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Best Italian Salami Types
Originating from the mountainous Oltrepò Pavese, the southwestern part of Lombardy popularly known as the Tuscany of Northern Italy, salame di Varzi is a variety of cured pork sausage. In fact, this protected name refers to a whole variety of cured meats, all produced within the province of Pavia.
Depending on the curing process and its diameter, salame di Varzi can be marketed as: Filzetta, Filzettone, Sottocrespone a Budello Semplice, Cucito a Budello Doppio and Torto or Salametto. The distinctive flavors of these products are directly influenced by the micro-climate of the Staffora Valley - it creates ideal conditions for the maturing process which takes place in ancient Varzi cellars.
THE BEST Salame di Varzi Salamis
Salame Napoli is an Italian salami produced throughout the Campania region in various sizes. It's made with pork shoulder, leg, neck, loin, and ham, black pepper, and spices. The combination is placed into a natural pig intestine casing, and it's then dried and aged according to the size of the salami, but the aging and drying period never takes less than 30 days.
The salami has a firm and dense texture, while the flavors are piquant and full-bodied. It can be eaten on its own, paired with other cold cuts and cheese, or used on pizzas.
This cured pork sausage originates from Felino, a small town located in the province of Parma, where herds of pigs are raised and pastured in the wild, verdant ranges of the densely forested Baganza valley. Salame Felino has been produced for centuries, using only the best pork meat: carefully selected cuts from pig's shoulder, belly, and ham.
The meat is coarsely ground and seasoned with salt and pepper, after which white wine and whole peppercorns are added to the mixture. Finally, the meat is stuffed into natural casings and Felino sausages are left to slowly mature in the favorable microclimate of the Parma area, acquiring their sweet flavor and a distinctively delicate aroma.
THE BEST Salame Felino Salamis
Salamini Italiani alla cacciatora, or Italian hunter's sausages, are small, cured charcuterie products made with minced lean pork, pork fat, salt, garlic, and pepper. Only the pork of the Italian Large White, Landrace, and Duroc breeds can be used for these traditional sausages that have been produced in Italy for centuries.
Due to their small size, they were easy to carry around, so they became a favorite snack of local hunters', or cacciatori (hence the name), who used to enjoy them during the long hunts. Salamini alla cacciatora are traditionally served as an antipasto alongside other cold cuts, cheeses, and marinated vegetables - unlike other similar sausages, they are best served sliced very thinly.
Salame Toscano is a traditional salami hailing from Tuscany. It's produced with pork's ham, shoulder, lean belly, lard, and spices. The meat is ground and the lard is mixed with salt. The two are combined with spices, then stuffed into natural or synthetic casings.
The salami is dried and well seasoned for at least 4 months before it's sold or consumed. Salame Toscano has an intense flavor of spices and meat, and the cross-section reveals a nice distribution of lean meat and fat. It's recommended to serve it thinly sliced with cheese, wine, and bread.
THE BEST Salame Toscano Salamis
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Genoa salami or salame genovese di Sant’Olcese is a traditional salami originating from Genoa and the surrounding area. This dry sausage is typically made with a combination of pork (sometimes beef or veal is added), red wine, garlic, salt, and peppercorns.
Although the salami doesn’t have a smoky flavor because it’s not smoked, it has a nice fermented flavor because it’s cured. The texture is soft, slightly greasy, and moist, while the flavor is rich, tangy, and sharp. It’s recommended to use it in sandwiches and salads or serve it with mozzarella.
Produced exclusively in the northen Italian provinces of Monza and Brianza, Como, Milan and Lecco, salame Brianza is a type of fine-grained, cured pork sausage. It has been produced for centuries, but its gastronomic value wasn't recognised until after the 1970s, when several Lombardian artisan sausage makers became industrial food producers.
The particular microclimate of the wider Brianza area greatly contributes to the special qualities of this product. Salame Brianza has an intense aroma and a delicate, sweet flavor. It is best enjoyed in thick slices, served alongside hot polenta.
This famous cured sausage originates from the province of Piacenza, the westernmost of nine provinces in the Emilia-Romagna region, nestled between the river Po and the Apennines. It is often said that the 15th-century tradesmen from the neighboring Lombardy could easily distinguish cured meats from Piacenza among a myriad of charcuterie specialties found in Emilia-Romagna.
