Guide to Sicilian Cuisine: Arancini, Caponata, Involtini, Sfincione & More

From cannoli to arancini, Sicilian food is world-famous—but if you’re headed to the island yourself, first check out our guide to the best towns in southern Italy and Sicily, and then prepare to be overwhelmed by just how varied and diverse Sicily’s cuisine really is!

Thanks to its hot-potato history (everyone from Arabs to Normans governed the island), Sicily’s cuisine represents a complex mish-mash of cultures. Plus, the island itself is incredibly fertile; produce grown on Sicily includes olives, oranges, lemons, eggplants, tomatoes, pistachios, almonds, grapes, and more—not to mention all of the seafood fished right off the coast. The result? A cuisine that’s fresh, varied, and absolutely delicious.

Tomatoes, eggplant, and other veggies make up many dishes in traditional Sicilian cuisine.

Here are just some of our favorite foods from Sicily!

Must-Try Foods in Sicily

Arancini

Bite into one of these fried rice balls, and you might find anything from meat ragu to mozzarella to peas hidden within. A popular Sicilian street food, they’re the southern cousin of Rome’s cheese-filled suppli.

An arancina, one of Sicily’s most popular street foods

Sfincione

Sfincione is like a pizza – but even better. The dough is spongy and delicious, and toppings include onions, caciocavallo cheese, bread crumbs, and – of course – olive oil!

Involtini siciliani

These “Sicilian rolls” are made up of veal, with onions, tomatoes, raisins and pine nuts.

Pani ca meusa

The name of this street food means, literally, “bread with spleen”! But don’t let that scare you. Yes, it’s (sesame-flavored) bread, stuffed with chopped spleens and lungs of veal. But it’s also delicious… really! This is a particular specialty of Palermo. Nota Bene: DON’T miss this incredible city. Check out our Palermo city guide to learn what makes it so incredible.

Polpo bollito

Fish in Sicily is so fresh, it’s rarely served with sauces or even much seasoning. Polpo bollito is a classic example: it’s simply boiled octopus.

Octopus is a common site on restaurant menus in Sicily.

Pane e pannelle

A favorite street food of Palermo, panelle—or chickpea fritters—are served between bread, like a sandwich.

Caponata

Like many Sicilian dishes, this one is based on eggplant. Eggplants are chopped and fried, and then seasoned with sweet balsamic vinegar, capers, and sometimes pine nuts and raisins. The result is a sweet-and-sour “salad” that’s a delicious accompaniment to the meal as a contorno—or even the main dish itself.

Parmigiana di melanzane

Yep, more eggplant! Known to English speakers as “eggplant parmesan” (although there’s no parmesan in the dish), eggplant is sliced, fried, and layered with cheese and tomato. And no, you don’t see chicken or veal parmesan in Sicily (or anywhere else in Italy); that’s the version that Italian immigrants made up when they moved abroad.

Pasta alla norma

This very popular pasta dish hails from eastern Sicily; a stick-to-your-ribs dish, it’s made with fried eggplant, tomatoes, basil, and ricotta salata.

Pasta alla Norma in Catania, where it was invented

Spaghetti ai ricci

Seafood is a major specialty in Sicily—even sea urchins! This spaghetti is very simple, but takes a long time to make. The cook has to cut the sea urchins in half (avoiding the spines) and scoop out just the “good” part of the meat, leaving behind the rest. The meat flavors the spaghetti with a delicate, slightly salty taste. If you’re wondering why this dish can be expensive, it’s because it takes about 15 sea urchins for one portion of pasta!

Pasta al pesto di pistacchi

Although most of us think of the basil variety from Liguria when we think “pesto,” it actually could apply to any similar sauce—including even ground-up pistachios.

Pasta con le sarde

Sardines are popular in Sicily, so it’s common to see them as a topping for pasta. One common variety is bucatini with sardines, fennel, saffron, pine nuts, and raisins.

Sicilian Desserts and Sweets

Frutta martorana

Other places call this “marzipan,” but here in Sicily, the almond paste is molded into little (incredibly realistic!) fruits—hence fruits of Martora, or frutta martorana.

Sicily’s frutta marmorata—or marzipan—is often a work of art!

Granita

The perfect summer refreshment, granita, originally from Sicily, can now be found all over Italy (including in Rome). It’s just ground ice with sugar and fresh fruit… but it’s every bit as refreshing as it is simple.

Cassata siciliana

A sponge cake is soaked in liqueur, its slices layered with sweetened ricotta, and the whole thing covered in almond paste, then icing. Oh, and studded with candied fruits and other goodies. This one’s for serious sweet tooths only!

Cannoli

What’s not to love about this Sicilian treat? A tube of fried dough gets filled with sweetened ricotta—and often topped off with candied fruit, pistachios, or chocolate chips.

A cannolo, everyone’s favorite Sicilian pastry!