Alpine Cuisine

South Tyrol’s delectable nature soars far beyond its epic mountains, lakes and castles. Discover the iconic foods to savor while adventuring in the culinary star of Italy.

With more than 300 mountain peaks ravishing the skies of South Tyrol, you can count on working up a mountain-size appetite while bounding from one valley to the next. Fortunately, for us, South Tyroleans shine at satisfying hunger in the most spectacular ways.

Here, Austrian, Italian and Ladin culinary traditions rub elbows creating an enthralling gastronomic tapestry unlike anywhere else in the world. Every dish in South Tyrol tells a rousing tale often rooted hundreds of years in the past.

In this article, we highlight the classic South Tyrolean cuisine you’ll want to try when visiting. Whether you are hiking in the Dolomites or skiing high above Merano, these delicious dishes will make you view eating in South Tyrol as a thrilling adventure all its own.

Knödel (Canederli)

When a dish has been a favorite in the Alps since the Middle Ages, you know it has to be belly-rubbing good. A medieval fresco on the weathered walls of the 12th-century chapel at Hocheppan Castle depicts a happy chap devouring a pot of knödel.

Knödel is bread dumplings flavored with a host of herbs and specialties. The dish can be found in restaurants and mountainside taverns all over South Tyrol. It is served as a starter, as its own entree, or as a side complement to other Alpine dishes.

Our favorite knödel dish is Knödel Tris, a triple dumpling wonder comprised of a spinach dumpling (spinatknödel), cheese dumpling (käseknödel) and a speck dumpling (speckknödel). Another variation of knödel is Speckknödelsuppe — a bacon dumpling soup sure to warm the soul after a chilly hike.

Knödel even makes it onto the dessert menu in South Tyrol. If you skipped dumplings on your main course, order a dessert knödel dish where you can savor dumplings filled with everything from jam to chocolate and vanilla sauce.

By the way, no matter what kind of knödel you order, never cut it with a knife. That will offend the chef. Knödel should only be enjoyed with a fork.

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Schlutzkrapfen (Mezzelune)

Schlutzkrapfen is the first South Tyrolean pasta dish we fell in love with. It is a delicious dinner-time favorite that never fails to wow us. Like knödel, Schlutzkrapfen is served as a starter or a stand-alone entree.

Schlutzkrapfen is a ravioli dish originating in South Tyrol more than 300 years ago in Val Pusteria. The dough is typically made from rye or buckwheat flour with finely chopped spinach, onion, garlic and ricotta cheese filling the pocket. A sprinkling of chopped chives, parsley and grated Parmesan cheese along with a drizzling of melted brown butter top the half-moon pasta.

You can also find Schlutzkrapfen filled with potato, meat, mushrooms, nettles or turnips. To fully savor Schlutzkrapfen, it is recommended to cut the pasta in half with your fork, let it slide into your mouth and allow the filling to melt on your tongue.

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Marende

It is said a true South Tyrolean eats five times a day: early-morning breakfast, mid-morning breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon snack and dinner. The mid-afternoon sitdown includes a South Tyrolean Marende and a glass of light-bodied red wine, typically Vernatsch (also known as Schiava).

The Marende is a cold-cut specialty traditionally served on a wooden board known as a “brettl”. It consists of speck (South Tyrol’s famous mountain-smoked ham), Kaminwurzen (a dry-smoked sausage, schüttelbrot (a spiced crispy flatbread) and a handful of sliced Alpine cheese. Fortunately, Marende is not only for afternoons. You can order a board or platter at virtually any time of day throughout South Tyrol. In fact, it is so popular with locals that it is handed out like candy at events such as Almabtrieb parades.

We recommend enjoying Marende as an appetizer or snack. Another good option is to toss some schüttelbrot, and Kaminwurzen along with a few South Tyrolean apples in your backpack before hiking. After a steep climb, we love snacking on these goodies while taking a breather.

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Spinatspatspazlen mit Schinken-Käsesauce

Spinatspatspazlen mit Schinken-Käsesauce is a mouthful to order off the menu if German does not roll easily off your tongue. But oh is it worth the effort!

