Italian breakfast is "fast" and sweet. It is never too complicated because, in the morning, Italians do not have time. While we take our time for lunches and dinners, breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. Italian colazione is mainly a shot of espresso and something sweet to eat on the go. Even on a lazy Sunday, we do not spend time cooking for breakfast. With our cappuccino, we just have a slice of sweet cake, cookies or bread, butter, and jam.
Jump to:
- What do Italians eat for breakfast at home?
- Traditional Italian breakfast foods
- Not an Italian breakfast
- Traditional breakfast drinks
- Italian breakfast table
- Popular Italian breakfast item
- Healthy breakfast
- Italian easy breakfast recipes
- More articles you may like
Many Italians prefer to have their "colazione al bar", standing at the counter of our local cafe enjoying cappuccino and cornetto (Italian croissants) .
Italian croissants are very different from the French equivalent.
While the French croissant is buttery and crispy, the Italian croissant is very sweet and usually filled with jam, vanilla cream or chocolate.
Even if our breakfast lasts only a few minutes, we can chat about the weather and football with strangers.
Italians never miss an opportunity for socializing!
A perfect way to start the day!
On a Sunday, breakfast time is more relaxing, after Mass for the very religious.
First, we buy the newspaper, and then we stop at the bakery to have our breakfast and buy some pastries to bring home for our Sunday dinners.
- Cornetti: in Italian, meaning small horns. They are the Italian version of the french croissant, usually sweeter than the French version and filled with cream, jam,
or chocolate - Brioche is a typical Sicilian breakfast pastry, also called brioscia. It is a soft, slightly sweet bread flavored with orange zest. It is round-shaped with a small, round ball of dough on top. Perfect for soaking in the cappuccino or a coffee granita. In the summer is cut in half and filled with gelato
- Bomboloni is a fried Italian doughnut dusted with sugar and filled with vanilla cream or chocolate
- Maritozzi are a popular breakfast food in Rome, Lazio. They are sweet bread buns cut in half and filled with whipped cream, custard cream or chocolate
- Sfogliatelle are a classic pastry from Naples. They are made with millefoglie pastry and shaped like a folding fan. They are filled with ricotta cream and candied fruits
For those who go out partying on a Saturday night, they will skip breakfast all together, drink a quick espresso and have lunch as their first meal of the day.
While an Italian breakfast at the cafe is lavish and sweet, a typical Italian breakfast at home is completely different.
Something quick to eat that doesn't require cooking: cakes, cookies, or bread and jam.
What do Italians eat for breakfast at home?
When we have breakfast at home, we don't eat all those complicated pastries you find at bars/cafes.
Italian food like Cornetti, brioche, bomboloni, maritozzi have to be freshly made, especially if filled with cream.
The pastry becomes stale and soggy the next morning and we don't like to waste calories on bad food.
At home we keep our breakfast choices very simple and easy to serve at the table.
Traditional Italian breakfast foods
Italian breakfast was traditionally made of sweet food like baked loaves or bundt cakes ciambelle and crostate served at room temperature.
Usually made with simple ingredients that don't need refrigeration and keep well for a few days.
For a fast, simple breakfast, we would have "pane burro e marmellata": bread, butter and jam.
Nowadays, people got used to buying breakfast cookies, packaged brioche or croissant "merendine" or breakfast cereals.
You may be surprised to know that Italians eat their cereals with warm milk.
Not an Italian breakfast
Italians don't cook or bake in the morning!
We DO NOT have savory breakfast and don't eat frittata, sausage, eggs or fresh vegetables for breakfast, as you read around the web.
There is no such thing as an Italian breakfast casserole.
Traditional breakfast drinks
Italians normally accompany their breakfast with warm drinks like espresso coffee, caffelatte or hot chocolate (cioccolata calda) for children.
Italian hot chocolate is very thick, almost like a pudding "budino" and you need to eat it with a spoon
Sometime we add a little milk to our espresso and we call it caffe macchiato.
We also drink cold fruit juices like peach, pear, apricot or orange juice.
In the summer we substitute hot coffee with:
- Coffee granita is iced coffee served with crushed ice and topped with whipped cream
- Caffe freddo is simply iced espresso coffee
- Crema di caffe is a creamy coffee semifreddo you can drink or eat with a spoon
Italian breakfast table
An Italian breakfast table is usually very simple.
We would have our espresso cups, or a large bowl for caffe latte, and plates for a slice of cake or bread with butter and jam.
