The Real Traditional Roman Dishes You Must Try
Visiting Rome without paying proper attention to food is like going to Paris without sitting in a café, or going to Munich without entering a beer hall. Roman culinary tradition is part of the Eternal City’s soul. It’s simple yet rich cuisine, popular but loved even by the most demanding palates.
Some people even plan their vacation, or at least an entire day, around the gastronomic experience. Naturally, Sidecar Tour in Rome includes food tours by Vespa among its itineraries, dedicated to food lovers!
What makes Roman cuisine special? One distinctive feature is the bold taste of ingredients like pecorino romano cheese, guanciale (pork jowl), or artichokes. Starting from a few simple but flavorful elements, Roman tradition has created a wide variety of dishes. Let’s see which ones you absolutely shouldn’t miss.
The 4 Traditional Pasta Dishes
Some are famous worldwide, while others will be a delicious surprise for many. All deserve to be tasted at least once during a vacation in Rome.
Carbonara: A Symbol of Roman Identity
It’s among the most famous dishes in Roman tradition, known practically all over the world. The ingredients are few and simple: pasta (long or short), eggs, guanciale and pecorino romano cheese. No garlic, no onion. Just freshly ground pepper. Preparing it properly isn’t easy though. The guanciale (don’t confuse it with pancetta, which comes from a different part of the pig) must be crispy. The eggs shouldn’t be cooked but should form a cream that coats the pasta. And don’t use the trick of adding cream to make the sauce creamier!
Amatriciana: The Recipe from the Mountains
It’s an “adopted” dish because it originated in the hills of Sabina, a mountainous area of Lazio. The name recalls the town of Amatrice, about a hundred kilometers from Rome. It’s been an integral and indispensable part of Roman cuisine for a long time. Here too you’ll find guanciale browned in oil, accompanied by tomato sauce, pecorino and a pinch of chili pepper. The ideal pasta is bucatini, basically thick spaghetti with a thin hole through the middle.
Gricia: The “White” Variation
Gricia has practically the same ingredients as amatriciana, but without the tomato and chili pepper. It was probably the original recipe from which amatriciana and carbonara later evolved.
Cacio e Pepe: The Taste of Simplicity
Pasta cacio e pepe has only the three ingredients in its name: pasta, cacio (pecorino cheese) and a generous dose of pepper. The secret and difficulty of cacio e pepe lie in the preparation. The cheese must become a cream without forming lumps. It’s not easy at all. If you find the trattoria that knows how to make it right, success is guaranteed.
At this point, you’re wondering how to find the right place to eat well in Rome and avoid disappointments and “tourist traps”? This article will help you.
Not Just Pasta
A plate of pasta never misses from a Roman table, but there are also alternatives that are no less traditional.
Gnocchi alla Romana
Even though they’re called “gnocchi,” they’re not made with potatoes. They’re made with semolina, a type of durum wheat flour that’s not too fine. You need milk, butter, eggs and Parmesan cheese. The dough forms into discs that get covered with melted butter and Parmesan, then baked au gratin. They should come out golden and browned on the outside, soft inside. According to the traditional Roman culinary calendar, people eat them on Thursdays.
Stracciatella in Brodo
There’s also room for soup on Roman tables. Like stracciatella in brodo, perfect comfort food on cold winter days or evenings. You pour a mixture of beaten eggs, Parmesan and nutmeg into meat broth while stirring quickly. The eggs set and form very tasty yellow shreds.
Traditional Meat and Offal
Roman cuisine is quite carnivorous, especially when it comes to main courses. Not premium cuts but cheap and popular cuts, often offal, the so-called “quinto quarto” (fifth quarter). Tradition has turned these into true delicacies though.
Coda alla Vaccinara
It’s oxtail, cooked for a long time in tomato and herbs. It becomes an extremely tender bite that almost melts in your mouth, with a thick sauce to soak up with bread.
Trippa alla Romana
Another staple dish, traditionally prepared on Saturdays (though you’ll find it on other days too, obviously). Tripe in Rome cooks with tomato and mentuccia, a typical aromatic plant widely used here. Cooked for a long time, it becomes soft and flavorful. People sprinkle it with pecorino on the plate and enjoy.
Abbacchio alla Scottadito
It’s a dish from the shepherding tradition. It’s young lamb chops cooked on the grill or in a pan with garlic and rosemary. The name refers to the fact that you eat them with your hands, being careful not to burn your fingers too much.
Saltimbocca alla Romana
The classic thin veal cutlets cook in butter and white wine, together with prosciutto and sage. Where does the name come from? Probably from the fact that they’re so good they jump into your mouth on their own!
Vegetables and Side Dishes
Even though meat often plays a leading role, Roman cuisine also reserves a place of honor for some vegetables. Starting with artichokes.
