There’s this moment that happens when you tell someone you’re vegan and they immediately look concerned. “But what about Italian food?” they ask, as if adopting a plant-based diet means saying goodbye to one of the world’s most beloved cuisines.
Here’s what most people don’t realize: some of Italy’s most iconic pasta dishes have been vegan all along. Long before anyone was calling it a “lifestyle choice,” Italian peasants in the countryside were creating extraordinary meals from olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and whatever vegetables they could grow.
They called it “cucina povera” or the kitchen of the poor, but there was nothing poor about the flavors they coaxed from these simple ingredients.
I learned this firsthand during my transition to veganism at 35. After reading about factory farming, I couldn’t unsee it, and I dove headfirst into plant-based cooking. What surprised me most was discovering that many traditional Italian recipes required zero adaptation. No substitutions, no “veganizing,” no compromise. They were already there, waiting.
Let’s explore eight authentic Italian pasta dishes that never needed meat or cheese to be completely, wonderfully Italian.
1) Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino
What do you do when it’s midnight, you’ve been out with friends, and hunger hits? If you’re in Naples, you make this.
Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino is typical of the city of Naples, Italy, and it’s also known as “midnight spaghetti” because it became the go-to after-party snack. The entire dish contains exactly five ingredients: spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, red chili flakes, and salt. That’s it.
The genius lies in the technique. You cook thinly sliced garlic in generous olive oil until it turns golden, add chili flakes for heat, then toss in al dente pasta with some starchy cooking water. The water emulsifies with the oil, creating a silky coating that clings to every strand of pasta.
I make this at least twice a month when I get home from my Saturday morning farmers’ market volunteering. It takes less time than ordering takeout and tastes infinitely better. The key is not skimping on the olive oil and using really good quality ingredients since there’s nowhere for mediocre flavors to hide.
2) Pasta pomodoro
If aglio e olio is the midnight snack, pasta pomodoro is the foundation. This is the dish that represents Italy to the world, and it couldn’t be simpler.
All that is needed is some good pasta, rich tomatoes, good quality olive oil and fresh basil. When tomatoes came to Italy from the Americas, home cooks in the south transformed them into this sauce that has fed millions. No cream, no butter, no cheese needed in the original.
The secret is letting the tomatoes be the star. I grow heirloom tomatoes in my backyard garden, and in late summer when they’re at their peak, I make batches of this sauce to freeze. Even in November, opening a container brings back that August sunshine.
Fresh basil goes in at the end, torn by hand rather than chopped, so it releases its oils without bruising. When people tell me vegan food is bland, I make them this.
3) Pasta e ceci
This dish taught me something important about comfort food: you don’t need dairy to create creaminess.
Pasta e ceci consists of pasta, chickpeas, garlic and herbs, typical of central and southern Italy. The magic happens when you blend some of the cooked chickpeas with their cooking liquid, creating a sauce that’s thick, hearty, and deeply satisfying.
During my first winter after leaving finance, when money was tight and I was learning to live on a writer’s income, I made this constantly. Chickpeas and pasta are both pantry staples, it’s nutritionally complete with protein and carbs, and it costs almost nothing to prepare. Plus, it freezes beautifully for those days when cooking feels impossible.
The rosemary is traditional and non-negotiable. It adds an earthy note that transforms the dish from good to unforgettable.
4) Penne all’arrabbiata
Some nights call for fire, not subtlety.
Penne all’arrabbiata is a typical spicy pasta dish from Naples made with garlic, olive oil and red chili flakes. The name literally means “angry pasta,” and it delivers on that promise. This is aglio e olio’s bolder cousin, amped up with tomatoes and serious heat.
I started making this during a particularly frustrating period when a series of articles I’d written kept getting rejected. There’s something cathartic about cooking with aggressive flavors when life feels overwhelming. The chili flakes sizzle in the olive oil, releasing their capsaicin, and then the tomatoes go in, creating a sauce that’s both sweet and furious.
The traditional version uses a lot of garlic and a lot of chili. Don’t be timid. The point is to feel something.
