If you didn’t already know, there are a ton of dishes, both sweet and salty, to taste in Sicily. Sicily food is a category all of its own when we’re talking about Italian cuisine. While it’s pretty typical for every region in Italy to have at least a few dishes specific to that region, Sicily, however, has a lot of dishes that are specific to Sicily. Eating in Sicily is an activity in itself — and coming from a self-proclaimed foodie, I don’t say this lightly. Warning you now: expect several kilo/pounds gained after a trip to the region.
If you’re planning a trip to Sicily soon, check out my 10 Things Not to Miss When Visiting Sicily blog and my full Western Sicily itinerary.
Below I’ve listed out my list (approved by a few Italian friends who helped me build it out) of my tried and true favorites when we visited the west coast of the island.
About Sicily
Sicily is an island at the tip of southern Italy. Once a pivotal outpost for the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthaginians, the island fell under Roman rule in 241 BC, marking an era of prosperity. Sicily’s convenient location in the middle of the Mediterranean made it a strategic location for Mediterranean trade, making it a common crossroads for many cultures. In fact, this cultural influence can still be seen today, and a great example of this is when Sicily was under Muslim Arab rule from 827-902 AD. When you visit Sicily, you might be surprised to see couscous (couscous alla trapanese, or trapani style couscous) offered just about everywhere. This is because the Aghlabids, an Arab Muslim dynasty that ruled modern-day Tunisia and eastern Algeria, likely introduced couscous to the region. Many years later, couscous is a popular dish that is still enjoyed by Sicilians today.
What to Expect in Sicily Food – Diet Restrictions
Much of the Sicily food encourages the use of fresh vegetables such as eggplant, artichoke, and tomatoes, and fish such as tuna, sea bream, sea bass, cuttlefish, and swordfish. In Trapani in the extreme western corner of the island, North African influences are clear in the use of couscous, as I’ve mentioned above. If you’re visiting Sicily as a vegetarian, you’ll easily have plenty of options to choose from in the local cuisine. Many of the foods I list below are or can be vegetarian-friendly, and if you are pescatarian, this entire list is pretty much fair game for you.
If you’re vegan, your options are definitely a little more limited but there are a few options that I’ll list below that are for the most part, vegan by default:
- Caponata (eggplant salad)
- Panelle (fried chickpea fritters — you can also find this in a sandwich made with two pieces of brioche)
- Pasta alla Norma (pasta made with eggplant, tomato sauce, and basil — just ask them to hold the cheese on top!)
If you’re looking for more vegan-friendly options, you can check out this blog by the nomadic vegan for vegan options in Sicily.
Sicily Food List – 10 Foods to Eat in Sicily
#1 Arancini
lightly battered fried rice balls filled with cheese, meat, or veggies
Arancini is probably the most popular food in Sicily, and you will see them everywhere. In short, they are risotto balls that are stuffed with meat, vegetables, and sometimes even seafood that are then battered and fried. We maybe ate one arancini a day while visiting Sicily, and did our best to eat our way through all the different types and combinations. Arancini are a staple of Sicily food and you find people eating them everywhere. My recommendation is to grab them from any local bakery or sandwich shop. Arancini are meant to be eaten as street food, and while you won’t be disappointed by arancini at any sit-down restaurant, you’ll likely be overpaying. Grab a few arancini with your lunch and eat them as a snack on the beach — the best way to enjoy them!
#2 Pasta con le sarde
Pasta made with sardines topped with saffron, pine nuts and raisins
This is for my sardine lovers, so if you don’t like sardines, keep scrolling. I personally love sardines, so I knew this dish was going to be a favorite. Seafood is a staple of Sicily food, and this is especially highlighted in pasta con le sarde. Cooked with fresh fennel and oil-packed sardines on long pasta (typically bucatini or spaghetti), this pasta is topped with saffron, pine nuts, and golden raisins. Pasta con le sarde is a typical dish on the western side of the island and the Saffron, pine nuts, and golden raisins are a reminder of the dish’s North African origins. For me, this was one of the most unique dishes I tried in Sicily. I didn’t expect the golden raisins to work with sardines, but it does, and all the other flavors with the saffron and pine nuts blend well together.
#3 Pasta alla Norma
simple Italian pasta made with eggplant, tomato sauce, and basil
Inspired by Sicilian Vincenzo Bellini’s 19th-century opera Norma, pasta alla norma is a surprisingly simple dish, made with sautéed eggplant, tomato sauce, fresh basil, and ricotta salata. Satisfying and herby, it’s one of Sicily’s great pastas. It is a typical dish of Sicily food, originating from Catania in particular. I’d think of this dish as a fan favorite — pretty much everyone likes it. You can’t go wrong because this dish is simple yet tasty, and is offered almost everywhere. If you’re traveling with picky eaters or if you yourself aren’t feeling particularly adventurous, I’d put pasta alla norma on your Sicily food list to get a taste of Sicilian cuisine.
#4 Sarde e beccafico
sardines stuffed with breadcrumbs, pine nuts, raisins and herbs
Once again for my sardine lovers, and it’s likely that any restaurant that offers pasta con le sarde also offers sarde e beccafico. Sarde e beccafico are usually served as an appetizer, and are butterflied sardines stuffed with breadcrumbs, pine nuts, raisins, and herbs. They are then rolled and baked in between fresh bay leaves. Trust me when I tell you this is something you absolutely must try, especially spread over a piece of toasted bread.