This hearty dish is spinach spaetzle with ham and cheese sauce. It is a wonderful full-flavored choice as your main course.

Thankfully for us, the first time we ate Spinatspatspazlen mit Schinken-Käsesauce was at a friend’s mountain cabin so we didn’t have to bumble through the pronunciation in front of a waiter. But since then, whenever we want to revisit this South Tyrolean classic we make an honest attempt and then simply point to it on the menu. You can do the same.

Spaghetti Bolognese mit Speck

In case you thought South Tyrol is not in Italy, Spaghetti Bolognese mit Speck will convince you otherwise. When we are lusting after a traditional Italian red sauce pasta dish, we order up a plate of this twirl-worthy fare.

In our opinion, Spaghetti Bolognese mit Speck is better than the Bolognese dishes you find from Venice to Italy’s boot. Why? The addition of South Tyrolean speck with minced beef or pork adds a hint of smoky flavor. Each savory forkful is like the mountain speaking to you.

The best place to eat Spaghetti Bolognese mit Speck? Any mountain hut where you still have a long trek ahead of you. After a hefty helping, you are going to want to burn off the rich pasta well before settling in for dinner.

Bauerngröstl

Bauerngröstl is a simple South Tyrolean dish that is how it looks: meat and potatoes. What makes it special? The way it is prepared, seasoned and served with the perfect garnishments.

Finely chopped garlic and onions are sautéd in an iron skillet with olive oil and butter. Sliced beef, salt and pepper, marjoram and a bay leaf are then added followed by a drizzle of white wine and the sliced potatoes.

If you need a break from pasta or knödel, Bauerngröstl is a mouthwatering alternative you will come to crave. Especially after a grueling hike.

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Spargel mit Bozner (Asparagi alla Bolzano)

When walking the street food markets of Bolzano, Brixen, Merano and beyond during the height of spring, you will see stands showcasing bundles upon bundles of fresh spargel (asparagus). South Tyroleans adore this vegetable. But what they adore even more is Bozner sauce, which is liberally poured over the top of the asparagus spears.

Bozner sauce is a sinfully delicious concoction that originated in Bolzano. It is a delicacy made with eggs, mustard, salt, pepper, chives, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and butter. Quite often when ordering Spargel mit Bozner, it will be served with a side cup of Bozner sauce allowing you to fully indulge in its goodness.

While Spargel mit Bozner is best enjoyed in spring, plan on trying it no matter when you visit South Tyrol. Like us, you will probably wonder why this dish has not landed on menus all over the world. And like us, we bet you will be seeking out the Bozner sauce recipe when you return home.

Hirtenmakkaroni (Maccheroni del Pastore)

Those preferring penne over spaghetti are in for a real treat in South Tyrol. Hirtenmakkaroni, meaning Sheperd’s Macaroni, is a creamy rich pasta masterpiece that is relished in mountain huts and taverns throughout the Dolomites.

While not a true macaroni dish as it uses penne rigate instead of macaroni noodles, Hirtenmakkaroni typically includes a minced meat Ragu sauce rather than a Bolognese sauce and is mixed with speck, cream, mushrooms and peas. The pasta is topped with freshly grated Parmesan, finely chopped chives and parsley.

We have enjoyed this dish many times and have encountered variations of the classic. Most common is without peas or mushrooms and sometimes chopped ham is included with the speck or in place of the speck. If you are wondering what this dish has to do with shepherds, so are we.

Tiroler Pizza (Tyrolese)

Tiroler pizza is the Alpine version of Italy’s most iconic food. These tasty wood-fired pies are mountain flavored with slices of South Tyrolean speck. In addition, Tiroler pizza is made with tomato sauce, oregano, mozzarella and Gorgonzola.

Other common toppings include spinach, mushrooms and prosciutto for those wanting their pizza to pack an even meatier punch. Of course, if you want to add onions, peppers or any other pizza favorites you can do that as well.

When it comes to ordering Tiroler pizza, you may have to search for it on the menu. Pizzerias often include multiple pies with speck as an ingredient. Additional names for speck-heavy pizza that we have encountered include Jägerpizza (Hunter’s pizza) and Bauernpizza (Farmer’s pizza).

