Verona, the romantic city par excellence, home of the most famous lovers in history, as well as the most unfortunate, Romeo and Juliet. A timeless place, a jewel in the heart of the Veneto that attracts tourists from all over the world, not only for the Shakespearean tragedy, for the curiosity of climbing onto the balcony of the young Capulet, or for its famous Arena, but above all for its beauties, its alleys, its suggestive atmosphere and, last but not least, for its cuisine made up of traditional dishes with a unique taste that cannot be missed on a trip to the city of Verona.

So here are some of the most traditional recipes you should try while visiting Verona!

1- Bigoli with sardines

Bigoli is a typical Veronese pasta very similar to spaghetti, but thicker. Their curious name comes from the bigat dialect which means caterpillar, due to their shape.

Bigoli con le sarde (bigoi con le sarde) is prepared with a very tasty sardine sauce. According to tradition, they were prepared on Christmas Eve. In addition to the recipe with sardines, there are also many other versions.

2- Pastissada de Caval

More commonly called braised horse meat, this dish seems to date back to 489 BC. when to save money in times of famine, the population cut the meat into pieces, and macerated it in wine and spices to prolong its conservation.

Excellent on any occasion, even if on winter evenings when the cold is biting it is certainly appreciated more.

3- Polenta

A typical specialty of the Verona area, polenta used as food seems to date back to the 1500s.

Today it accompanies main courses, especially stews, and roasts. There are numerous versions, but the tastiest and most famous is polenta “infasola”, prepared with cereal flour. It is usually eaten together with mushrooms and cheese.

4- Gnocchi

Potato gnocchi, is a typical dish of the Verona carnival that dates back to the mid-1500s.

A tasty specialty that, according to popular stories, seems to have saved the city from famine multiple times.

The seasoning clearly varies depending on the recipe you follow. It cannot be missing among the things to be enjoyed on a trip to Verona!

5- Tastasal rice

A typical dish of Venetian and Veronese cuisine. This risotto is made with minced meat, salted, and peppered. The recipe was prepared to check if the meat had been salted in the right way before using it for the preparation of cured meats, the name tastasal in dialect means to taste the salt.