Hard-to-Find Ingredients in Italy
/If you’re planning on spending any amount of time in Italy in which you will want to cook, bake, or generally not always eat in restaurants (I know, it’s hard, but your bank account will thank you!), this list might come in handy.
Last Updated August 10, 2024
You might think that Italy will have everything you need, they bake and cook so it’s just a matter of translating, right? Yes...and no. It’s not as different as it could be, I can imagine living in China or the DRC would present a bigger challenge for finding and cooking with familiar ingredients and brands. But this is still a “foreign” country and will present its unique challenges. The best way to tackle these challenges is to meet them head on, and hopefully with the ones that are important to you in your suitcase!
What follows is a list of ingredients and items that could fall into these categories: nonexistent - expensive - elusive - and, - it’s just not the same. Compiled from my own experience and that of fellow expat friends, I hope you find it helpful, and, as always, let me know in the comments below what should be added or your own stories! I’m sure there are things I don’t even think about that others might really miss!
Some ingredients are carried in all main grocery stores and just located in strange places, some are only found in specialty stores, and others you might want to consider bringing with you. Little Ethnic stores are your friends! Of course, this list is not all-inclusive, I chose not to list most of the items that are “name brand” or not mainstream; i.e. your favorite brand of laundry detergent might not exist, but there are plenty of other detergents that do exactly the same thing, so I don’t have Arm & Hammer listed as non existent, or likewise, I won’t have Andes Mints baking bits listed because most people wouldn’t think of those let alone miss them. Make sense? Ok let’s get grocery shopping!
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The “American” Section at Vivimarket…yes! Betty Crocker strawberry frosting, I have missed thee! Not.
Asian Ingredients - Ingredienti Asiatici
If you want spring roll wraps, soy sauce, canned coconut milk, sriracha, or anything that’s more Asian than Italian, chances are the prices will be high, if they carry it at all at the supermarket. The large Esselunga I shop at does have an Asian section (it’s a tiny end cap) but prices are usually 2-3x what you can find if you know where to look. Where is that? Any Asian grocer! The products are authentic, variety greater, and prices much better! You might even end up with food items (we hope they’re food?!) you’ve never seen before to try, and it might remain a mystery because the packages often lack any English, Italian, or even any Latin alphabet!
Apples - Mele
I love apples. I don’t love apples in Italy. They are everywhere, but I can’t understand why they are gross. It can be apple season but when you bite into a beautiful apple you get a mouthful of pith. Blech. I grew up picking fresh apples every fall with my mom and siblings so maybe I’m just apple-spoiled? The only apples that I consistently like, crisp and sweet, are the Ambrosia apples. I’ve heard of a place not too far outside of Florence where you can go and pick fresh apples! The price is right, but you would need a car to get there.
Avocados - Avocado
Avocados are found pretty easily, but they are expensive! They are usually between 3.50-6.50euro/kilo. And they’re not always the beloved Hass, often there is a smoother, greener variety that comes from Israel.
Baking Powder - Lievito in Polvere
Baking powder doesn’t come in containers or tubs like it does in the States. You will usually find it in small packets (often with the artificial vanillin flavor) in the baking section. Rumor has it it doesn’t work well, causing desserts to rise too much too fast or not rising at all. Other times I’ve heard it works just fine. I haven’t personally tried it, as this is something I bring with me and a container lasts a long time! You could try the self-raising flour, I’ve read that works reliably well.
Baking Soda - Bicarbonato di Sodio
This is cheap and sold in all grocery stores, it’s just not in the baking section like you’d think it would be. Look on the end caps in some stores by the Alka Seltzers or by the bottled water or soft drinks in others.
Black Beans - Fagioli Neri
Don’t ask me why, but the black beans are not always with the other beans at Italian grocer stores. Sometimes they don’t carry them, sometimes they are in a “special” section maybe with other seeds and nuts. But they do exist! Beans are also another item you can usually find at the little Arab or Asian stores.
