This collection presents 43 Italian foods that start with T, spanning from “Tagliata” to “Tuma”. It includes well-known classics and regional specialties, useful for food lovers, home cooks, and travelers.
Italian foods that start with T are dishes, breads, cheeses, cured meats, and desserts tied to specific regions. Many reflect local ingredients and traditions, with examples like Tiramisu and Tagliata becoming internationally known.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Region, and Main ingredients.
Name: The common Italian name for the food, so you can recognize it quickly on menus and in recipes.
Region: The Italian region or town where the food is traditionally made, helping you place its culinary context.
Main ingredients: Three to five key components that define the dish’s flavor and guide you when cooking or ordering.
Italian foods that start with T
| Name | Type | Region | Main ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tagliatelle | pasta | Emilia-Romagna; Bologna | wheat flour, eggs, water |
| Tagliolini | pasta | Emilia-Romagna; Bologna | wheat flour, eggs, water |
| Tonnarelli | pasta | Lazio; Rome | wheat flour, eggs, water |
| Tortellini | pasta | Emilia-Romagna; Bologna | wheat flour, eggs, pork, Parmigiano-Reggiano |
| Tortelloni | pasta | Emilia-Romagna | wheat flour, eggs, ricotta, spinach |
| Tortelli di zucca | pasta | Lombardy; Mantua | pumpkin, amaretti, Parmigiano, pasta dough |
| Trofie | pasta | Liguria; Genoa | wheat flour, water, potatoes |
| Trenette | pasta | Liguria; Genoa | wheat flour, eggs, water |
| Testaroli | pasta | Tuscany; Lunigiana | wheat flour, water, salt |
| Troccoli | pasta | Puglia/Basilicata | durum wheat semolina, eggs, water |
| Tajarin | pasta | Piedmont; Turin | wheat flour, eggs, butter |
| Tortiglioni | pasta | Italy (general) | durum wheat flour, water |
| Taleggio | cheese | Lombardy; Val Taleggio | cow’s milk, salt, starter cultures, rennet |
| Toma Piemontese | cheese | Piedmont | cow’s milk, salt, rennet |
| Tomino | cheese | Piedmont | cow’s milk, salt, rennet |
| Testun | cheese | Piedmont | cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, salt, rennet |
| Trentingrana | cheese | Trentino-Alto Adige; Trento | cow’s milk, salt, rennet |
| Tuma | cheese | Sicily | sheep or cow milk, salt, rennet |
| Taralli | bread | Puglia; Campania | wheat flour, olive oil, white wine, salt |
| Tigelle | bread | Emilia-Romagna; Modena | wheat flour, lard, yeast, water |
| Torta fritta | bread | Emilia-Romagna; Modena | wheat flour, lard, salt |
| Tortano | bread | Campania; Naples | wheat flour, yeast, eggs, salami, cheese |
| Torta Pasqualina | pastry | Liguria; Genoa | shortcrust, chard or spinach, ricotta, eggs |
| Torta della Nonna | dessert | Tuscany/Lazio | shortcrust pastry, custard, pine nuts, lemon zest |
| Torta Caprese | dessert | Campania; Capri | chocolate, almonds, butter, eggs |
| Torta Sbrisolona | dessert | Lombardy; Mantua | cornmeal, flour, almonds, butter, sugar |
| Torta al Testo | bread | Umbria; Perugia | wheat flour, water, lard |
| Torta Barozzi | dessert | Emilia-Romagna; Vignola | chocolate, coffee, almonds, butter, eggs |
| Tiramisù | dessert | Veneto; Treviso | mascarpone, eggs, espresso, savoiardi, cocoa |
| Torrone | dessert | Italy (northern traditions) | honey, sugar, egg white, almonds |
| Tartufo (gelato) | dessert | Calabria; Pizzo | gelato, chocolate, hazelnut, cocoa, liqueur |
| Timballo | dish | Southern Italy/Sicily; various towns | pasta or rice, pastry, meat, cheese |
| Timpano | dish | Campania; Naples | pasta, ragù, meatballs, eggs, cheese |
| Tiella | dish | Puglia; Bari | rice, potatoes, mussels, tomatoes, olive oil |
| Tagliata | dish | Tuscany; Florence | beef steak, olive oil, rosemary, salt |
| Trippa alla Romana | dish | Lazio; Rome | tripe, tomato, onion, pecorino, mint |
| Tramezzino | sandwich | Piedmont; Turin/Venice | soft white bread, butter, assorted fillings |
| Tonnato | sauce | Piedmont; Cuneo | tuna, mayonnaise, capers, anchovies |
| Tonno sott’olio | preserve | Italy (coastal) | tuna, olive oil, salt |
| Tronchetto di Natale | dessert | Italy (national) | sponge cake, chocolate, cream |
| Tortellaccio | pasta | Emilia-Romagna | wheat flour, eggs, meat or vegetable filling |
| Torta Paradiso | dessert | Lombardy; Pavia | flour, butter, eggs, sugar |
| Torta di Mele | dessert | Italy (regional varieties) | apples, flour, eggs, sugar, butter |
Descriptions
Tagliatelle
Long, flat egg pasta from Emilia, traditionally paired with ragù or buttery sauces.
