What do Italians eat for Christmas? Get ready for the festive season with these traditional Italian Christmas dishes.
Traditional Italian Christmas food
Traditional Italian Christmas food Getty Images

Christmas in Italy is a time for celebration, as it is in much of the rest of the world. And given how important food is at Christmas across the globe, and how much Italians love their food, its no surprise that one of the most important elements Christmas traditions in Italy is feasting. Christmas traditions in Italy are much anticipated by Italians, as Natale is the perfect occasion to prepare typical family recipes and to wine and dine with friends and family, something that is particularly important after the pandemic.

What do Italians eat for Christmas? Like many other countries, Italian Christmas dinners and desserts vary from region to region, and even household to household, but there is also some Christmas food in Italy that everyone enjoys across the country. From Northern Italy Christmas food to Sicilian Christmas desserts, Italy has a wide variety of Christmas food traditions. For one when it comes to traditional Italian food at Christmas, abundance is key! So forget turkey and ham, Christmas pudding, and mince pies. Instead, find out about this traditional Italian Christmas food, including Italian Christmas desserts, and celebrate Christmas like a true Italian in 2022. Whether it be the Italian Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas day lunch, or even just picking at traditional sweets on Boxing Day, this is the best Christmas food in Italy. 

La Vigilia di Natale: Christmas Eve dinner

Italy is traditionally a Catholic country, and for this reason, it is common for no meat to be eaten on Christmas Eve. The Catholic tradition forbids eating meat on the evening before a religious holiday, therefore fish is the star of the show in traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinners. Italians don’t just enjoy one specific fish dish, with meals including anything from calamari to salt cod to eel. These traditional Italian Christmas fish dishes will only include the freshest ingredients and will be served in a range of ways; fried, with pasta or potatoes, or in a sauce, depending on the region and family recipe. And es, you heard us correctly, Italian Christmas pasta is of course on the menu! 

Italian Christmas food traditions also have unique twists across the globe. Many will also be familiar with the “Feast of the Seven Fishes”, a title which isn’t a strictly Italian tradition, but an Italian-American one. Typically, on Christmas Eve, families gather around a feast of seven different seafood dishes or one or two different types of fish prepared in seven ways. However, despite the popularity of this feast among Americans, many Italians in Italy haven’t actually heard of the tradition (although they might enjoy seven fish dishes on Christmas Eve all the same).

Natale: Christmas Day lunch

Christmas day lunch in Italy is another family orientated meal, and even nowadays, some modern families enjoy an Italian Christmas brunch together with sharing platters and drinks. The more traditional option however is still a good Christmas day feast at lunchtime which is known to last for hours and can have more than a dozen courses. Christmas Day in Italy is an occasion to enjoy meat, and lots of it.

Traditional Italian Christmas food is enjoyed in adundance at the Natale lunch which often starts with a traditional Italian antipasti spread including cured meats such as salami and prosciutto, olives, roasted peppers, artichokes, local Italian cheeses and much more. In true Italian form, the following dishes will include Italian Christmas pasta, with Lasagne Bolognese, ravioli or pasta al forno (baked pasta) enjoyed in some parts of the country.

Next on the Italian Christmas lunch menu comes the main event, the meat, also enjoyed over several courses. Some families will enjoy meat in a broth or boiled, while having a roast of some sort is obligatory. Common options include lamb, roasted veal or even stuffed guinea fowl. And even after all of that, some families with a mean appetite will also tuck into some sausages or chops before dessert.

Il Giorno de Santo Stefano: Boxing Day lunch

The 26th December, Boxing day as we know it, is another excuse to eat in Italy with the Christmas feasts continuing into what is known in Italy as “Il Giorno de Santo Stefano” (Saint Stephen’s Day). While Italy’s Boxing day isn’t quite as elaborate as the previous days’ meals, it’s compulsory to enjoy the leftovers from the previous days. However, don’t be fooled: leftovers doesn't mean just heating up some bits and bobs in the microwave. The Italians do leftovers in style, adding new ingredients, enhancing dishes with eggs to make a frittata, or adding leftover meat to hearty stews. While Il Giorno de Santo Stefano doesn’t have any particular gastronomic traditions in Italy, this lunch tends to be creative and is the perfect time for families to branch out and try some unusual pasta dishes or exotic soups and stews, and is basically an extension of the traditional Italian Christmas lunch. 

Traditional Italian Christmas desserts

No Christmas feast in Italy would be complete without an array of sweet treats and Italian Christmas desserts which are enjoyed throughout December, right through to the arrival of the New Year. And Italian Christmas desserts aren’t just for after dinner but are brought out again and again during the holidays and enjoyed with a good coffee or a drink on some occasions. Here are some of the most popular Italian Christmas desserts and sweet treats:

Panettone

Let’s begin with the most traditional Italian Christmas cake, panettone. This delicious bread-like cake is eaten during the whole festive season in Italy and beyond. This sweet fruit loaf usually contains a mix of raisins, candied orange, and lemon zest, and is shaped like a dome. Many families will have their own family recipe, while panettone is also readily available in shops and supermarkets.

Pandoro

During the Christmas season, Italians can be divided into two groups: those who like to eat panettone, and those who prefer pandoro. Pandoro is Verona’s answer to panettone and is a raised butter cake that has similar consistency which is usually baked in a star-shaped mould. Unlike panettone, pandoro never contains dried fruit and is finished off with some icing sugar. One of the best ways to eat this Italian sweet treat, according to the locals, is by cutting a thick slice and enjoying with a generous layer of chocolate spread.

Struffoli

Struffoli are delicious fried dough balls that are traditionally dipped in a honey syrup. These Christmas bauble-like sweet treats are fried in hot oil, topped with sprinkles, and traditionally arranged like a pyramid or as a wreath. They are most typically eaten in Naples.

Torrone

Torrone is the Italian equivalent of nougat and is another popular sweet treat in Italy during the Christmas season. Italian torrone is one of the finest of its kind and comes in different flavours and textures. This chewy, sweet white treat is dotted with toasted almonds, and is traditionally made with honey, sugar, egg whites and the nuts and extra flavours of your choice.