29 Traditional Bologna Foods To Try in 2024
What are some of the best and most authentic Bologna foods? The answers range from pasta, cheese and cured meats to decadent desserts and hearty sandwiches. Bologna is known as the culinary capital of Italy. The vibrant city is filled with award-winning restaurants, cozy pubs and casual cafés where you can enjoy a meal while doting over the city sites.
Other than Medieval towers, Renaissance architecture and historic basilicas, Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy, offers some of the best food in the country. Keep reading to discover the best Bologna food to try whether you’re a local or first-time visitor.
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The 29 Best Foods from Bologna, Italy
1. Lasagna Bolognese
One of the best and most popular Bologna foods, lasagna Bolognese has been a fan favorite since the Middle Ages. Authentic lasagna Bolognese is prepared with béchamel sauce instead of ricotta. Béchamel is a rich and creamy sauce made from flour, milk, butter and, sometimes, a pinch of nutmeg.
Although found nearly everywhere in Southern Italy, mozzarella is rarely used in Northern Italian Bologna foods. Lasagna is prepared by layering the ribbons of lasagna noodles with meat, milk-based sauces and cheese to create a cake-like slice. It's a common dish in restaurants in Bologna and those around the region.
2. Parmigiano Reggiano
What is often considered the most popular Bologna food? A quick, accurate and delicious answer is the culinary staple Parmigiano Reggiano. This hard and crumbly cheese made from cow’s milk can be used for everything from pasta toppings to fillings to flavorful accents. Grate it for sprinkling, shave it to top pasta and pizza or serve it in chunks with salami slices and Italian bread. Try it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for a unique taste experience.
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese must be produced in specific provinces of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy to qualify as authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. Those provinces include Bologna, Parma, Modena and Reggio Emilia.
Aged anywhere from 12 to 36 months, this Bologna food was created centuries ago out of a need to extend the shelf life of milk. Benedictine monks used salt from nearby salt mines to create a dry paste with the milk, before it was stored in large wheels.
3. Mortadella
Mortadella is an emulsified pork sausage that dates to the 14th century. This Bologna, Italy food is made with pork from the shoulder and neck. The emulsified pork, black pepper, pistachios and other ingredients are ground up, put into a casing and steamed to cook. While Bologna likes to stay true to its mortadella heritage, other regions of Italy prepare garlic-flavored and smoked versions.
Mortadella from Bologna has a distinctive PGI (protected geographical indication) to retain its heritage. Cut into thin slices, mortadella is a rich and savory sandwich addition, salad topping or pasta accompaniment. This Bologna food is smooth and creamy in texture with a savory flavor that features a bit of nuttiness from the pistachios. It makes an excellent option for a charcuterie tray or as a pizza topping.
4. Tortellini in Brodo
One of the most popular Bologna foods, tortellini in brodo is a meat-filled pasta pocket. Traditionally filled with pork, mortadella or prosciutto, this ring-shaped egg pasta can also be filled with Parmesan and nutmeg.
This Bologna food is served in a light but hearty veal or beef broth (brodo) with grated Parmesan. This comfort food in soup form is traditionally served at Christmas. Bologna has an annual Tortellini Festival where top local chefs compete to see who makes the best versions.
5. Tortelloni
Tortelloni is stuffed with ricotta or vegetables like spinach and pumpkin, rather than meat like its similar-sounding cousin, tortellini. The same shape as tortellini, this Bologna food is cooked in boiling water and served in a sauce or as is and topped with butter, Parmesan or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
6. Prosciutto di Parma
With stringent rules for production, prosciutto di Parma can only be made from heritage breed pigs like duroc, landrace and large white that are raised in a specific region and highly regulated throughout their lives. Prosciutto di Parma is made exclusively with meat from the hind legs, which is cured with sea salt over a 12-to-36-month period.
This food actually comes from Parma, an Italian city close by, but you won't be able to walk a few blocks in Bologna without coming across it. The Parma crown emblem on the package proves that it’s authentic prosciutto di Parma. It's best served on a piadina, in a tigelle or on pizza.
7. Tagliatelle al Ragù
Hearty and filling, tagliatelle al ragù is just the ticket for a comforting meal. This Bologna food is prepared with long ribbons of tagliatelle noodles, which are similar in appearance to fettuccine noodles and made from flour and eggs. The ragù sauce is a rich Bolognese, a meaty sauce prepared with tomatoes, milk, red wine, ground pork and beef, and a mirepoix of carrots, onions and celery. It’s one of the most iconic Bologna dishes to try while visiting Italy.
