An Easy Guide to a Traditional Italian Meal

Growing up, my family and I ate just about every thing on one plate: rice and beans (Caribbean American family), veggies, plantains, and stewed chicken. Even “American" Italian food tends to be one hit wonders. Often enough, you’ll see dishes consisting of spaghetti topped with grilled chicken breast (which I know now is a huge no no, that and pineapple on pizza - both essentially considered sacrilegious).

Then I moved to Italy, and the food rules where COMPLETELY different. Here in Italy, there’s a new plate for each and every course, and they’ll frequently even change cutlery between courses… A Traditional Italian Meal, often prepared for Sunday lunch or a festive occasion, isn’t simply separated into entrees and mains. Rather, you’ll find aperitivo, antipasto, primo, secondo and more!

A full Italian meal is something to be savored. It’s about slowing down, enjoying your food, and spending quality time with family and friends. Many Italians will also tell you their way of eating is the best for digestion. Not only that, but it’s a chance to try a variety of dishes to keep even the fussiest of eaters happy. So be inspired to Eat Like an Italian at your next dinner party or Sunday Lunch, with this Easy Guide to a Traditional Italian Meal.

AN EASY GUIDE TO A TRADITIONAL ITALIAN MEAL

Aperitivo and Antipasto

Depending on the celebration, Aperitivo and Antipasto might be combined or enjoyed separately. While aperitivo is often compared to ‘happy hour’, it’s really not the same thing! Aperitivo is actually intended to whet your appetite before the meal. It involves s a cocktail, think a spritz, negroni or bellini, to be enjoyed with light snacks like chips, crackers, or olives. Italian guests will typically stand up and chat with their family or friends while enjoying aperitivo. 

If aperitivo is followed by antipasto, or if you have antipasto instead of aperitivo, it’s more likely to feature a platter of cured meats and cheeses. These will almost always change depending on the region but are undoubtedly a delicious way to get your appetite going.

Primo Piatto

The Primo Piatto, or first plate, is all about carbohydrates, think pasta, rice, and polenta. It’s not uncommon for the Primo Piatto to be vegetarian, but if it does include meat or seafood, these won’t be the star of the dish. Of course, Italy’s food traditions vary so much from region to region, so explanations behind the Traditional Italian Meal change depending on your location. The explanation that makes the most sense to me though is that carbohydrates get the digestive juices flowing, to help your body make the most of the protein-rich Secondo Piatto. 

Secondo Piatto

An Italian Secondo Piatto is the closest thing to an American main course. It features a protein-rich dish, usually chicken, meat or fish. The Secondo is often quite simple, to really showcase the flavors and quality of the protein.

Contorno

Contorno literally means ‘on the side’, and is a vegetable dish intended to be eaten alongside your Secondo Piatto. Often, this involves a simple green salad, seasoned with salt, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. (I literally have never seen an Italian eat salad dressing). It might seem strange if you’re used to eating salad as an entrée, but Italians have a reason for everything! Green leafy vegetables are high in fiber, meaning they’re hard to digest. By eating vegetables at the end of the meal, your body will process the food easier, and there’s less chance you’ll feel overfull or heavy.

Frutta or Dolce

It’s time for dessert! Instead of dessert, Italians might simply place fruit or nuts on the table for each person to take as they please. In case a special dolce has been prepared though, like a crostata or tiramisu, now’s the time to dig in. Dolce is often enjoyed with a dessert wine like Vin Santo or even Prosecco.

Caffé

In case you haven’t noticed, Italian meals are all about digesting your food well! For this reason, coffee will never be served with milk after a meal – it’s almost always short, black and strong, and prepared using a Moka Pot. Don’t worry though, Italians won’t judge you if you need to add a spoon or two of sugar to help slurp the bitter drink down.

Digestivo

Of course, as much as Italy is famous for its food, it’s also famous for its syrupy, sweet liqueurs. As part of a Traditional Italian Meal, these will be drunk at the end of a meal as the digestivo. Italians say that the digestivo helps to ‘sciogliere’, meaning ‘melt’, the food in your stomach. They also refer to the digestive as the amazzacaffé or ‘kill the coffee’, as they say it prevents caffeine from taking effect. The digestivo of choice changes from region to region, but common offerings are grappa, limoncello, and amaro.

A note on Portion Sizes

I often hear people wondering if Italians eat so much, how is it they still have one of the longest life expectancies in the world? The key is, Italians enjoy much smaller portion sizes than most Americans! Plus, it’s all about balance, with a Traditional Italian Meal featuring a healthy mix of carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables. Plus, like I said in the beginning, this full array of food is usually reserved for special occasions.

And that’s it! I really hope this Easy Guide to a Traditional Italian Meal will inspire you to give it a try. And if you’d like recipe suggestions, why not check out my

Guide to Authentic Italian Pantry Recipes by clicking here.

Did this inspire you to try your hand at preparing a Traditional Italian Meal? Or does your Italian Family have a different tradition? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!