In fact, in the early 1700s, the prized salame Piacentino was commonly served in royal households of Italy, France and Spain. The recipe for this delicacy hasn't changed since: pork belly fat and lean meat cuts are coarsely ground, combined with sugar, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, and finally infused with a top-quality red wine which makes the fragrant aroma of salame Piacentino uniquely intense.
Traditionally produced within the entire Piedmont region, salame Piemonte is made from pork that is combined with salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, cloves, and infused with red wine of the Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Dolcetto varietals.
Due to a relatively short curing period, salame Piemonte remains tender and has a delicate, sweet flavor with a pronounced aroma of garlic and wine. It makes a delicious addition to any charcuterie platter but it can also be served with hot polenta or used as a filling for agnolotti pasta.
The origins of this large-grained, cured sausage can be traced back to the pre-Roman era. Today, salame Cremona is produced only within the northern Italian regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and Veneto.
It is made by processing lean meat and fat obtained from Italian heavy pigs of the Large White, Landrace, and Duroc breed. Salame Cremona has a distinctive aroma, a mildly spicy flavor, and it's typically served as an appetizer, accompanied by local cheeses and a hearty glass of wine.
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Best Italian Salami Producers
Salumificio Mec Palmieri is a renowned Italian producer of cured meat specialties, driven by a long-standing tradition and a passion for exceptional quality. Located in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, a region famous for its rich culinary heritage, the company stands out for its carefully selected ingredients and traditional production methods that ensure authentic flavor and outstanding texture in every product.
Best known for its mortadella, it represents a perfect blend of craftsmanship, innovation, and respect for tradition. Each product is the result of strictly controlled processes, from meat selection to precise processing and maturation, achieving a unique aroma and superior quality.
BEST Salumificio Mec Palmieri Meat Products
VerdeBios is an Italian organic agricultural company dedicated to producing and distributing high-quality organic products that promote a healthy lifestyle and sustainability. Located in Celenza sul Trigno, in the province of Chieti, VerdeBios combines tradition and innovation in cultivating ancient grain varieties, producing pasta, flour, semolina, extra virgin olive oil, organic meat, eggs, and cured meats.
In addition to agricultural production, the company operates a store in Vasto, offering a wide range of organic products, including freshly baked bread, fruits, vegetables, vegan specialties, and eco-friendly cosmetics, while the BIOBAR allows visitors to enjoy healthy organic breakfasts and freshly prepared meals.
BEST VerdeBios Meat Products
Artigianquality is a family-owned Italian company dedicated to preserving tradition and delivering the finest quality mortadella. Based in Bologna, the birthplace of this iconic delicacy, Artigianquality combines generations of expertise, artisanal craftsmanship, and carefully selected ingredients to create products of unparalleled flavor and texture.
Their range includes classic mortadella, crafted following traditional recipes, as well as organic mortadella "Sette Chiese", designed for those who appreciate natural and wholesome delicacies. Every product is handmade and naturally matured, ensuring a rich, full-bodied taste that embodies the essence of Italian gastronomy.
BEST Artigianquality Meat Products
Macelleria Zivieri is a renowned Italian butcher shop and delicatessen that seamlessly blends tradition and innovation in crafting premium meat products. Located in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, it is celebrated for its dedication to quality, sustainable production, and respect for local gastronomic heritage.
Their selection features carefully sourced meats, including Piemontese beef, pork, game, and poultry, along with delicacies prepared using time-honored techniques. Macelleria Zivieri holds prestigious certifications, such as the Slow Food recognition for biodiversity preservation, and has won multiple awards for producing some of Italy’s finest cured meats.
BEST Macelleria Massimo Zivieri Meat Products
In the heart of the beautiful Abruzzo region, in the picturesque village of Furci, lies the family-run butcher shop Ventricine Racciatti—a symbol of authenticity, quality, and passion for traditional cured meats. For over three decades, the Racciatti family has been dedicated to preserving original recipes and artisanal craftsmanship, passing down a rich gastronomic heritage from generation to generation.
Ventricine Racciatti is renowned for its most prestigious product, Ventricina del Vastese, distinguished by its rich aroma, full flavor, and exceptional texture. In addition to this delicacy, their assortment includes Capocollo, Schiacciata al Vino Cotto, traditional pork and liver sausages, pancetta, and lonzino.
