Italian
Pizza
A blistered, chewy base under tomato, mozzarella, and basil — at its best in Naples, where it was born.
Italy
Italian Cuisine
Italian cooking is less a single cuisine than a family of regional traditions united by a few stubborn beliefs: ingredients should be seasonal, cooking should be direct, and the table should be shared. From the buttered pastas of the north to the olive-oil cooking of the south, it is a cuisine built on restraint — a handful of excellent things, treated with respect.
Introduction
About Italian Cuisine
Modern Italian food grew out of the country’s unification in 1861, when regional peasant cooking — polenta in the north, bread and olive oil in the south — slowly became the national table. Before tomatoes arrived from the Americas in the 16th century, Italian sauces were built on herbs, vinegar, and stock.
The 20th century turned Italian food into a global language. Post-war emigration carried pizza and pasta everywhere, while the Slow Food movement (founded in Italy in 1986) pushed back against industrial food by celebrating regional producers and traditions.
The pantry
Key Ingredients
The classics
Popular Italian Dishes
Italian
Lasagna
Layers of pasta, ragù, béchamel, and parmesan, baked until the edges crackle.
Italian
Risotto
Carnaroli or arborio rice stirred slowly with stock until creamy, finished with butter and parmesan.
Italian
Carbonara
Spaghetti tossed with guanciale, egg, pecorino, and black pepper — no cream in the classic version.
Italian
Tiramisu
Espresso-soaked savoiardi layered with mascarpone cream and cocoa.
One country, many tables
Regional Italian Cuisine
Northern Italy
Butter, rice, polenta, and rich meat braises; creamier pastas and risotto dominate.
Central Italy
Olive oil, pecorino, and simple pastas — carbonara, amatriciana, and cacio e pepe country.
Southern Italy
Sun-drenched tomato sauces, seafood, and vegetables cooked hard and fast in olive oil.
Sicily & Sardinia
Arab and Spanish influences — caponata, arancini, couscous, and island cheeses.
How it is cooked
Cooking Techniques
- Low-and-slow ragù
- Risotto stirring
- Fresh pasta making
- Wood-fired pizza
- Aglio e olio emulsifying
Cook the classics
Italian Recipes
Creamy Garlic Chicken
30 minEasy
Classic Tomato Pasta
25 minEasy
Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu
3 hr 25 minMedium
Creamy Tomato Soup
35 minEasy
Beyond the plate
Food Culture
Meals in Italy are rarely rushed. Sunday lunch can stretch for hours, and even a weekday dinner usually means a proper table, a proper course order, and conversation. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and the person who cooks is quietly celebrated — especially the grandmother, whose recipes are treated as family documents.
Learn the staples
Related Ingredients
Level up
Related Cooking Guides
Behind the plate
Food Stories
Culture
Why Italian Families Gather Around Sunday Lunch
The table that starts at one and ends at five — and the slow food, long arguments, and louder laughter that make it sacred.
Elena Rossi6 min read
Good to know
Common Questions
Is Italian food hard to cook at home?
Not at all. The most famous dishes — pasta with tomato sauce, pizza, risotto — are built on technique you can learn in an afternoon, and most use a handful of everyday ingredients.
What is the difference between northern and southern Italian food?
Broadly: butter, rice, and polenta in the north; olive oil, tomatoes, and seafood in the south. Central Italy sits between, with pecorino and pork at its heart.
Do Italians really not put cream in carbonara?
The classic Roman recipe uses eggs, pecorino, guanciale, and pepper — no cream. Cream versions exist abroad, but purists will tell you the original needs nothing more.