At the center of the table a basket full of bread, or packaged sweet cookies or Italian croissant.
Popular Italian breakfast item
These are the Italian breakfast items you will find in any Italian kitchen:
- Moca Bialetti: old fashion espresso machine
- Illy Caffe: best espresso coffee
- Stackable Espresso cups: as we usually have several expresso cups, we like the stackable ones that use less space in the cupboard
- Small milk frothing pitcher in Stainless Steel: Italian drink their milk warm, either in the cappuccino or caffe latte, so we need a stainless steel pitcher to either frost the milk in the espresso machine or heat it up on the stovetop
Note: Lavazza, like Barilla, is not a good quality brand. They are mass produced and therefore large distribution and marketing but in Italy they are not recognized as prime quality.
Healthy breakfast
Most adults like to have a healthy breakfast during the week, and this is what we would normally have with our coffee espresso:
- Fette biscottate are Italian crisp, dry, and lightly sweetened toast very light to digest. They are made with durum wheat flour, traditionally eaten during breakfast, accompanied by butter, jam, honey or plain.
- Yogurt plain or with fruit
- Seasonal fresh fruit, usually an apple, orange, or banana in winter and peaches, nectarine or prunes in Summer
Italian easy breakfast recipes
Here you will find a list of easy recipes you can make for an Italian breakfast:
Cakes that do not need refrigeration
Here is a list of cakes you can bake on the weekend and keep for the week. The do not need to be refrigerated so you can grab a slice and dip it in your caffelatte.
You wouldn't want to eat something cold in the morning.
đź“‹ Crostata Di Marmellata Recipe (Italian Jam Tart)
Crostata di Marmellata, a traditional Italian jam tart, is a delightful addition to your dessert repertoire. This rustic treat boasts a delicate, buttery shortcrust pastry dough known as pasta frolla, which serves as a staple in Italian baking and pairs well with the sweet and tangy flavors of various jams and preserves. Home to a crisscross lattice design, the Crostata is an artful and inviting dessert that impresses as much with its appearance as with its taste.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Healthy Ricotta Cake No Butter
This is an old Italian ricotta cake no butter recipe from the wartime when butter was scarce. It is not a creamy cake similar to the American cheesecake.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Marble Bundt Cake (Ciambella)
This marble bundt cake is a classic Italian breakfast cake called Ciambella Marmorizzata. The batter is made with simple ingredients you certainly have at home: flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, and baking powder. Half is flavored with vanilla and half with cocoa creating a nice black-and-white effect.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹ Italian Apple Cake
This Italian apple cake is simply made with plenty of apples to fully enjoy their taste: 1 kilo (2 pounds) of apples and no other spices added. It is the juice from these apples that make this cake creamy and fluffy.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹How To Make Brioche Dough At Home
Brioche dough has long been a beloved choice for those seeking a buttery, tender bread perfect for both sweet and savory dishes. This classic French bread combines the characteristics of both bread and pastry, making it an indulgent and versatile option for your baking endeavors. From sumptuous French toast to satisfying sandwiches and elegant desserts, brioche bread has a wealth of diverse applications that never fail to impress.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Coconut Orange Loaf Cake
This orange loaf cake is a soft sweet orange bread perfect for an Italian breakfast. Before you make your fresh orange juice, grate the zests and use them for this cake, and nothing gets wasted. The sweet and crunchy coconut balances the citrusy aroma of the orange. The flavor is already intense; you do not need any frosting. It is easy to make, and the plain square cake slices are practical to pack for a lunch or picnic.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Easy Torta Caprese (Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake)
Caprese cake is an almond chocolate cake from Naples, which was created by mistake! There is no flour, so it's perfect for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Creamy and chocolaty, the ground almonds give it a perfect crunchy texture.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Sweet Italian Polenta Cake Recipe With Ricotta
Polenta cake, a classic Italian sweet dish, will entice you with its rich and tender texture. This rustic cake originates from Rome and is made with fine cornmeal and Roman ricotta cheese, mixed with raisins, and topped with pine nuts. Perfect for a sweet Italian breakfast or for an afternoon snack.
Check out this recipe
Not Italian but suitable for an Italian breakfast
These are not strictly Italian recipes, but they well adapt to an Italian breakfast table:
đź“‹Carrot Cake Loaf With Walnuts
This carrot cake combines the crunchiness of the carrots and the walnuts with a moist batter. It is perfect for picnics, easy to carry and mess free!