BEST Salumificio Racciatti Meat Products
La Genuina is a family-run salumificio located in the picturesque village of Carunchio, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. They specialize in the production of traditional cured meats, with a particular focus on the renowned Ventricina del Vastese. La Genuina takes pride in preserving traditional production methods, seamlessly blending them with modern techniques to ensure the highest quality of their products.
Their commitment to authenticity and excellence makes them a distinguished producer in the region, offering lovers of cured meats a truly unique gastronomic experience.
BEST Salumificio La Genuina Meat Products
Salumi Dedomenici is a family-owned company dedicated to the premium production of authentic Italian cured meats, where tradition, artisanal craftsmanship, and carefully selected ingredients come together to create a unique gastronomic experience.
Located in the heart of Santa Margherita di Staffora, this butchery boasts years of expertise in selecting the finest meats, strictly following traditional processing and aging methods to ensure each product achieves the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and aroma.
Their philosophy is based on using carefully selected pork from pigs raised under the highest standards, with a strong focus on natural aging processes that give each product its distinctive depth of flavor. Whether it's Salame di Varzi D. O.P., Gran Riserva, or other premium specialties, Salumi Dedomenici guarantees uncompromising quality, authenticity, and a deep respect for tradition passed down through generations.
BEST Salumi Dedomenici Meat Products
Salumi Antica Corte Pallavicina is a renowned Italian producer of salami, with a deep tradition that dates back over 150 years. The production of salami is based on the use of traditional methods from the Bassa Parmense region – an area known for its rich culinary heritage.
The production of salami began with the Spigaroli family in the 19th century, who started making meat products in the Parma region. Antica Corte Pallavicina is part of this rich tradition, and its name comes from an old estate that has been in the Spigaroli family since 1937.
BEST Salumi Antica Corte Pallavicina Meat Products
Fattorie del Tratturo is a renowned producer of cured meats located in the Abruzzo region, in the small Italian village of Scerni. The company was founded in 1993 by brothers Antonio and Luigi Di Lello, with the aim of preserving and enhancing the traditional production of meat delicacies native to this region.
Their specialty is Ventricina del Vastese, a cured meat delicacy made using an authentic recipe. The meat for their products comes from selected farms in central Italy, with a particular focus on free-range pig farming, emphasizing eco-friendly practices and chemical-free feed.
BEST Fattorie Del Tratturo Meat Products
Agricola Tenca is an Italian family farm located in the Lombardy region, specifically around the town of Casalmaggiore. This farm specializes in the production of high-quality agricultural products, particularly in the fields of livestock farming and cured meats.
Agricola Tenca stands out for its cured meats, which include sausages and other pork delicacies, all made from carefully selected raw materials and traditional production techniques. Their offerings often feature specialties typical of the Lombardy region, produced with a focus on quality and natural ingredients.
BEST Agricola Tenca Meat Products
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Italian Salamis
Mortadella Favola Gran Riserva is a premium Italian delicacy renowned for its unique flavor and exceptional quality. Made exclusively from carefully selected Italian pork, including the shoulder of heavy pigs, and enriched with guanciale for the preparation of "lardini" fat cubes, this mortadella follows a simple and natural recipe.
The seasoning includes integral sea salt from Cervia, natural aromas, and honey, which contribute to its delicate aroma and easy digestibility. This mortadella is unique as it is stuffed and cooked in a thin, natural pork casing, hand-sewn, and branded with a fire stamp, while the binding is done manually using a special tricolor ribbon.
Ventricina del Vastese is a premium cured salami originating from the Abruzzo region, renowned for its unique flavor and traditional preparation methods. This specialty, produced since the 19th century, is characterized by its large size, typically ranging from one to three kilograms, and its distinctive orange-red color, which comes from ground red pepper.
The preparation begins with the careful selection of lean cuts of pork (about 70%), which are hand-cut into medium-sized pieces and mixed with fat (about 30%). After resting overnight, the mixture is seasoned with salt, black pepper, wild fennel, garlic, and a combination of sweet and spicy red pepper.