Tagliolini
Very thin ribbon egg pasta, delicate and often served with seafood or light cream sauces.
Tonnarelli
Square-cut Roman pasta similar to spaghetti alla chitarra, famously used for cacio e pepe.
Tortellini
Small stuffed pasta filled with meat and cheese, served in broth or with cream.
Tortelloni
Large stuffed pasta, commonly filled with ricotta and greens, often a festive dish.
Tortelli di zucca
Mantuan pumpkin-filled pasta combining sweet and savory flavors, a traditional holiday favorite.
Trofie
Short twisted pasta from Liguria, traditionally dressed with pesto alla Genovese.
Trenette
Long narrow ribbon pasta similar to linguine, typically served with pesto, potatoes and green beans.
Testaroli
Ancient flat pancake-like pasta cooked on a “testo”, sliced and dressed with pesto or ragù.
Troccoli
Thick, hand-cut pasta from southern Italy, hearty and often paired with rich sauces.
Tajarin
Thin, egg-rich ribbon pasta from Piedmont, commonly served with butter, meat ragu or truffles.
Tortiglioni
Ridged tubular pasta similar to rigatoni, excellent with chunky sauces that cling to the grooves.
Taleggio
Washed-rind soft cheese with a strong aroma and creamy, slightly tangy flavor.
Toma Piemontese
Semi-firm alpine cheese from Piedmont, mild and buttery, used on boards and in cooking.
Tomino
Small soft cheese often served warm, sometimes wrapped in ham or drizzled with honey.
Testun
Dense traditional cheese of Piedmont, sometimes aged in Barolo wine for a robust flavor.
Trentingrana
Hard grating cheese from Trentino, similar to Grana Padano with a nutty profile.
Tuma
Fresh Sicilian cheese eaten young; used in regional recipes or simply with bread.
Taralli
Crunchy ring-shaped snack from southern Italy, savory or sweet and often flavored with fennel or pepper.
Tigelle
Small round flatbreads (also called crescentine), split and filled with salumi or cheese.
Torta fritta
Puffed fried (or baked) dough served with cured meats, a classic accompaniment to salumi.
Tortano
Neapolitan festive bread stuffed with cured meats and cheese, typical at Easter.
Torta Pasqualina
Savory Easter pie with whole eggs baked into a ricotta and greens filling, Ligurian classic.
Torta della Nonna
Comforting custard tart with a crisp shell and pine-nut topping, popular across Italy.
Torta Caprese
Flourless chocolate-and-almond cake from Capri, moist and intensely chocolatey.
Torta Sbrisolona
Crumbly almond cake from Mantua traditionally broken into pieces and served with dessert wine.
Torta al Testo
Rustic Umbrian flatbread cooked on an iron “testo”, used like a sandwich base or side.
Torta Barozzi
Dense, fudgy chocolate cake with coffee notes from Vignola, prized for its glossy crust.
Tiramisù
Iconic layered dessert of coffee-soaked biscuits and mascarpone cream, originating near Treviso.
Torrone
Traditional Italian nougat enjoyed at holidays, chewy or crunchy depending on region.
Tartufo (gelato)
Sculpted ice-cream dessert often with a boozy center and cocoa-dusted shell from Pizzo Calabro.
Timballo
Baked timbale—a pie-like layered dish with regional fillings and dramatic presentation.
Timpano
Large baked pasta timbale popular in southern celebrations, famously elaborate in Naples.
Tiella
Layered baked dish (riso, patate e cozze) typical of Bari, rich and seaside-inspired.
Tagliata
Sliced grilled steak, simply seasoned and served medium-rare, a Tuscan favorite.
Trippa alla Romana
Roman-style tripe braised in tomato sauce and finished with pecorino and mint.
Tramezzino
Triangular, crustless sandwich invented in northern Italy, a café staple with varied fillings.
Tonnato
Creamy tuna-and-caper sauce, famously used cold over sliced veal as “vitello tonnato”.
Tonno sott’olio
Preserved tuna packed in olive oil, a pantry staple in many coastal Italian regions.
Tronchetto di Natale
Italian version of the yule log, a chocolate roulade often served at Christmas.
Tortellaccio
Larger, rustic cousin of tortellini, often served with butter or ragù.
Torta Paradiso
Light, buttery sponge cake from northern Italy, traditionally very simple and tender.
Torta di Mele
Classic Italian apple cake found across regions, homemade and comforting.