Italian Seafood Dishes

Quick and easy to prepare, yet packing some serious flavor, spaghetti alle vongole is a traditional Neapolitan dish consisting of only two key ingredients: vongole clams and pasta. However, there is a heated debate considering secondary ingredient... READ MORE

Fritto misto is one of those dishes that differs widely across the country. Along the Italian seaside, it will always include crustaceans and mollusks, typically shrimp and squid, and often paranza, which is a collective name for very sma... READ MORE

One of Italy's all-time favorites, linguine allo scoglio, often also dubbed linguine ai frutti di mare is a typical southern Italian seafood dish or piatto di mare. Back in the 1980s in the wider Neapolitan area, as well as along... READ MORE

Assorted fried seafood known as fritto misto di pesce is hugely popular in Campania, but it is also found all over Italy. However, fritto misto is one of those dishes that differs widely across the country. Along the Italian seaside, it will alway... READ MORE

This Italian classic couples rice with various seafood ingredients. Clams, shrimps, lobster meat, squid, and mussels are commonly used, while other ingredients include short-grain rice, butter, garlic, onions, white wine, parsley, and fish or vege... READ MORE

This traditional Italian dish is usually associated with the Veneto region. It consists of salted cod that is primarily boiled in a mixture of water and milk. It is then thoroughly deboned, and finally mashed until it reaches a creamy but firm con... READ MORE

This Italian classic couples linguine pasta with tender lobster meat. The dish starts with a sauce that combines lobster meat and sautéed shallots, garlic, or onions, which are usually deglazed with white wine and finished off with tomatoes... READ MORE

Calamari ripieni is a flavorful Italian seafood dish consisting of stuffed calamari. The calamari are stuffed with a variety of ingredients including garlic, breadcrumbs, capers, pine nuts, parsley, and onions. It is recommended to use only the fr... READ MORE

Tuscan fish stew has a history that stretches back to at least 500 years ago, and was most likely invented by the frugal fishermen of Livorno who would prepare it with whatever was left in the bottom of their boats after selling more valuable fish... READ MORE

Swordfish rolls are one of the traditional Italian dishes that are mainly associated with Sicily. The dish employs thin swordfish fillets that are stuffed with different combinations of breadcrumbs, lemon zest, capers, garlic, fresh herbs, pine nu... READ MORE

These traditional Italian fritters use salt cod as the star ingredient and couple it with a thick, leavened batter that is usually seasoned with parsley. When soaked in water or milk, the fish is either flaked and incorporated into the batter or c... READ MORE

Brodetto, boreto or broéto is a tomato-based seafood stew prepared in many regions along the Italian coast. This comforting dish was traditionally prepared by fishermen with the catch they could not sell, so it is no surpr... READ MORE

One of Italian classics, acqua pazza (lit. crazy water) is a traditional Neapolitan way of poaching fish whose origins date back to the Middle Ages. Originally, because of the high duty on salt which was back then an unavailable commodity, the loc... READ MORE

Impepata di cozze is a traditional dish originating from Naples. These Neapolitan-style mussels are usually made with a combination of mussels, garlic, hot peppers, parsley, olive oil, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. The garlic and chili ... READ MORE

Risotto con gamberi is a traditional risotto made with shrimp as the key ingredient. The other ingredients used in the dish include risotto rice, butter or olive oil, onions, celery, garlic, stock, white wine, and seasonings. Once cooked, when the... READ MORE

The famed signature dish of Vicenza, baccalà alla Vicentina is made with stoccafisso (lit. stockfish), which refers to a cod that is not salted but air-dried until almost rock-hard, and requires several days of soaking before being... READ MORE

Fregola or fregula is a pasta variety from Sardinia, made with semolina flour and water. The dough is first rolled into very thick spaghetti, then cut to resemble enlarged couscous pieces, and it is finally toasted in th... READ MORE

This classic Sicilian dish employs butterflied sardines that are stuffed with a mixture of toasted breadcrumbs, parsley, anchovies, pine nuts, and raisins, with the occasional addition of grated parmesan. Stuffed sardines can be formed into indivi... READ MORE

One of Venice's most traditional dishes, this delicious appetizer of marinated sardines originated among the fishermen and seafarers of La Serenissima as a way to preserve fish during their long voyages. Sarde in saor are made by frying fresh sard... READ MORE

Capesante gratinate is a classic Italian appetizer featuring scallops baked with a flavorful breadcrumb topping. This dish is particularly popular during festive occasions and special gatherings. The preparation involves placing fresh scallops in ... READ MORE

Cozze gratinate is a traditional mussel-based dish originating from Italy. Although there are many recipes, the dish is usually made with a combination of mussels, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. The mussels are... READ MORE