A few of our favorite pizza places in South Tyrol include Restaurant Pizzeria Rustika in Villanders, Oachner Wirt in Völs am Schlern and Römerkeller Pizzaria in Algund. However, no matter where go for pizza in the region you are certain to leave more than satisfied.

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Törggelen

The final item on our must-try foods in South Tyrol list is not a food at all, but a feast. Törggelen is a centuries-old rural tradition in South Tyrol that celebrates the season’s wine harvest. It is known as South Tyrol’s 5th season and begins in October and runs to the start of the Christmas season.

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During Törggelen, South Tyrol’s mountainside farmers reveal their newest wines. These evening gatherings take place in a farmhouse tavern known as a “Buschenschank”. The feast celebrates all the rustic deliciousness of South Tyrolean fare.

A typical Törggelen dinner includes multiple courses. The feast begins with roasted chestnuts served with the season’s new wine. This is followed by pumpkin and barley soup, speck, knödel, Schlutzkrapfen and a grand platter of smoked sausages, pork and ham topping a bed of sauerkraut. To learn more about partaking in this feast, check out our article about enjoying Törggelen in Villanders.

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Savoring the Mountain

This South Tyrolean food guide is far from comprehensive, but we hope it gives you a taste of what popular dishes to sample during your holiday in South Tyrol. In a future article, we will dive into the South Tyrolean desserts you will not be able to resist. For now, we will simply let your mouth water over these culinary treasures. Bon appétit!

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PIN FOR YOUR FUTURE TRIP

If you are craving Alpine cuisine that embodies the hearty goodness of the Alps, we may have found your perfect cookbook.

Every travel-loving soul needs a go-to cookbook. Not for the times when out discovering the world, but for when life calls one home.

Cracking open a cookbook filled with culinary treasures from lands explored is a satisfying remedy for restless adventurers bound to their own kitchen. In fact, nothing enlivens cherished memories quite like cooking up delicious dishes from travels abroad.

For us, the cookbook we cannot live without is Alpine Flavours: Authentic Recipes from the Dolomites, the heart of the Alps. When pining for the immensity of mountains and wild-hearted treks, we pull out this cultural gem of traditional Alpine recipes and bring mountain-born traditions to life in our home.

Centuries of Culinary Experience at Your Fingertips

At first glance, Alpine cuisine may seem simple, but unlocking the secrets to its rich flavors requires astutely following recipes that have stood the test of time. This becomes immediately apparent if you have ever tried to create a popular dish from the Alps, such as Schlutzkrapfen, without expert direction.

No matter what you make off the cuff, it will come out either bland, too salty or just plain bad. At least that has been our experience.

That’s why we were so thankful to stumble upon the Alpine Flavours Cookbook. It took us by the hand leading us on a culinary journey that never disappoints.

From mountain favorites such as Speckknödel (bacon dumplings) to Schweinshaxe (pork shank) to Hirschgulasch (venison goulash), as well as an assortment of pastries and apple-centered dishes, the cookbook shows step-by-step how to recreate the authentic flavors and down-home spirit honed over centuries deep within the Italian Dolomites.

Based on our time cooking with this book as a companion, we think it’s one every mountain lover should own. The Alps of South Tyrol are after all the world’s most tantalizing mountains; it’s no surprise its hearty cuisine offers equal enchantment.

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Savoring the Mountains

Alpine Flavours not only helps you relish Alpine cuisine but also whisks you away on a cultural odyssey. The cookbook is filled with captivating images of mountain food and life. From front to back, it is crafted like a perfectly plated dish. Alpine Flavours could just as easily adorn your coffee table as your countertop.

Each delicious dish is paired with an exquisite South Tyrolean wine such as the rich reds of Schiava and Lagrein to the complex whites of Gewürztraminer and beyond. South Tyrol is Italy’s smallest wine-producing area, yet it still surprises with the indisputable quality of its wines, which rank among the most awarded at the national level. Every 12th award-winning Italian wine comes from South Tyrol — an impressive feat for a region that represents just 0.7% of national production.

