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Mantuan cuisine is the set of traditional dishes of the Italian province of Mantua, some of which date back to the time of the Gonzaga.

It is a cuisine bound to the land by peasant traditions; however, it is very rich and varied. Differences can be found between local variants of the same dish.

Given the geographical position occupied by the province of Mantua, the Mantuan culinary tradition is similar to the Emilian cuisine where salami and pasta are more prevalent and to the Lombard cuisine, which makes more use of rice.

Antipasti

The traditional Mantuan antipasto consists of cold cuts.

• Salame mantovano, with or without added fresh garlic^[1]
• Coppa
• Pancetta

Other popular cold cuts are:

• Gras pìstà, pork lardo minced with a knife and garlic
• Ciccioli or gréppole, pieces of cooked and dried pork and fat^[1]
• Culatello, from Parma (it is, however, also produced in some municipalities of Mantua)

Cold cuts are often accompanied by:

• Gnocco fritto, squares or rhombuses of bread dough fried in hot lard. It originates from the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia, only in recent times it has spread to the Mantova area, and it is better known with the name of "torta fritta" (fried cake) with which it is called in other areas of Emilia.
• Chisœla, typical savory focaccia^[2]
• Tirot, focaccia with onions originally from Felonica, typical of the Bassa^[3]
• Chisœlina, crispy and salty scone^[4]
• Luccio in salsa

First courses

Soups with broth:

• Agnolini, egg pasta stuffed with beef, salami, chicken, breadcrumbs, Grana Padano cheese, nutmeg. There is also a variant stuffed with stewed beef.^[5]
• Tagliatelline, quadretti and maltagliati, egg pasta cut into thin strips^[6]
• Pasta trita, egg pasta dried and grated into very small pieces^[7]
• Panàda, made of stale bread, oil and Parmesan cheese^[8]
• Bevr'in vin^[9]
• Passatelli
• Mericonda

Dry first courses:

• Tortelli di zucca^[10]
• Tortelli amari, typically from Castel Goffredo^[11]
• Tagliatelle^[12][13]
• Gnocchi di zucca^[14]
• Capunsei, typically from Alto mantovano^[15]
• Risotto alla pilota, seasoned with salamella^[16]
• Risotto col puntèl, seasoned with salamella, ribs or pork chop^[17]
• Risotto with frogs, seasoned with cleaned frogs, oil and onion^[18]
• Risotto con i saltaréi, topped with fried crayfish^[19]

Second courses

• Stracotto or brasato, made out of beef. It can be accompanied by polenta^[20]
• Stracotto d'asino, accompanied by polenta^[21]
• Bollito misto based on beef, chicken, and pork boiled in boiling water accompanied by mostarda^[22]
• Frittata con le rane^[23]
• Cotechino and pisto, accompanied by polenta and lentils^[24]
• Luccio in salsa, boiled freshwater fish accompanied by a sauce made of capers, parsley, salted anchovies, garlic and onion^[25]
• Black bullhead, typical of the areas near the Po river, it can be prepared fried or stewed.^[26]
• Roasted helmeted guineafowl^[27]

Side dishes:

• Peperonata
• Polenta^[28]
• Pollo alla Stefani

Desserts

• Torta sbrisolona, crumbly almond cake^[29]
• Torta Elvezia^[30]
• Torta di tagliatelle^[31]
• Torta mantovana^[32]
• Torta margherita^[33]
• Torta delle rose^[34]
• Anello di Monaco^[35]
• Bussolano or bussolà^[36]
• Chisöl, sweet focaccia^[37]
• Turtei sguasarot
• Zabaione^[38]
• Sugolo^[39]
• Fiapòn^[40]
• Torta greca
• Papasìn
• Caldi dolci
• Bignolata
• Torta sabbiosa or Torta del 3

Wines

• Colli Morenici Mantovani del Garda bianco
• Garda Colli Mantovani Cabernet
• Garda Colli Mantovani Merlot
• Garda Colli Mantovani Pinot Grigio
• Garda Colli Mantovani Tocai Italico
• Garda Colli Mantovani bianco
• Lambrusco Mantovano

^[41]

Liquors

• Nocino, liqueur common in Emilia and made with green walnuts. It must rest for some years before being consumed.^[42]