24 Of The Best Italian Breakfast Recipes You Need To Try (2024)

FAQs

What do Italians typically eat for breakfast? ›

A healthy Italian breakfast might consist of some bread, butter, jam, some yogurt, and fruit. Italians also eat muesli and cereal in the mornings with yogurt or milk. A combination of dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, and yogurt is a healthy and popular option.

At home breakfast options include, muesli and yogurt, cookies, croissants, and fruit. Breakfast in Italy might not be the healthiest, but it sure is delicious. You probably won't see things like cereal and muffins. Definitely no eggs for breakfast; those are reserved for lunch, in hard-boiled form on salads.

Some Italians prefer espresso, which is the coffee of choice throughout the day, but breakfast is also an acceptable time to have a cappuccino. A whopping ⅔ of Italians have said that they need a coffee to start the day, so it makes sense that breakfast in Italy is always accompanied by a caffeine hit.

As Sicily is a part of Italy (can't stand those who say the opposite only because it's an island!), Sicilian breakfast at home is like the Italian one: strong black coffee, with or without milk, with few biscuits or some sliced bread with butter and jam, possibly homemade.

Lunch is the day's main meal, lasting up to two hours! If you plan to eat lunch with locals, block out time. A typical Italian lunch consists of a primo (pasta, soup or risotto dish), a secondo (meat or fish-based dish) and a contorno (side dish).

To prevent problems with bacteria, we refrigerate our eggs after they are processed. But outside the U.S., most countries leave that protective cuticle intact. They also employ other methods to ward against salmonella, like vaccinating hens and packing and selling eggs near where they are laid.

Eating so late at night means Italians don't wake up hungry in the morning, therefore a light breakfast of coffee and cake is enjoyed as a “morning snack” and is preferred to protein-packed heavy American or English breakfast options.

Even more confusing is what a brioche is in Sicily: a sweet, round bun that's usually sliced open and served with a few scoops of gelato inside. Yes, ice cream for breakfast! It's just one of the many reasons why I love Sicily so much.

What is the Italian morning ritual? ›

At the core of this morning tradition is the beloved 'cappuccino e cornetto' - a frothy cappuccino paired with a croissant, often filled with jam, cream, or chocolate. For many Italians, this combination is not just breakfast; it's a ritual that signifies the start of a new day.

Italian breakfast is mostly made with sweets. Croissants (also called cornetti or brioche, it may vary by region) and coffee. Biscuits or sweet industrial snacks. Fette biscottate (I've seen them translated as rusks, biscuits or melba toasts) or bread with jam or Nutella.

Italians don't make a big deal out of breakfast. They don't spend a lot of energy whisking eggs and flipping pancakes. The kids drink milk, the adults drink caffé latte, and they all grab a cookie (or more) to dunk in their beverage. It's simple, but it's grand.

A typical Italian diet consists of three meals in a day. The most common foods in the Italian diet include pasta, cheese, vegetables, olive oil, meats, and wine. Italians give a lot of importance to fresh ingredients. They use seasonal ingredients to prepare meals.

As in most places, breakfast can be most any time in the morning. Restaurants will usually serve between 7-11am. Italians will usually get cappuccino with a light choice like a croissant or yogurt. Fruit is also a popular Italian breakfast food.

Italians eat the most pasta worldwide – about 60 pounds of pasta per person per year. Most Italians eat pasta every day but they keep their portions in check. A portion in Italy is about a cup and the meal includes a small portion of meat and a large portion of vegetables and salad.

A typical Italian diet consists of three meals in a day. The most common foods in the Italian diet include pasta, cheese, vegetables, olive oil, meats, and wine. Italians give a lot of importance to fresh ingredients. They use seasonal ingredients to prepare meals.

For Breakfast

The typical Roman breakfast consists of an Italian croissant (cornetto) and a small cappuccino! Cornetti are served simple or are often made with Nutella or marmalade inside. There's nothing like a sweet treat and a bit of caffeine to start the day!