8. Balsamic Vinegar
The Emilia-Romagna region is the birthplace of balsamic vinegar, which adds flavor, balance and smooth texture to Bologna foods. Authentic and protected varieties are made in Reggio Emilia or Modena. The only ingredients used to make this Bologna food are lambrusco or trebbiano grapes from the region. Bologna’s balsamic vinegar is typically aged for 12 years and pairs well with salads, cheese and pasta.
9. Lasagna Verde
For many, Bologna food means lasagna, but have you ever wondered why some slices of lasagna have a distinctly green demeanor? Similar to traditional lasagna, this Bologna food is prepared with spinach-infused egg pasta noodles, a Bolognese ragù, béchamel sauce or local Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
10. Crescentina
Crescentina is a fried bread that puffs up into a brown and crispy crescent and is sometimes cut into diamond-shaped pieces. This Bologna food is prepared with flour, water, salt and lard. The dough is rolled into thin discs and fried in oil.
Crescentina is served as a side dish or an appetizer. Slice it down the middle and fill it with ingredients for a delightful sandwich or pair it with friggione, prosciutto and local cheeses. Crescentina is known as torta fritta in Parma and gnocco fritto in Reggio Emilia and Modena.
11. Erbazzone
Erbazzone is a pie-like concoction similar in appearance to Greek spanakopita. Known as a peasant dish, this Bologna food is historically made with ingredients gathered from the land, including herbs, greens and more.
The dough is prepared with water, flour, salt and olive oil. Fill with ingredients like spinach, ricotta, Parmesan and garlic, then bake for about 30 minutes. Erbazzone is not as common of a Bologna food as some of the others on this list, but it’s worth the search.
12. Tigelle
Having been around for centuries, tigelle is a sweet or savory sandwich creation that originated in the Emilia-Romagna region as a street food. This Bologna food is a flatbread made from round slices of dough. The dough is cooked on an iron griddle plate, called a tigella. The slices are filled with fresh cheese, vegetables and cured meats like prosciutto or mortadella. They can also be filled with jam and jellies for a sweeter variation of this Bologna food.
13. Zuppa Inglese
Looking for an authentic Bologna food to serve for dessert? While the name translates to "English soup," a traditional zuppa Inglese has three layers of sweet and creamy goodness. The first layer is pastry cream, the second is chocolate cream and the third layer is a sponge cake that’s soaked in alchermes, a red-herb liqueur. This unique dessert is thought to have originated in Ferrara in the 16th century when a chef was trying to copy an English trifle.
14. Piadina
Dating back to the ancient Romans and the Etruscans, the piadina is a classic Bologna food rooted in history. Inexpensive and easy to make, this flatbread contains various ingredients, including arugula, mortadella, ground sausage or fresh and creamy cheeses. Use fresh jam for a sweet piadina. The dough is made with wheat flour, water and olive oil and cooked on a hot griddle to a crisp, golden hue.
15. Passatelli
Looking to try an uncommon pasta variation instead of some of the more well-known Bologna foods? While passatelli is found in other areas of Italy, it’s considered an Emilia-Romagna specialty. It’s made with eggs, Parmesan, herbs and breadcrumbs, rather than flour.
The mixture is molded into uniquely shaped squiggly noodles after going through a tool like a potato ricer or a spätzle-maker. This short and chunky Bologna food is typically served in chicken broth. Some restaurants also serve it plain with vegetable and meat dishes.
16. Friggione
Friggione is a rustic vegetable and soup-like Bologna dish that can be used as a sauce, a side or a main entrée. Popular since around 1886, it’s prepared with chopped sweet onions, tomatoes and salt and then stewed or slow-cooked in oil. This comforting Bologna food is perfect for a winter day and as a side for meat, crescentina, pasta and cheeses.
17. Cotoletta alla Bolognese
Bologna takes cues from its Austrian neighbor to the north with this Bologna food. Cotoletta alla Bolognese is prepared with breaded chicken or veal. This schnitzel-like dish is fried and then baked with broth before being served. It’s sometimes served stuffed with Parmesan cheese and prosciutto ham. Cotoletta alla Bolognese is also known as “Petroniana,” relating to Petronius, a 5th-century bishop and patron saint of Bologna.
18. Gelato
Gelato is known around the world as an Italian treat, and it’s a Bologna food that must be tried. It dates back thousands of years and is one of the world’s oldest frozen desserts.
This sweet treat is churned slower than ice cream, making it denser and creating a silky, rich and creamy texture. Bologna even has a Gelato University, which was created by Carpigiani, a gelato machine maker who wanted to teach students how to make authentic artisanal gelato. Sign us up for that!
