As you can see in this collection of 12 pasta recipes from Umbria, Umbrian cuisine is rustic, earthy and seasonal. It’s based on ingredients that are fished, hunted or foraged in the region’s lakes, forests and mountains or locally raised livestock and cultivated crops, often in keeping with ancient animal rearing and agricultural practices.
Pasta in Umbria
Meals in Umbria are usually simple and authentic and based on what Italian’s call ‘La Cucina Povera’, or peasant kitchen. In fact, the same is true of traditional pasta types and recipes. Most Umbrian pasta is either egg pasta ribbons or made with just flour and water. Meat pasta sauces commonly have game or the region’s famous pork products in them.
Umbrian legumes such as mountain lentils, trasimeno beans and Roveja wild peas are the star ingredients in many meatless sauces. So too, are the region’s famous black truffles. Truffles play an important part in many dishes and are used in appetizers, pasta and risotto recipes and main courses. Umbria also produces cheeses and cured meats seasoned with truffles!
Where is Umbria?
Umbria is located in the middle of the Italian ‘boot’ between Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche. Interestingly, it is the only Italian region that doesn’t have a coastline or share a border with another country. In fact, many people think of it as the green heart of Italy.
This is a region of lakes, forest and woodland covered mountains, medieval hilltop towns, ancient Etruscan and Roman ruins, awe-inspiring art and fresco-filled famous churches, some dedicated to the region’s religious sons and daughters; think St Francis of Assisi, Saint Benedetto, Saint Clare. In fact, Umbria is also an important destination for pilgrims from all over the world.
These 12 pasta recipes from Umbria
The pasta and gnocchi recipes below are just a taste of the delicious fare Umbria is famous for. Most of them include typical local ingredients and many are recipes that date back to times when the rural population created dishes from ingredients, they either farmed themselves, foraged or hunted.
Of course, I plan to make and publish more Umbrian pasta recipes, because there are many more to discover!
Click the recipe name to learn more and get ingredients and instructions.
Meatless pasta recipes from Umbria.
1) Easy, saffron, lemon and butter tagliolini.
In this sunshine colored saffron, lemon and butter pasta recipe, fresh fine tagliolini ribbons are tossed with an easy-to-make sauce of melted butter, saffron, lemon zest, parmigiano cheese and cream. This Umbrian recipe makes any pasta night special!
2) High protein pasta with Umbrian beans.
This delicious and nutritious vegan high protein pasta with Umbrian beans is made with a high protein fusilli pasta that has 38% more protein and 50% more fiber than normal pasta. The Umbrian beans are tiny local beans from Lake Trasimeno that are similar to black-eyed peas, which you can use instead.
3) Umbrian lentil soup with pasta.
A super nutritious soup that features Umbria’s famous mountain lentils. This is an easy one-pot dish that you can make with different types of pasta. Apart from the lentils and pasta, all you need is onion, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary and tomato concentrate. Instead of Umbrian lentils, you can also use French puy lentils.
4) Umbrian wild pea soup with pasta
This simple but hearty and delicious Umbrian wild pea soup is made with a legume I had actually never heard of until recently! Roveja peas are an exceptionally tasty ancient wild legume from the Sibillini mountain range on the border between Umbria and Le Marche. Of course, you can also make this easy and nutritious pasta soup with other edible wild peas or other legumes such as black-eyed peas, chickpeas or lentils.
Pasta recipes from Umbria with meat.
Probably one of the most well-known Umbrian pasta recipes outside of Italy, pasta alla Norcina comes from the ancient town of Norcia, famous for its sausages and black truffles. This recipe includes both those iconic ingredients along with onions, cream, white wine and pecorino. You can also make this popular recipe with normal Italian pork sausages and preserved truffle shavings/slices.
6) Easy red onion pasta with pancetta.
Known as pasta alla cipollara, this delicious red onion pasta recipe comes from the town of Cannara in the Umbrian valley close to Assisi. Cannara is home to some of the best Italian onions. Apart from the pasta and onions, all you need is some guanciale or pancetta, wine and Pecorino. This easy to make Umbrian recipe takes just 30 minutes to make. A must-try for onion lovers!
7) Easy Italian beef cannelloni
Known as cannelloni alla Umbra, this easy recipe is a must try for cannelloni lovers. The pasta tube filling is a simple ground beef ragu without tomatoes. The ragu is mixed with béchamel and Parmigiano. The cannelloni bakes in more béchamel with a layer of grated cheese on top. Seriously delicious and perfect for family meals!
8) Umbrian lentil and sausage pasta with homemade strangozzi
This Umbrian lentil and sausage pasta recipe is full of typical Umbrian ingredients. Traditionally made with homemade flour and water strangozzi pasta, Norcia pork sausages, Cannara red onions and the region's organic green/brown small mountain lentils, this rustic recipe is a must-try taste of authentic Umbrian fare.
9) Gluten free spaghetti col rancetto.
This tasty gluten free spaghetti col rancetto recipe is based on a traditional pasta dish from Umbria. I used gluten-free pasta. However, of course you can use normal pasta too. The simple spaghetti sauce comprises pancetta, peeled tomatoes, onion, pecorino and marjoram. This quick and easy recipe needs just a handful of simple ingredients. Just the thing for busy weeknight dinners.
Gnocchi recipes from Umbria
10) Bread gnocchi with sausage ragu.
This bread gnocchi with sausage and beans is a seriously good, hearty traditional Umbrian dish. The rich and flavorful sauce goes so well with the homemade bread gnocchi. Plus, you can make this recipe in under an hour with homemade bread gnocchi or in under 30 minutes with store-bought potato gnocchi. Makes a great one-plate family dinner.
11) Gnocchi with saffron cream sauce.
This deliciously creamy potato gnocchi with saffron sauce is an easy to make recipe from Umbria, a region where saffron is cultivated. All you need for the seriously tasty sauce is saffron (threads or powder), ricotta and milk. You can use homemade or store-bought potato gnocchi. Perfect for both family meals and dinner guests.
Sweet pasta recipe from Umbria.
12) Chocolate and walnut sweet pasta pie.
This easy to make chocolate and walnut sweet pasta pie from Umbria is a unique dessert. This 'pie' is traditionally served at Halloween and on Christmas Eve. However, I think it’s a fabulous way to wow your guests any time of the year!
Let me know what you think.
Whichever of the above recipes you make, I'm sure it or they will be a hit with family and friends. These pasta recipes from Umbria are all traditional and have been part of Umbrian family meals for generations.
Lastly, if you try one or two of these dishes (or more), do let me know what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog, email me or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback is really appreciated and helps others to decide what recipes they would like to try too.
Buon Appetito!
More recipe collections worth checking out.
- Traditional Italian Sunday pasta recipes
- Easy Italian weeknight pasta recipes.
- Italian mountain pasta and gnocchi recipes
- 12 pasta recipes from Lombardy
- 12 pasta recipes from Marche.
Tell us what you think