Flavors of Sicily

Sicilian Food Guide

Food is a very important part of Sicilian culture and in some ways, defines the people. Fresh, local, seasonal ingredients are used for most dishes and the season determines what is most popular. Because Sicily had numerous invaders in its history, many (Greek, French, Arab) have influenced Sicilian food in addition to Italian cuisine. Dishes are typically light and simple, possibly cooked with just olive oil and lemon, but the lemon was picked from the lemon tree out front and the olive oil was harvested and produced down the road. In addition to the world famous dishes like cannolis, gelato, pizza, and pasta, the less famous local dishes are just as delicious.

If you’re eating local Sicilian cuisine, you’ll likely have caponata (a mixture of tomato, olives, aubergines, onion) with some fresh bread or an arancina (a fried rice ball) for a snack or appetizer. For dinner you might have the busiate (pasta) al pesto Trapanese or red prawns (large local shrimp). Seafood lovers will also find many options including sardines, fresh mussels, local swordfish, or octopus. But don’t worry, if you don’t care for seafood, there are plenty of delicious pasta and pizza options as well.

Make sure you save some room for dessert- the cannoli (made with fresh sweet ricotta cheese), granita (shaved lemon ice), and Sicilian cookies are a must try along with gelato (Sicilian ice cream). With Sicilian Encounters, you will not leave Sicily hungry. And we take no responsibility for weight gains while on our trips.