24 Of The Best Italian Breakfast Recipes You Need To Try (2024)

FAQs

What do most Italians eat for breakfast? ›

A healthy Italian breakfast might consist of some bread, butter, jam, some yogurt, and fruit. Italians also eat muesli and cereal in the mornings with yogurt or milk. A combination of dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, and yogurt is a healthy and popular option.

Some Italians prefer espresso, which is the coffee of choice throughout the day, but breakfast is also an acceptable time to have a cappuccino. A whopping ⅔ of Italians have said that they need a coffee to start the day, so it makes sense that breakfast in Italy is always accompanied by a caffeine hit.

Italian breakfast is mostly made with sweets. Croissants (also called cornetti or brioche, it may vary by region) and coffee. Biscuits or sweet industrial snacks. Fette biscottate (I've seen them translated as rusks, biscuits or melba toasts) or bread with jam or Nutella.

In areas like Tuscany and Umbria, people tend to have red wine called Chianti (grown in Chianti region of Tuscany) with biscuits as their breakfast. It is quite common for Italians to have breakfast in late mornings by 11, which consists of tramezzino and bread rolls.

Eggs in Italian cuisine. Whereas eggs in the United States are primarily a breakfast item it's the opposite in Italy. Italians often have eggs for dinner and in classic lunchtime dishes like pasta carbonara.

These beverages are also quite popular among Italians and offer a unique taste experience. Ultimately, individual preferences may vary, but Coca-Cola is generally recognized as the most popular soft drink in Italy.

Traditionally, cappuccini are taken in the morning. Some cynics suggest that it's a massive faux pas to order a cappuccino after 10am but, while it's unlikely that your Italian amici will be sticking milk in their coffee after dinner, late-night cappuccino-drinking is not – as yet – an illegal activity.

Yoghurt and Fruit

Italians also love to have breakfast with yoghurt and fresh fruit. In order to be even more healthy, you may choose low-fat yoghurts and seasonal fruit. To have a complete meal you can add some dried fruit – highly satiating – and a teaspoon of honey.

In Southern and Central Italy, baked pasta is a must. In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are common Natale entrées worth celebrating.

Do they eat eggs in Italy? ›

Italians love egg on their pizza. Usually you'll find it. one of three ways, hard boiled and sliced; lightly fried.

A typical dinner at an Italian home is usually pasta, meat, and vegetables, and takes place around 8 p.m. Going out for dinner in Italy is a pretty big thing to do, or eat, for that matter: Several courses, wine, and a long time chatting and lingering are all part of the event.

Cornetti, or croissants, are an Italian breakfast staple. As any true Florentine knows, a good caffè in the morning and a cornetto alla crema at your favorite bar can give you the energy to survive the day!

Here's the gist: the two ways Italians say “sauce” in Italian are salsa and/or sugo. Both words translate as “sauce” but never as “gravy.” Ragù doesn't even translate as “gravy” but comes close enough since it involves meat which is what people really mean when they say “gravy” (my personal opinion).

Eggs in Italian cuisine. Whereas eggs in the United States are primarily a breakfast item it's the opposite in Italy. Italians often have eggs for dinner and in classic lunchtime dishes like pasta carbonara.

Lunch is the day's main meal, lasting up to two hours! If you plan to eat lunch with locals, block out time. A typical Italian lunch consists of a primo (pasta, soup or risotto dish), a secondo (meat or fish-based dish) and a contorno (side dish).

A typical Italian diet consists of three meals in a day. The most common foods in the Italian diet include pasta, cheese, vegetables, olive oil, meats, and wine. Italians give a lot of importance to fresh ingredients.