Buttermilk - Latticello
I don’t think I’ve ever seen buttermilk in a store, but I also can’t say I’ve looked very hard because there are several handy and easy substitutes. Instead of buttermilk try this: mix 1 cup milk with 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, OR use plain kefir, which is readily available in Italian grocery stores.
Cabbage - Cavolo
Italians love their cabbage, especially when their cavolo nero or black cabbage comes into season. Despite its name, black cabbage seems more similar to kale than it does the variety of cabbage we use in the States, that light green head of cabbage. If you have a hankering to make say, sauerkraut or pickled purple cabbage, what do you do? Scour your nearest grocery store, sometimes they do have the “regular” heads of cabbage! I have on occasion seen the purple cabbage, but because fruits and vegetables are still very much sold seasonably, you can’t count on them year round. The green cabbage I saw was called crauti, their name for sauerkraut; it’s also called cavolo cappuccio bianco.
Candy Bars and Candies - Barrette di Cioccolato e Caramelle
You can find these here: Snickers, Mars, Twix, Kit Kat, Skittles (since 2018), M&M’s, Smarties (the Canadian M&M’s), Lindt, Bounty, Lion, Ferrero Rocher, and various other European varieties. Reese’s can be found at Vivimarket in Florence for a significant price. Update as of December 2020, Esselunga had packs of 2 Reese’s cups by the checkout lanes for 0.60cents.
Canned Pumpkin Purée - Zucca in Scatola
In Italy, this is liquid gold. To find pumpkin, you are going to need to go to specialty stores. In Florence, I know of two places that carry it. One is ViviMarket, the other is Pegna. Both places will run you about 4.60-4.80euro per 15 oz. can. I know. Like I said, liquid gold. You can find fresh pumpkin in the store, but it is not pie pumpkin and will give you a different tasting pumpkin pie if you try and cook and purée it yourself. I know people who do this, up to you if you prefer the classic pumpkin pie taste or are up for a twist!
Cereals - Cereali
I rarely eat cereal and I doubt you are coming to Italy dreaming about cereal, but one can’t help but notice that though cereal and granola is easily found, the selection is definitely smaller than that of an American grocery store. I’d say this is for the better, but just in case you’re a Lucky Charms or Fruit Loops die hard, realize they might not have your favorite cereal beyond the basics. There are rice krispies for making homemade granola bars, desserts, and Rice Krisipie Treats, just so you know. :)
Cheddar Cheese - Formaggio di Cheddar
While I’m not a big cheddar cheese fan, leave it to being far from home that I start craving all the American foods I don’t normally eat. Cheddar can usually be found at Esselunga, 150g of slices for about 2euros. I’ve also discovered that Lidl has an even bigger container of sliced cheddar cheese for about the same price.
Chocolate Chips - Gocce di Cioccolato
Regular-sized chocolate chips are not to be found, just mini. But there is something about chocolate chip cookies with mini chips that are just not the same. The minis are expensive, too, upwards of 2euro for 6 oz of chips/1 cup. Otherwise, you can buy a bar of chocolate for less and chop it yourself for custom chocolate chunks.
Cilantro - Coriandolo
Fresh and dried parsley is everywhere, but cilantro? Not as much. I have found it sometimes in the grocery store in small packages, but you’ll have a much better chance if you head to any Asian grocer. And there are plenty, at least in Florence!
Dill - Aneto
Dried dill can be hard to find here, but I can sometimes find fresh dill, usually in small plastic containers like the cilantro. But not always. So plan ahead if you want to make homemade pickles or add fresh dill to chicken or tuna salad, like I do. :)
Flour - Farina
There is a plethora of flour here, no worries! The tricky part is figuring out which kind you need, because the types of flour go beyond just all-purpose, bread, and cake. I have a post dedicated to Italian flours and how they are best utilized that you can read here, but for now just a quick overview. First, there are the two kinds of (wheat) flours; hard wheat “grano duro” and soft wheat “grano tenero.” Hard wheat is mostly used for crusty bread, pizza, and pasta because it has a higher protein content, whereas the soft wheat is used for softer breads and desserts. Second, there is the grind of the flour noted by numbers: 00, 0, 1, and 2. 00 denotes the finest grind, 2 is the coarsest. Beyond this there are also all the specialty flours you can find, including: self-raising flour as mentioned above under baking powder, farina di manitoba which is closest to what we call bread flour, almond flour, chickpea flour, cornmeal, rice flour, and more.