5) Pasta e fagioli
Pasta e fagioli is typical of Naples, another comfort food composed of inexpensive ingredients. It’s essentially pasta and beans, though that description doesn’t do it justice.
This soup-like dish walks the line between hearty and light. The beans are cooked until they’re tender enough to partially dissolve into the broth, thickening it naturally. Small pasta shapes like ditalini work best because they’re easier to eat with a spoon.
My partner Marcus makes this better than I do, honestly. He learned the recipe from his grandmother, who was Sicilian, and he has this way of seasoning it that I’ve never quite mastered. When he makes it on Sunday afternoons, our entire house smells like someone’s Italian grandmother is visiting.
The dish is even better the next day, after the flavors have married overnight in the refrigerator. Add a drizzle of your best olive oil before serving.
6) Spaghetti all’assassina
This one breaks all the rules, which is probably why I love it so much.
Spaghetti all’assassina is a traditional dish from Bari, Puglia, involving cooking the pasta risotto style in a spicy tomato sauce, resulting in slightly burnt, crispy spaghetti. Instead of boiling the pasta in water, you cook it directly in tomato passata, letting the bottom get intentionally charred and crispy.
The first time I tried making this, I thought I’d ruined it. The pasta was sticking to the pan, some pieces were definitely burnt, and I was sure I’d messed up. But when I tasted it, I understood. Those crispy, almost caramelized bits add incredible depth and texture.
It requires attention and confidence. You need to let it burn just enough without burning too much, which is more art than science. After a couple of attempts, you’ll develop a feel for it.
7) Pasta alla Norma
Named after an opera, this Sicilian classic celebrates eggplant in all its glory.
Add aubergines to create Sicily’s beloved Pasta alla Norma. The eggplant is fried until golden and tender, then tossed with tomato sauce, fresh basil, and traditionally topped with ricotta salata. But here’s the thing: many versions in Sicily skip the cheese entirely, letting the sweet eggplant and bright tomatoes shine on their own.
I was skeptical about eggplant for years. It seemed slimy and bitter whenever I tried cooking it. Then I learned you need to salt it first to draw out the moisture, and fry it properly so it gets that gorgeous golden crust. Game changer.
Now I make this throughout late summer when eggplants are everywhere at the farmers’ market. The purple Japanese varieties work beautifully, as do the classic Italian globe eggplants.
8) Pasta con le verdure
This isn’t one specific recipe but rather a whole category of vegetable pasta dishes found throughout Italy.
The formula is simple: sauté seasonal vegetables in olive oil with garlic, maybe some chili, then toss with pasta and starchy pasta water. In spring, use asparagus or peas. In summer, zucchini and tomatoes. In fall, mushrooms or butternut squash. In winter, broccoli rabe or kale.
These dishes embody what Italian cooking is really about: taking whatever is fresh and in season, treating it with respect, and letting the ingredients speak for themselves. No heavy sauces to hide behind, no elaborate techniques to prove you’re a serious cook. Just vegetables, olive oil, garlic, and pasta.
My garden produces way more vegetables than two people can eat, so I’ve gotten creative with these preparations. Last week I made pasta with cavolo nero from my backyard, lots of garlic, a pinch of chili, and a squeeze of lemon at the end. It took twenty minutes and tasted like Tuscany.
Final thoughts
These eight dishes prove something I wish more people understood: traditional Italian cooking isn’t automatically heavy with meat and cheese. Those ingredients certainly have their place in Italian cuisine, but they were historically expensive and saved for special occasions.
The everyday meals that sustained generations of Italians were built on grains, vegetables, olive oil, and ingenuity. They were accidentally vegan because they were necessarily frugal, created by people who had to make extraordinary food from ordinary ingredients.
When I transitioned to a plant-based diet, I worried I’d miss certain cuisines. Instead, I discovered a whole world of dishes that had been there all along, waiting to be appreciated on their own terms. No substitutions required, no apologies necessary.
These pasta dishes are authentic, traditional, and completely plant-based. They’re also delicious enough that nobody at your table will ask where the meat or cheese went. They’ll be too busy enjoying what’s actually there.
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Dining and Cooking