17 Tuscan Recipes From Gnudi to Steak Florentine

Channel a backdrop of rolling hills and dreamy villas with these meals that celebrate the flavors and specialties of Tuscany. Your Tuscan olive oil, balsamic, and herbs will sing in pasta, meat, and salad dishes from the idyllic region. Start with soup like Ribollita or Pappa al Pomodoro; then make the pici of Siena, the gnocchi of Bolgheri, or of course, eggs Florentine. Prepare Tuscan-style chicken, trout, or steak, and for dessert, bake cake like a nonna. Don’t miss the wine pairings in these Tuscan recipes, from Chianti to Vernaccia. Buon appetito!

Gnocchi Asparagi e Pancetta (Tuscan Gnocchi with Asparagus and Pancetta)

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

The key to good gnocchi is good potatoes, and in Tuscany, that means ones from the Bolgheri area. In a celebration of the region’s trademark simplicity, we use Yukon Gold potatoes, tossed with delicate springtime asparagus and a savory, emulsified, pancetta-flavored pan sauce.

Florentine Butter Chicken

Greg DuPree

Traditionally, lightly floured, skin-on chicken breasts are gently pan-fried in warm, melted butter and topped with a splash of fresh lemon juice. Inspired by the famous version served at Trattoria Sostanza in Florence, Italy, F&W editor in chief Hunter Lewis’ rich and nutty version uses cultured butter and skinless chicken breast.

Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette

Victor Protasio

Panzanella is a rustic salad that repurposes stale bread. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat author Samin Nosrat showcases juicy ripe tomatoes, raw red onion, and crisp cucumbers with oven-roasted sourdough croutons in her version.

Tuscan Grilled Trout

Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist Lydia Pursell

Baste trout fillets with a simple garlic-and-herb-infused oil combined with wine vinegar before grilling and pouring the sauce over the hot fish dish.

Pici Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Missie Neville Crawford

Make the classic thick, hand-rolled spaghetti from Siena with all-purpose flour, water, and olive oil. It’s an approachable pasta for beginners.

Balsamic and Rosemary-Marinated Florentine Steak

When she’s in Tuscany, chef Nancy Silverton buys thick porterhouses at Antica Macelleria Cecchini, Dario Cecchini’s famous butcher shop in the town of Panzano. At Mozza, one of her restaurants in Los Angeles, chef Matt Molina marinates the meat in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and rosemary for this recipe.

Ribollita

Jen Causey

Ribollita is a rustic Tuscan soup that combines bread, beans, and greens. With roots in Italian peasant cooking, ribollita means reboiled and refers to adding day-old bread to leftover soup. With humble origins, the soup has become a comforting and delicious classic.

Tuscan-Style Veal Chops

In Tuscany, olive oil is the fat of choice for finishing aromatic veal chops like these. Grilling expert Steven Raichlen combines it with garlic, rosemary, and sage.

Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi with Tomato-Butter Sauce

Delicate gnudi, which chef Tommy Habetz describes as “ravioli filling without the pasta,” originated in Tuscany. This version is made with diced Italian plum tomatoes, spinach, ricotta, and Parmesan.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

To make one of Florence’s simplest yet most succulent dishes, use high-quality, thick T-bone steaks and a very hot grill. Italians douse the steak with lemon juice while it’s rare for the signature complement of rich, red meat and tart citrus.

Tuscan White Bean and Escarole Soup with Tuna

Eva Kolenko

Cannellini beans, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan come together in this Tuscan white bean soup. Justin Chapple adds escarole and tuna to give this dish more body.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Joe Sponzo grows his own tomatoes for this hearty Tuscan soup that uses five pounds of tomatoes to serve six.

Tuscan-Style Spareribs with Balsamic Glaze

Like his favorite Tuscan cooks, pork expert Bruce Aidells finishes his ribs with a simple balsamic glaze. The meat is generously seasoned with a mix of aromatic herbs and spices before slow roasting.

Seafood Pasta with Tuscan Hot Oil

Italian food importer and cookbook author Rolando Beramendi makes Tuscan hot oil with extra-virgin olive oil, dried parsley, crushed red pepper, and sea salt to toss with and drizzle over bucatini with six types of seafood.

Eggs Florentine with Smoky Mornay Sauce

Rest perfectly poached eggs on toasted English muffins with a bed of garlicky sauteed spinach for eggs Florentine. Justin Chapple tops his with a light cheese sauce spiked with smoked Spanish paprika.

Torta Della Nonna

“Grandmother’s cake” is a traditional Tuscan dessert that each nonna makes slightly differently. Celebrity private chef Joe Sponzo flavors a silky pastry cream with vanilla and lemon zest (other Tuscan cooks add ricotta cheese) to fill a delicate pastry crust, topping the tart with pine nuts, a Tuscan staple.

Black-and-White Pici Pasta with Squid and Shellfish

2014 F&W Best New Chef Eli Kulp tosses the pasta from Siena with bay scallops, littleneck clams, mussels, and squid, plus a big, briny seafood sauce and spicy pickled cherry peppers.

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