Grape Juice - Succo d’Uva
For all the juice variety you can find, only some grocery stores carry grape juice, and it’s only ever one type. Usually purple grape juice, I’ve never seen white and never 100% juice. It seems all their grape juice is made into wine, none leftover for juice, haha!
Gum - Gomma
Yes, there is gum in Italy, but it’s a bit more expensive and not as good as American gum. Some of it is just gross, like licorice. If you like licorice, lucky you!
Hummus - Hummus
Hummus can easily be made at home if you have a good blender or food processor, but sometimes the convenience of having a pre-made container of hummus is so nice. This is not a food I hunted down or even noticeably missed, but when I found some at Lidl it made me very happy and thought you might like to know that, too.
Hydrogen Peroxide - Perossido di Idrogeno/Acqua Ossigenata
This is not food, but if you use it for disinfecting wounds, mouth wash, removing stains, or any of its numerous uses, it might be helpful for you to know that it is readily available here, but the packaging made it harder to locate. Its bottle is usually white, generic, and small, not the signature large brown plastic I’m used to buying in America. Search near the bandages and eye drops.
Maple Syrup - Sciroppo d’Acero
Maple syrup costs a small fortune. It can be found in most grocery stores and also at Vivimarket in Florence. A small bottle, roughly 8 oz, will cost you about 4.50-7euro. Lidl has the cheapest price by far at less than 5euro for a bottle. This is the real stuff, pure maple syrup and not high fructose corn syrup, but I believe Vivimarket carries the Aunt Jemima (that name is changing!) stuff if you’re feeling nostalgic, but I think a bottle of that will cost you more than a pure bottle, almost 8 euro! Oh, the irony.
Marshmallows - Toffolette
Marshmallows are available here, but don’t expect Jet-Puffed fluffy big white mallows. To be honest, I’ve never bought them, but I’ve always heard they are just plain weird with a texture like stale marshmallows.
Mexican Ingredients - Ingredienti Messicani
Like the Asian ingredients, the Mexican ingredients can be found, but maybe less readily. There is a large Asian presence in Italy and no shortage of Asian grocers and restaurants, but the same cannot be said for Mexican. In Florence there seems to be a sad lack of burritos/tacos. My favorite is called Los Chicos, but you can also find Mexican at Tijuana, Eby’s, and I was surprised to see recently, at the American Diner on Via Nazionale. Otherwise you will have to find or make your own tortillas and sauces as best you can. Like the Asian section at the Esselunga I frequent, there is a small Mexican section with enchilada sauce, sour cream (it’s not refrigerated, I’m scared), corn and flour tortillas, and other miscellaneous. They recently stopped stocking the refried beans and that makes me sad. Coop also has a small Mexican food section, with refried beans! Otherwise Vivimarket even has a small Mexican food section.
Molasses - Melassa
I have tried to ask at Coop and Esselunga for Molasses with varying responses. One lady was convinced they carried it only to find they don’t, and the other lady just looked at me like I was crazy. I am happy to report that it can be found at some specialty stores, for sure at NaturaSi. They are the WholeFoods of Italy, high prices and all, but a good place to check out for natural products and specialty items the mainstream stores might not carry!