Mortadella Mora Mora is a premium delicacy made from Mora Romagnola pork, an indigenous Italian breed renowned for its exceptional texture and rich flavor. This exclusive mortadella is handcrafted using traditional methods and carefully selected natural ingredients, including fresh garlic and integral salt from Cervia, without the addition of nitrites, nitrates, gluten, or lactose.
Its authentic aroma and perfectly creamy texture make it an essential part of any gourmet experience, whether enjoyed in classic Italian pairings or as part of a sophisticated charcuterie selection.
Salame Gentile di Mora Romagnola is a premium cured meat delicacy made from the meat of the native Mora Romagnola pig breed, raised in semi-wild conditions on the Zivieri family farms in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. This salami is the result of meticulous artisanal craftsmanship, using only the finest cuts of pork, with minimal additions of salt, pepper, and natural spices to preserve its authentic flavor.
The name "Gentile" comes from the special natural casing used, which allows for a slow and even curing process. Thanks to the high intramuscular fat content (marbling) in Mora Romagnola pork, this salami develops a rich aroma, delicate texture, and exceptional juiciness, making it a true gourmet delight.
Ventricina is a premium cured meat specialty originating from the Italian regions of Abruzzo and Molise, renowned for its rich flavor and traditional recipe. This unique delicacy, handcrafted with great care, is a perfect blend of carefully selected pork, aromatic spices, and a long maturation process that gives it its distinctive character.
Ventricina is an incredibly versatile product that can be enjoyed in various ways. Serve it as part of a rich charcuterie board with cheeses and olives, use it to prepare delicious sandwiches, or add it to pasta dishes to enhance their flavor. Traditionally, it is used in the preparation of ragù and pairs wonderfully with pasta varieties such as spaghetti alla chitarra, cavatelli, sagne a pezze, and strozzapreti.
Ventricina del Vastese is an authentic cured meat specialty from the Vastese region, known for its intense flavor and distinctive orange-red color, which comes from ground red pepper. This delicacy is made from the highest quality cuts of pork, hand-cut into medium-sized pieces and mixed with fat.
After resting overnight, the mixture is seasoned with salt, black pepper, wild fennel, garlic, and a blend of sweet and spicy red peppers. Traditionally, it is stuffed into natural pork bladders, giving it its characteristic round or pear-like shape.
Salame Gentile is made from carefully selected pork meat, seasoned with salt, wine, garlic, pepper, and a preservative (E252). What sets Salame Gentile apart is its unique two-layer casing, with a thin layer of fat in between, ensuring the salami remains tender and moist during its minimum three-month aging process.
This salami embodies the spirit of Italian craftsmanship, with its delicate balance of flavors and exquisite texture, making it a true treat for connoisseurs.
Salame di Varzi DOP Filzettone from Salumi Dedomenici represents the pinnacle of Italian cured meat tradition, with a protected designation of origin that guarantees authenticity and uncompromising quality. Made from carefully selected pork sourced from locally raised pigs fed a natural diet, this delicacy undergoes a strictly controlled preparation process where the meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and local red wine, without the addition of gluten, lactose, or nitrites.
A minimum aging period of 60 days ensures its distinctive softness, rich aroma, and characteristic sweet flavor, making it the perfect choice for connoisseurs of true Italian delicacies who appreciate the fusion of tradition, artisanal craftsmanship, and an unparalleled taste.
Salame Artigianale della Carnia from Salumi Molinari is an exquisite traditional Italian salami, made using only locally sourced pigs and following artisanal methods. The salami is crafted with lean pork meat and high-quality lard, and it is flavored with a special mix of spices.
This salami is unique for being smoked with beechwood and mountain herbs, which imparts a distinct, smoky flavor to it. Handcrafted and cured naturally in the fresh mountain air, it undergoes a traditional hot processing method within 8 hours of slaughter.
Ventricina del Vastese from Fattorie del Tratturo is a traditional cured meat product from the Abruzzo region. This dry sausage is made from carefully selected pork, seasoned with aromatic spices, including red pepper, garlic, and salt, which give it a rich, spicy flavor.
The meat is carefully chopped and ground, then naturally dried, contributing to its distinctive texture and intense taste. Through the aging process, the sausage develops a rich flavor, with subtle smoky notes and spiciness that are characteristic of this type of cured meat.
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