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Classic American Brownies
These brownies are devilishly delicious, and unhealthy. They are so chocolaty, gooey and there is so much butter in them.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls In the Bread Machine
Soft and buttery inside, crunchy and gooey outside, our special Christmas Cinnamon Buns morning treat. Prepared the night before and baked in the morning
Check out this recipe
đź“‹ Homemade English Muffins
You can buy ready made English muffins, but if you make them fresh at home you will never go back to the bought ones. To ease the work, you can make the dough in the bread machine
Check out this recipe
Cookies
Italians would have a collection of cookies from the brand Mulino Bianco, they have done an excellent marketing campaign and conquered the majority of the Italian breakfast cookies market.
However, if you like me prefer to make them at home, here are some easy biscotti you can prepare for the week.
đź“‹ 3 Ingredient Cookies No Egg
These 3 Ingredient Cookies No Egg are light and crumbling, you can make the dough in advance and keep it in the freezer ready when you need it.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Italian Easter Cookies
These Italian Easter cookies are a tradition in the southern regions of Italy, they are easy to make and have different fun shapes. The perfect baking project to do with the children.
Check out this recipe
Bread butter and homemade jams
Pane, burro e marmellata is a classic Italian breakfast.
If you like to bake the bread yourself or make your own fruit preserve, here are some ideas:
đź“‹How To Make Brioche Dough At Home
Brioche dough has long been a beloved choice for those seeking a buttery, tender bread perfect for both sweet and savory dishes. This classic French bread combines the characteristics of both bread and pastry, making it an indulgent and versatile option for your baking endeavors. From sumptuous French toast to satisfying sandwiches and elegant desserts, brioche bread has a wealth of diverse applications that never fail to impress.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Italian Milk Bread Rolls Recipe (Panini Al Latte)
This Italian milk bread rolls recipe is a slightly sweet, soft, and small dinner roll called Panini al Latte. The dough of these fluffy buns is made with flour, milk, egg, and butter. They are golden brown and served fresh with gourmet filling at buffets or children's parties. This milk bread recipe is easy; it is a fun activity to do with the children.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Italian Grape Jam (No Pectin)
Homemade grape jam is a delicious way to use a large number of grapes before the end of the season. This recipe uses Concord grape. Its intense ruby color and delicate strawberry flavor make this jam the perfect edible gift to serve in the morning with bread and butter or to bake into crostata.
Check out this recipe
Apricot jam without pectin
This apricot jam is sieved therefore smoother and creamy. Beside spreading it on a fresh slice of bread, it can be used for many cakes and biscuits recipes.This is an apricot jam without pectin which is a natural thickening agent. Totally natural it is great for breakfast over a fresh slice if homemade bread #yourguardianche #jam #preserves
Check out this recipe
Caramelized Peach Jam
As I don’t want the peach season to come to an end, I make jam so we can enjoy them for the rest of the year. Though this is not a normal jam, it is a caramelized one.
Check out this recipe
Breakfast during festivities
Panettone, Pandoro or Colomba Pasquale are some classic festivities desserts we would have for breakfast.
đź“‹Italian Donuts Graffe - Zeppole Di Carnevale
These fried Italian donuts Graffe are one of the many traditional fried desserts we eat at Carnival, also called Zeppole di Carnevale. Their dough is made with potatoes, flour, milk, butter, eggs, a small amount of sugar, and yeast. They are flavored with lemon zest, deep-fried in oil, and served with a coat of granulater sugar. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, Graffe are a special Carnival treat from Naples.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Ciacchiere Italian fried cookies
This Oreillettes or Chiacchiere recipe is a traditional dessert usually sold during holidays in Italy and in France at Christmas as well as Carnival. They are strips of fried dough covered with icing sugar, crunchy and thin. Once you eat one you cannot stop.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Pastiera Napoletana Recipe (Easter Ricotta Pie)
PastieraNapoletana is a ricotta pie typically baked for Easter. The filling is made with wheat mixed with ricotta and has a distinctive flavor of the flower orange water and lemon zest.
Check out this recipe
đź“‹Traditional Struffoli Recipe With Cognac
Struffoli is an Italian dessert mostly known as a Christmas tradition from Naples, but in many other Italian regions are traditional during Carnival.
Check out this recipe
More articles you may like
For more information about Italian cuisine history, tradition, and culture, you can read: 77 traditional Italian ingredients and best brands, 36 Essential Herbs And Spices Used In Italian Cooking, history of traditional Italian food by region, 32 most popular Italian street food, Italian Sunday dinner a 6 meal courses, Italian table setting and etiquette
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