Peanut Butter - Burro di Arachidi
The main stores usually carry just Skippy, which costs almost 5 euro for a small bottle, or Calvé, a less expensive Dutch (?) brand. I’m happy to report, that after living in Italy for 5 years, I’ve found a natural peanut butter I truly like. It’s called “Fiorentini” and you can find it at Coop for 2.25 for a 350g jar. It has just peanuts, sunflower oil, and salt. Otherwise, the Chinese markets or Arab butchers, which carry more than just meat, have the Calvé or other brands you probably haven’t heard of but for much more manageable prices. If you’re interested in other nut butters, check out NaturaSi which has almond butter, peanut butter, and possibly some others. Pricey, but probably your best bet if you don’t want to grind your own.
Pecans - Noci Pecan
I thought for a long time these were non-existent here, but they just like to hide. They are usually not with the other nuts like walnuts and almonds, but if your local grocery store carries them they might be by the “party aisle,” or near the soft drinks, drink mixes, peanuts, and party nut mixes. But be warned, an 80g bag will run you between 3 and 5 euro a bag. I splurged once and made a pecan pie for Thanksgiving….I spent 12euro just on the 2 cups (240g) of pecans. Ayayay.
Pinto Beans - Fagioli di pinto (?)
Pinto beans aren’t to be found here, hence why I don’t even know what they’d be called. Not even in a special spot in the grocery store, like sometimes the black beans are. Nope. However, there is a variety of bean you can buy called “fagioli borlotti” that make a wonderful substitute for pinto beans. They are creamy colored and speckled with red, but cook up to be brown like pinto beans. More importantly, they are creamy and buttery, just like pinto beans, which make them wonderful to smash for refried beans or eat as is!
Pretzels - Salatini
Similar to marshmallows, pretzels are available and stale tasting. These I did eat once, and haven’t again since. I bought them to make a pretzel crust for a pie, but after twirling around in my food processor for too long without breaking down, I realized these were not your ordinary pretzels. These are special stale pretzels best not used for crusts.
Salad Dressings - Condimenti per Insalata
Salads here are dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and sometimes balsamic vinegar. I’ve never turned back, it’s so simple and good. There are a select few salad dressing you can find in stores, like caeser, tzatziki, and some others, but you’re not going to find Italian (haha), thousand Island, Ranch, raspberry poppyseed, or any of those others. Just bring it with you if it’s important to you or make it from scratch. I never would’ve thought of this but I do have some friends that Ranch was CRUCIAL for.
Sour Cream - Panna Acida
I haven’t tried this yet, I don’t normally eat sour cream and I’ve been won over to using plain yogurt as a healthier substitute. At Esselunga you may only find it if they have the non-refrigerated kind in the Mexican section. Otherwise Coop has some normal looking refrigerated sour cream.
Spices - Spezie
Let’s talk about spices. When you think of Italian cooking, you can probably make a guess of which spices they will for sure have. Garlic, onion, parsley, oregano, basil, sage, bay leaf, cumin, turmeric, thyme, rosemary, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, marjoram, coriander, curry, and saffron are everywhere. Then there are whole cloves but no ground cloves. The first time I went to make a pumpkin pie I was trying to grate cloves with a cheese grater…kids, don’t try this at home. Other spices like adobe chili, or smoked chilis, or any ethnic spices that aren’t mainstream you will probably have to import yourself. Spices you can find, even if you have to hunt a bit, would include cardamom, garam masala, smoked paprika, and ground mustard. Mint you can find at the Arab butcher shops if you can’t find it at your local store.
Sweet Potatoes - Patate Dolci
Sometimes I can find these at the grocery store, sometimes not. In more recent years it’s been more hit than miss, which is nice! A sure bet would be Vivimarket, which has them every time I have gone, and are usually grown in the US, yeah!
Vanilla Extract - Estratto di Vaniglia
The REAL stuff, not imitation or vanillin like you find in every dessert here. And no, the real stuff doesn’t exist here. Either bring it with you or make your own! I usually bring a bottle with me to use while my homemade stuff is aging, it takes a minimum of 3 months for best flavor.
Always remember, even when you’re missing your creature comfort food, that it’s not so bad eating food like this…