Carciofi alla Giudia
More than a dish, a symbol. It’s a typical preparation of Roman-Jewish cuisine. The artichoke gets fried in oil and opens like a flower, becoming golden and crispy. To taste it at its best, nothing beats wandering into the fascinating streets of the Jewish Ghetto.
Carciofi alla Romana
Don’t confuse them with “carciofi alla giudia” – they have a completely different preparation. They’re braised with mentuccia, garlic, oil and white wine. They become tender and fragrant, sweet and delicate.
Cicoria Ripassata in Padella
It’s one of the most famous and appreciated side dishes in Roman cuisine. Cicoria is a rather bitter field herb that gets boiled and then sautéed in a pan with garlic, oil and chili pepper. It’s ideal to accompany meat dishes or even cheeses.
Puntarelle with Anchovies
What are puntarelle? They’re the shoots of a chicory variety. You cut them and put them in cold water to make them curl, then dress them with a sauce of anchovies, garlic, oil and vinegar. They’re crunchy and slightly bitter, very flavorful. A typical winter side dish.
The Taste of the Street
In Rome, street food was trendy already in imperial times and evolved over the centuries, feeding workers and pilgrims, nobles and peasants. Fried foods are the stars.
Supplì “al Telefono”
The supplì is a ball of rice and tomato sauce with a piece of mozzarella in the center, fried in boiling oil. It has this curious name, supplì “al telefono” (telephone supplì), because if it’s cooked well, the mozzarella must stretch when you bite into it. The ideal supplì is soft inside and crispy outside. Besides the classic version, you can find supplì all’amatriciana, cacio e pepe, spicy, etc.
Fried Zucchini Flowers
Another snack to try. Zucchini flowers get stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies, dipped in an egg batter and (naturally) fried.
Baccalà Fillets
Roman cuisine doesn’t feature much fish. One of the few exceptions is baccalà, dried cod fillet. Before cooking, it must soak in water for a long time. The fillets can then be battered and fried, to enjoy in one of the many Roman fry shops.
Porchetta di Ariccia
Ariccia is a charming town in the Castelli Romani, famous for porchetta, which you can find everywhere in Rome too. Porchetta is whole spiced pork cooked on a spit. The meat inside stays soft, while the skin becomes very crispy. You can eat it on a plate or – a more “street” choice – in a sandwich.
Now Let’s Talk About Pizza (and Pinsa!)
You might think it’s not really a typical Roman dish. The city of pizza is Naples, right? Actually, Rome has its own identity in this field. Roman pizza is different, and even more characteristic is “pinsa,” its older version.
Roman Pizza and Pizza by the Slice
If Neapolitan pizza is thick and soft, Roman pizza is thin and crispy. It can be “red” or “white” depending on whether there’s tomato or not. You can find it in a thousand different variations, but the classic “romana” comes with anchovies and oregano.
Another way to enjoy pizza is “by the slice,” cut into square pieces sold by weight. It’s often takeout, becoming a delicious street food.
Pinsa: The Ancestor of Pizza
It seems the ancient Romans already made it, with doughs of different cereals and a long fermentation. The base is thicker and softer than classic pizza. In recent years it’s been rediscovered and is increasingly appreciated. Many people find it more digestible too. At a glance, besides the thickness, pinsa differs from pizza by its oval and elongated shape.
The Sweetness of Tradition
The saying “dulcis in fundo” (the sweet comes at the end) was invented by the Latins. So even though Roman pastry isn’t as renowned as Sicilian or French pastry, it won’t leave your sweet tooth unsatisfied.
Maritozzo with Cream
We’ve talked about it often, and we always do it gladly because every time we seem to taste it. The maritozzo is a sweet bun cut in half and filled with fresh whipped milk cream. Again: a few simple ingredients for a memorable result.
Ricotta Tart (Maybe with Sour Cherries)
One of the most characteristic desserts, also in Roman homes. The shortcrust pastry base holds a creamy mixture of sheep’s ricotta (more flavorful than cow’s ricotta), sugar, eggs and grated lemon zest. A delicious variation is the one with sour cherry jam, a variety of slightly bitter cherries that pair beautifully with ricotta. Ricotta tart, with or without sour cherries, is a homemade dessert that you’ll also find in many pastry shops and bakeries throughout the city.
Easter Sweet Pizza and San Giuseppe Bignè
Some sweets are typical of certain times of the year. One of these is the “Easter sweet pizza.” The name is misleading: it’s not a real pizza but a tall, soft dessert flavored with lemon and orange. Another example is the “bignè di San Giuseppe,” filled with custard or chantilly cream. It’s linked to a particular day, Father’s Day on March 19th.
You’ll definitely find the right combination for your ideal menu among all these specialties of traditional Roman cuisine. And with Sidecar Tour in Rome you can organize your Vespa route now to experience a unique gastronomic adventure!