19. Certosino di Bologna
With origins pointing to both Medieval pharmacists and monks in the Middle Ages, certosino di Bologna is a colorful and fruit-filled dessert. Rich, heavy and bursting with flavors of cocoa, this traditional cake is known as “spicy bread.”
It’s traditionally served over Christmas and can be compared to a fruitcake. This Bologna food is baked in a ring about a month ahead of time. Nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, honey and spices fill and top this decadent dessert.
20. Grana Padano
The younger sibling of Parmigiano Reggiano, grana padano was first produced in the 12th century by Cistercian monks. It has the same grainy texture as Parmigiano but with a milder flavor. Hailing from the Po River Valley, this Bologna food is one of Italy’s most-produced cheeses.
Made with partially skimmed milk, gran padano is subject to a shorter aging process than Parmigiano Reggiano, which is aged for up to 36 months. Instead, it's aged for between nine and 20 months, resulting in a nutty, slightly salty flavor profile that's much more gentle and subtle than Parmigiano.
21. Squacquerone
Squacquerone is a soft and spreadable cheese with a mild and sweet flavor. Made from cow’s milk, rennet and salt, it’s one of the freshest cheeses you can get as it only takes about four days to produce. Use this Bologna food in piadina, crescentina and tigelle sandwiches or serve with cured meats, prosciutto, crackers, fried pizza dough and white wines. The actual history of this Bologna food isn’t clear, but it’s said to date back to the first century AD.
22. Salame Rosa
Are you looking for fresh-from-the-deli cured Italian meat to serve with other Bologna foods? Salame rosa, a combination of mortadella and traditional salami, is made with pork, pork fat, garlic, pepper and spices. These ingredients are blended, put into a casing and oven-cooked for 24 hours. The end product has the pinkish tint of mortadella but a milder, ham-like flavor.
23. Stuffed Zucchini
Commonly called "zucchini ripiene," stuffed zucchini is a simple Bologna food made with local zucchini. Shorter zucchini varieties are used, which makes it easier to fill with a Bolognese ragù. It’s then topped with a tomato sauce and cooked until tender. This Bologna food is often served with meatballs.
24. Cappelletti
Another authentic Bologna food to try is cappelletti, which is shaped like adorable little sailor hats. This stuffed ravioli-inspired pasta is filled with ingredients like ricotta, Parmesan, ham, spinach and nutmeg. The pasta is then twisted to secure everything inside. A cheese and butter blend is often used as a topping, but it can also be served with meat and tomato sauce.
25. Gramigna alla Salsiccia
A squiggly or curlicue tube pasta, gramigna pasta looks like a longer version of an elbow macaroni noodle. The shape allows it to capture and hold onto hearty pasta sauces. This Bologna food is typically prepared as gramigna alla salsiccia, with a sausage ragù made from onions, tomatoes, wine and pork sausage. Salsiccia means “sausage” in Italian.
26. Torta di Riso
Torta di riso, an Italian rice tart, is a rice and pastry crust dessert prepared with arborio rice, almonds, sugar, lemon peel, eggs and milk. With a creamy and chewy texture, this Bologna food is compared to a combination of rice pudding and crème brûlée, usually served as a dessert or a morning pastry with a cup of rich Italian coffee. Traditionally prepared for the Feast of Corpus Christi, it’s still made during the holidays for good luck.
27. Lambrusco
It's time to now shine the spotlight on a red, white or rosé wine to serve with traditional Bologna food. A regional native, Lambrusco is available in all three varieties, making it an incredibly versatile and popular wine option to pair with hearty Bologna food.
28. Pignoletto
If you’re a fan of sparkling white wine, pignoletto’s fresh floral notes of jasmine, honeysuckle and lemon will appeal to you. It’s available in still and sparkling versions. This dry wine comes from the Emilia-Romagna hillsides and uses the grechetto gentile variety of grapes. Serve it as a pre-dinner beverage or with cheese, fish, seafood recipes and other Bologna foods.
29. Aperol Spritz
If you're wondering which beverage to pair with your favorite Bologna food, wonder no more! With a sweet and citrusy flavor profile, an Aperol spritz is a refreshing way to complement any of the above Bologna dishes. In Bologna, the Aperol spritz is made with pignoletto wine rather than prosecco, which is used in other areas.
It can also be prepared with soda water and digestive bitters for some added bubbles. It’s often served as an apéritif on the rocks with an orange wedge as a garnish. Use olives for a Venetian spritz.
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Now that you’ve gotten a taste of the best Bologna foods, you’ll be able to plan an Italian excursion filled with culture, cuisine and a lengthy list of must-try food. You can also have fun experimenting in your own kitchen with these Bologna foods, perfect whether you're planning a dinner party or anniversary celebration, or simply hoping to elevate your weeknight menu.
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