Typically served as a light lunch and a staple of many Dalmatian taverns (called konoba) and restaurants, crni rižot is a unique black risotto made with fresh squid or cuttlefish. Squid or cuttlefish ink gives the risotto its intimidating... READ MORE

Stuffed cuttlefish, often replaced with the smaller and more available squid, is a traditional dish whose origins are claimed by many Italian regions, including Liguria, Campania, Apulia, and Sicily. Following this, many regional recipes have been... READ MORE

Also known as pasta con la mollica alla Calabrese, or in dialect, pasta ca muddicata, this traditional pasta dish called pasta e alici is made with anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs as one of the most traditional dishes of the re... READ MORE

Spaghetti al cartoccio is a traditional dish hailing from Abruzzo. The dish is typical of Chieti, and it's made with a special method called al cartoccio, where the ingredients are wrapped and baked in foil. It's made with olive oil, garl... READ MORE

Moeche or moleche is a traditional dish hailing from Venice. This seasonal dish consists of soft shelled crabs – both males and females shed their old shells in the spring, but only the males moult in the fall. There's only a few ho... READ MORE

Buridda is a famous Italian seafood stew (occasionally also classified as soup) with numerous modern varieties. Traditionally, it was a fisherman’s dish made with leftover fish, usually cod and dogfish, which were cut into smaller pieces and... READ MORE

Polpette di gamberi are traditional Italian fritters that are usually made with a combination of shrimp, bread, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. The chopped mixture of ingredients is left to rest in the fridge, and it's then rolled in flour, dip... READ MORE

Seppie in umido is a traditional dish originating from Venice. The dish is usually made with a combination of sliced squid, onions, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, oil, salt, and black pepper. The onions and gar... READ MORE

Cozze alla Tarantina is a delicious seafood appetizer consisting of delicate, meaty mussels served in a spicy tomato sauce. It is important that the mussels are as fresh as possible. The tomato sauce is typically flavored with garlic, parsley, chi... READ MORE

Pesce spada alla siciliana is a traditional dish originating from Sicily. It consists of a swordfish fillet topped with a sauce of olives, tomatoes, and capers. The full list of ingredients includes capers, olives, cherry tomatoes, swordfish steak... READ MORE

Burrida is a traditional Ligurian fish soup that's often also described as a stew. The fish used in the burrida include rascasse, sea-hen, star-gazer, angler or frog-fish, eel, scorfano rosso, inkfish, octopus, suherel... READ MORE

Acciughe al verde is a traditional dish originating from Piedmont. The dish consists of anchovies in green sauce, or bagnet verde. In order to prepare it, salt-preserved anchovies are first washed and filleted, then topped with a sauce consisting ... READ MORE

Totani e patate is a traditional dish originating from the Amalfi coast. It's made with totani (red squid) and potatoes. The squids are cut into strips, then sautéed with onions and garlic in olive oil. The potatoes are fried in the same pa... READ MORE

Folpetti is a traditional dish originating from Veneto. The dish is prepared with a combination of baby octopus, lemon juice, parsley, salt, black pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil. This simple preparation of Venetian-style baby octopus starts by... READ MORE

Spaghetti alla busara is a traditional dish originating from Venice and the surrounding area. The dish is usually made with a combination of scampi (langoustines or large prawns), spaghetti, olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, white wine, salt, ... READ MORE

Pasta alla pescatora—literally "fisherman’s pasta"—is a classic Italian seafood dish that celebrates the bounty of the Mediterranean in a simple yet luxurious way. Originating in Italy’s coastal regions, this dish is especi... READ MORE

Polpette di polpo, or octopus meatballs, are a signature dish from Puglia, particularly cherished in Salento for aperitifs. The dish is made by blending boiled octopus with bread soaked in milk, parsley, and sautéed with garlic, oil, and ch... READ MORE

Grilled sardines are a simple, traditional seafood dish especially common in coastal Mediterranean areas and during summer months, when fresh sardines are plentiful. The dish is straightforward and emphasizes the natural flavors of the sardines: t... READ MORE

Spigola al forno is a traditional fish dish with many variations. Although there are many variations, it's often made with a combination of sea bass, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and herbs such as thyme, marjoram, or... READ MORE

Capelonghe veneziane is a traditional Venetian way of preparing razor clams. The dish is made with a combination of razor clams (capelonghe or cannolicchi), olive oil, parsley, salt, and black pepper. The razor clams are washed, soaked in cold sal... READ MORE

Capesante alla veneziana is a traditional dish originating from Venice. The dish is usually made with a combination of scallops, garlic, breadcrumbs, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. The scallops are cleaned and dredged in breadc... READ MORE