18 Tuscan Recipes That Reveal the Best of Italian Cooking

This hearty soup from Tuscany shows you how to combine vegetables, white cannellini beans, and pesto into a delicious, nourishing soup that's similar to minestrone. Don't be afraid to double the recipe as this soup freezes well, and tastes even better the next day.

Known in Italy as cacciucco, this Tuscan seafood stew is packed with halibut, shrimp, and anchovies, and bursting with the Italian flavors of tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, and basil. Rustic Italian bread is a must for scooping up every drop of the sauce.

This refreshing Tuscan-style side dish or salad is packed with cannellini beans, garlic, carrots, celery, and sage, and brightened with lemon. Home cook slgilbert awarded this recipe the full five stars: "A bean recipe that isn't a boring bowl of beans! So tasty!"

This hearty, smooth, Tuscan cannellini and vegetable soup from Chef John is flavored with garlic and rosemary and served with crunchy, cheesy croutons. Eat it for lunch on a cold day and it will keep you full until dinnertime!

Known all over Italy as panzanella, this Tuscan bread salad is proof that simple ingredients can make a great dish. The quality of the ingredients are important, so try to use the best crusty bread, freshest tomatoes and basil, and a great extra virgin olive oil. If you are looking for variations, try adding freshly sliced fennel, or hard-boiled eggs and tuna, or charred vegetables.

In true Tuscan style, just olive oil, fresh rosemary, and salt are used to highlight the rich flavor of this top quality, grilled porterhouse steak. "This steak was fabulous!" says home cook Jillian. "I love fresh rosemary and when paired with a good cut of steak the result is out of this world!"

known in Italy as fagioli all'uccelletto, this Tuscan side dish features cannellini beans cooked in a tomato-based sauce flavored with garlic and sage. Serve as a tasty side dish to grilled meats or as a vegetarian main with crusty bread on meat-free days.

Beef short ribs are braised in Chianti and lots of black pepper and fresh herbs until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender. It is well worth the wait! This delicious Tuscan dish is typically served over polenta, but you could also serve it over rice or pasta.

In this famous Tuscan dish, a whole chicken is cut into pieces and cooked with caramelized onions, capers, olives, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Simply delicious as is, but in this version of the classic, crispy fried potatoes are added to the pot to complete the meal.

Every Tuscan household will have its own version of this comforting tomato and bread soup, known in Tuscany and all over Italy as Pappa al pomodoro. A lengthy drizzle of good Tuscan olive oil on each serving is a must. You can use this soup as base for a more substantial meal by adding slices of grilled sausage, fish, or shrimp on top.

A versatile recipe for homemade Italian sausage made with pork shoulder, garlic, and spices. If you do not have a sausage stuffer, the mixture can be formed into patties or rolled into logs. "This sausage is typical of the homemade sausages found in Tuscany near the city of Lucca," says recipe contributor Len Poli.

"I learned this recipe from an Italian chef in Florence," says recipe contributor Kristin. "It is a wonderful meat sauce of ground beef and pork, originally served over a homemade ricotta and eggplant ravioli. It's great over spaghetti and fettuccini as well!"

This rich but not too sweet onion soup is a local specialty in Florence. Chef John shows you his take on the Tuscan predecessor to French onion soup made with red onions, ground almonds, red wine vinegar, sage, and cinnamon. Ladle soup into shallow serving bowls and top each with a piece of cheesy Parmesan toast for a comforting taste of Tuscany.

Chunks of roasted chicken, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, asparagus, and pesto are tossed with pasta in this impressive Tuscan-inspired dish that will feed a crowd. For a slightly nutty flavor, you can broil the asparagus then add to the chicken mixture.

This Tuscan dish with cannellini beans, tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and feta is delicious served with some good crusty bread. You can use fresh ripe tomatoes when in season. "I ate this two ways — once as a warm dish like the recipe said and once as a cold salad for lunch," says home cook ModernSteph. "Both ways were great!"

Zuppa Toscana is a creamy soup, packed with ground Italian sausage, potatoes, and spinach or kale, that originated in Tuscany. This super-delicious version is guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly day!

This version of the classic Tuscan biscotti cookie features chunks of dark chocolate for a twist on the original. Simply delicious served with strong coffee or red wine, and perfect for giving as a food gift at Christmas.

These traditional sweet macaroon-style cookies from the city of Siena in Tuscany are made with egg whites and almonds, and covered with confectioners' sugar. "They're often given as gifts," says recipe contributor lacucinadinadia, "but you'll definitely want to keep some of these almond treats for yourself before you give the whole lot away!"