harder to find are tarragon, thai basil and dill.
More About Herbs: Check out
12 Common Italian Herbs & Spices (& How to Use Them)
How To Store Fresh Basil + How to Chop it and Freeze it
How To Freeze Parsley – 3 Ways To Store Fresh Parsley Year Round
Peppers
Look for all kinds of bell peppers in Italy in July including red, yellow and green. You will also come across small green peppers known as friggitelli, which can be pan sauteed and eaten whole.
Zucchini
Zucchini is one of Italy’s most beloved summer vegetables, often used to make pasta dishes, raw in salads, in risotto and cooked as a side dish. My family prefers the chiaro or light skin variety rather than the darker kind.
Zucchini Flowers
Zucchini flowers are popular in Italy starting in May and continue through the rest of the summer. You can buy them in individual packages to be stuffed and fried.
String Beans
Classic green beans start to ripen up and hit the markets in July in Italy. Typically you will find only green beans, not wax or yellow beans.
Eggplant
Eggplants come in an array of colors and varieties. You can enjoy several regional vegetarian dishes or order them grilled as a side dish.
Tip: The best seasonal fruits and vegetables in June in Italy come from open air markets as opposed to grocery stores.
Seasonal Fruits in July in Italy
Seasonal fruits in July in Italy are not all that different from what you find in June and August.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes in Italy in July and August are truly one of the best foods to taste in Italy during your summer travels. You will find it used everywhere including raw in salad with mozzarella known as a caprese and cooked in rice, pasta and other main courses.
Plums
A wide range of plums start to hit the shelves in July in Italy. Droll plums, small and oval shaped, are particularly good and easy snacking items.
Melon
Classic orange melon or cantaloupes are one of the most iconic Italian summer fruits served with prosciutto as an appetizer.
Nectarines
Nectarines are the essential Italian fruit, often enjoyed after a meal or as a snack or merenda in the afternoon.
Peaches
All varieties of white and regular orange peaches are particularly tasty in July and August in Italy.
Saucer Peaches
Saucer peaches are a flat, white variety of peach that is extremely flavorful and sweet. Be sure to check the underside of each peach before purchase as they can often get overly ripe on the bottom.
Cherries
If you are lucky, you may get some cherries in July in Italy. They are typically a fruit that we see at the end of May and through June but depending on the season and variety, you may also get them right at the beginning of July.
Apricots
Apricots are at their best in July in Italy, which is reflected in the price. When you see produce that is very expensive, it usually means it’s the beginning of the season. In July, the prices have dropped, indicating a bountiful harvest.
Mulberry
Mulberries are wild berries called gelsi in Italian that you start to find in June but more commonly in July in Northern Italy. It’s unlikely you will find mulberries at grocery stores but rather, at markets or growing on the side of the road.
Curious to know more about Italy’s seasonal foods, dishes, and produce? Check out
Foods to Eat in Italy by Month in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December and by Season in Spring – Summer – Fall – Winter.
Italian Fruits and Vegetables in Season in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December.
Italian Nuts