The dish’s name, which translates to “sardines in the style of beccafico,” pays homage to the beccafico bird, a prized species known for its diet of wild figs. Historically, the beccafico bird was hunted by Sicilian aristocracy, highlighting its status as a delicacy. However, when environmental changes and conservation efforts impacted the bird’s population, sardines became a suitable substitute due to their similar appearance, particularly in the resemblance of their tails to the beccafico bird.
#5 Pane e panelle
Fried chick pea fritters
I wish I had a better photo of pane e panelle, but you can see them above as the fried square on top of all the rest of the seafood in our fried seafood cup. Like many other Silician dishes, these chickpea flour fritters originated during the period of Arab rule in Sicily. You can find pane e panelle at fried seafood stands, where they will mix it into your cup, or even solo where you can enjoy them one by one. if you’re in Palermo, you’ll also find them sandwiched between 2 brioche buns, which is another popular way to enjoy this tasty snack.
#6 Brioche con gelato
gelato stuffed in brioche
This really has no explanation to it — brioche con gelato is exactly what it sounds like. At many gelato stands, you’ll have the option to eat your gelato with a cone or in a cup… and a third, more mysterious option with brioche. When I first saw the brioche option, I didn’t know what to expect. I was met with an absolute mammoth of an ice cream sandwich. The server will slap your choice of gelato flavors between two fluffy brioche buns, and they are NOT stingy with it. Warning: 100% of the time when you receive this sandwich, it’s going to be huge. The photo above (left to right) showcases a few favorite flavors from our trip: fior di latte, pistachio, cookies and cream, and strawberry.
#7 Granita
Italian slushy made with fresh fruit, almond milk, or pistachio
A staple of Sicily food in the summertime, granita is made from water, sugar, nuts, and fruit. You can think of it as a sort of slushy, and some popular flavors include almond, coffee, lemon, peach, and pistachio (my personal favorite!). This treat is most often eaten in the summer when locals need to cool down the most. It can be eaten as a refreshing afternoon treat, but you will also see it offered at breakfast with a brioche or coffee. The classic way to eat your granita is to take your brioche and dip it into your granita — sounds weird, but I promise it’s so good. Personally, I find the best flavors to do this with are almond and pistachio.
#8 Genovesi
disc-like short pastries filled with cream and covered in powdered sugar
This is a treat specific to the village of Erice, a well-preserved medieval village on the western side of Sicily. The actual origins of genovesi are unknown, but the popularity of this sweet treat is owed largely to the nuns that once lived in Erice. Genovesi are disc-like short pastries filled with cream and covered in powdered sugar. We ordered two sets of genovesi: some filled with lemon cream and some filled with Nutella. The best place to find genovesi is at Pasticceria San Carlo, a humble bakery in Erice that serves up traditional Sicilian pastries.
#9 Iris
brioche type filled buns w ricotta
Iris is a pastry that originated from Palermo. It’s an incredibly tasty Sicilian brioche filled with ricotta cheese, custard, or chocolate. The dough is soft and spongy, and the creaminess of ricotta cheese and the intense flavor of chocolate make Iris a must-try for any Sicily food list. As if it didn’t sound good enough, the iris is actually lightly fried, providing a thin layer of crispiness with every bite. I’d need to be fact-checked on this, but pretty sure the filling is the same filling Sicilians put in cannolis, so if you’re a cannoli fan, you’d love an iris. You can find an iris at virtually any bakery, but be warned that they’re quite big, so you might want to split one with a friend!
#10 Cannoli
deep-fried pastry tubes piped full of fresh, creamy ricotta
You’ve probably had a cannoli already at least once in your life, but did you know that Sicily is where cannolis originated? If you’ve never had a cannoli, cannolis are deep-fried pastry tubes piped full of fresh, creamy ricotta. Every town boasts a unique style of cannoli that claims to be king. 30 minutes outside of Palermo, the small town of piana degli Albanesi is renowned in Sicily as the town to get the best Cannoli on the island. Fear not, however, if you can’t make it out there. We tried many a cannoli all around the island and not one spot was a disappointment.
Bonus #11 Sfincioni
sicilian style pizza
You might start to realize that a lot of Sicily food is fried, and sfincioni is no exception. A cross between focaccia and deep dish pizza, it is served white or covered in tomato sauce and toppings like cheese, onions, and anchovies. Sfincione can be a traditional meal or a mid-morning snack, and you can most easily find it amongst the markets in Palermo and its surrounding villages. Grab one from a street vendor or bakery — and try not to spoil your appetite for the rest of the day.
Bonus #12 Latte do mandorla (almond milk)
almond milk
Okay – last recommendation! You might not think of almond milk as something you need to try in Sicily, but almonds are one of the most abundant foods on the island, making almond milk a popular beverage in the region. Usually sweetened up with a little sugar, almond milk is served iced cold as a way to cool down under the Sicilian sun. You can find it in virtually any Sicilian cafe and you will see many locals enjoying it with some brioche as well.
