Genoa boasts a rich culinary tradition, influenced by its maritime history and the resources of the Ligurian territory.
Here are some of the most well-known traditional dishes:
Pesto alla genovese
Genoa’s most famous sauce, made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, pecorino, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. It's typically used to dress pasta, such as trofie or trenette.
Farinata
A thin savory pancake made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt. It's baked in a wood-fired oven and has a crispy exterior with a soft interior. Often served as street food.
Genoese focaccia
Another symbol of Genoese cuisine, “fugassa” is a soft yet slightly crispy focaccia topped with olive oil and salt. It's eaten at any time of day, often dipped in coffee for breakfast!
Focaccia di Recco
A variation of traditional focaccia, but filled with a generous layer of fresh cheese (usually crescenza or stracchino) and baked in a wood-fired oven.
Trofie with pesto
Trofie is a type of pasta typical of Liguria, twisted in shape. It is usually dressed with pesto alla genovese, sometimes enriched with potatoes and green beans.
Cima alla genovese
A dish from the peasant tradition, it is a veal pocket stuffed with a mix of meat, vegetables, eggs, pine nuts, and cheese, then sewn shut and slowly cooked. It is served cold, sliced into thin pieces.
Pansoti with walnut sauce
Pansoti are a type of stuffed pasta, similar to ravioli, filled with wild herbs (such as borage and nettle) and ricotta. They are served with a delicious walnut sauce.
Stuffed anchovies
Anchovies, a typical fish from the Ligurian coast, are stuffed with a mixture of bread, garlic, parsley, and sometimes pine nuts and raisins, then baked or fried.
Genoese-style stockfish
One of Genoa’s oldest dishes, made with stockfish, potatoes, pine nuts, tomatoes, olives, and parsley, slowly cooked to achieve a rich flavor.
Pasqualina pie
A savory pie typical of Easter time, made with a thin pastry filled with chard, eggs, and ricotta or prescinseua (a traditional Ligurian cheese).
Panera
A semifreddo typical of Genoa, made with cream, sugar, and coffee. Panera has a creamy and velvety texture and is the perfect dessert for coffee lovers, enjoyed as a dessert or in local ice cream shops. Its name comes from combining "panna" (cream) and "nera" (black), referring to the dark color given by the coffee.
Ligurian rabbit
This dish best represents the culinary tradition of the Ligurian inland. Ligurian rabbit is slowly cooked with taggiasca olives, pine nuts, garlic, rosemary, and white wine, creating a rich and aromatic flavor. It’s a light yet flavorful dish, often served with simple sides like potatoes or vegetables.
Genoese pandolce
The traditional Christmas cake of Genoa, similar to a rich bread, enriched with dried fruit, pine nuts, raisins, and candied fruits.
These dishes represent the best of Genoese cuisine, based on simple yet high-quality ingredients, such as fresh basil, olive oil, fish, and wild herbs.
Here are some of the most well-known traditional dishes:
Pesto alla genovese
Genoa’s most famous sauce, made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, pecorino, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. It's typically used to dress pasta, such as trofie or trenette.
Farinata
A thin savory pancake made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt. It's baked in a wood-fired oven and has a crispy exterior with a soft interior. Often served as street food.
Genoese focaccia
Another symbol of Genoese cuisine, “fugassa” is a soft yet slightly crispy focaccia topped with olive oil and salt. It's eaten at any time of day, often dipped in coffee for breakfast!
Focaccia di Recco
A variation of traditional focaccia, but filled with a generous layer of fresh cheese (usually crescenza or stracchino) and baked in a wood-fired oven.
Trofie with pesto
Trofie is a type of pasta typical of Liguria, twisted in shape. It is usually dressed with pesto alla genovese, sometimes enriched with potatoes and green beans.
Cima alla genovese
A dish from the peasant tradition, it is a veal pocket stuffed with a mix of meat, vegetables, eggs, pine nuts, and cheese, then sewn shut and slowly cooked. It is served cold, sliced into thin pieces.
Pansoti with walnut sauce
Pansoti are a type of stuffed pasta, similar to ravioli, filled with wild herbs (such as borage and nettle) and ricotta. They are served with a delicious walnut sauce.
Stuffed anchovies
Anchovies, a typical fish from the Ligurian coast, are stuffed with a mixture of bread, garlic, parsley, and sometimes pine nuts and raisins, then baked or fried.
Genoese-style stockfish
One of Genoa’s oldest dishes, made with stockfish, potatoes, pine nuts, tomatoes, olives, and parsley, slowly cooked to achieve a rich flavor.
Pasqualina pie
A savory pie typical of Easter time, made with a thin pastry filled with chard, eggs, and ricotta or prescinseua (a traditional Ligurian cheese).
Panera
A semifreddo typical of Genoa, made with cream, sugar, and coffee. Panera has a creamy and velvety texture and is the perfect dessert for coffee lovers, enjoyed as a dessert or in local ice cream shops. Its name comes from combining "panna" (cream) and "nera" (black), referring to the dark color given by the coffee.
Ligurian rabbit
This dish best represents the culinary tradition of the Ligurian inland. Ligurian rabbit is slowly cooked with taggiasca olives, pine nuts, garlic, rosemary, and white wine, creating a rich and aromatic flavor. It’s a light yet flavorful dish, often served with simple sides like potatoes or vegetables.
Genoese pandolce
The traditional Christmas cake of Genoa, similar to a rich bread, enriched with dried fruit, pine nuts, raisins, and candied fruits.
These dishes represent the best of Genoese cuisine, based on simple yet high-quality ingredients, such as fresh basil, olive oil, fish, and wild herbs.