While you can certainly browse directly to whatever dish tempts you at the moment, the book is best devoured one page at a time. If food provides a window into a region’s history, values and soul, Alpine Flavours gives you a sweeping view of the Italian Alps.

You’ll come away with a historical foundation of South Tyrol’s cuisine. Not to mention a deep appreciation for how its rural heartiness has evolved into mountain recipes now revered.

Irresistible Alpine Recipes from the Alps

Even if your talents are less than average in the kitchen, you will have no problem finding dishes to easily tackle. The book designates recipes by their level of difficulty — easy, medium and high. And at nearly 300 pages, you will not run out of Alpine recipes to attempt.

Meals in South Tyrol are broken into courses and by and large, the book follows suit. It is organized into the following sections:

• Specialties & Typical Products – An in-depth introduction to the dairy products, meats, fish, fruit and vegetables comprising South Tyrol’s Alpine cuisine
• Rye Bread – Provides instructions on the various ways to prepare this much-loved bread
• First Courses – Includes 23 recipes covering everything from pasta to spaetzle to soup
• Gnocchi & Canederli (Knödel) – Offers six different dumpling recipes from cheese to spinach and more
• Speck – An introduction to this widely-celebrated aged meat that makes an excellent appetizer, snack or ingredient for main dishes
• Second Courses – Includes 19 savory meat and roast recipes spanning beef, pork, lamb and venison
• Side Dishes – Presents eight traditional side recipes including regional favorites such as polenta and potato dishes
• Tyrolean Desserts – Offers 22 tempting Alpine dessert recipes from buchteln to krapfen to strudel and more
• Grappas, Juices & Jams – Teaches how to make mountain gems such as elderflower syrup, pine schnapps and jams

Beyond the recipes, Alpine Flavours features ample information on the different South Tyrolean wines recommended, as well as an overview of Törggelen, a beloved autumn tradition that is South Tyrol’s largest annual culinary event.

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In South Tyrol, like much of Europe, mealtime is both an experience and an art form to appreciate and savor. If you long to harken back to a simpler time, Alpine Flavours can be your guide.

After creating a few of the dishes from the cookbook, we think it will become quite clear why South Tyrol is the culinary star of Italy — boasting more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other region of the country.

The rural roots of South Tyroleans make them exceptionally masterful at harnessing the flavors of the land from pasture to forest. Despite a population of a mere 500,000, South Tyrol is revered worldwide for the quality of the region’s ingredients as well as for their heartfelt preparation.

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Enjoying Alpine Food in Your Home

Not every ingredient mentioned in the book may be readily available unless you’re near the Alps or wish to have the regional specialties shipped to your home. Do not let that be a deterrent to enjoying any of the Alpine dishes within. By being a bit resourceful and a little creative you can find worthy ingredient substitutes as needed.

Depending on how much you like to cook, Alpine Flavours is a cookbook you can turn to every day. Many dishes do not require overly lengthy preparation time. But those who embrace slow travel and slow food will find it the most rewarding.

For us, we simply pick one recipe per week to make. Still, even with this frequency, we have found so many favorites calling us back we’re still working our way through the book over a year later. Don’t be surprised if the same happens to you. Like mountain scenery, Alpine food tends to capture your heart and not let go.

As raving fans of South Tyrol, we cannot recommend enough embarking on an adventure in this mountainous jewel crowning northern Italy. Nothing will match the experience of savoring a mountain-to-table meal like sitting on the mountain where it was born.

Yet for those that cannot make a trip to South Tyrol, the cookbook makes the act of preparing a meal a joyful adventure all on its own. Every nature lover and foodie will find mountain recipes to delight in again and again. It’s an ideal gift for those drawn to rich, rugged heartiness.

The meat dishes we created from the book’s recipes have been just as savory as the main courses we’ve enjoyed at restaurants throughout South Tyrol. We were even able to replicate a knödel entree that was nearly as delicious as the treasure we devoured at one of Italy’s top mountain resorts.

Transforming your kitchen into a rifugio (mountain hut) on a whim has never been easier.  Alpine Flavours takes you on a journey to new culinary heights all without setting foot on a mountain. Make no mistake though. If the mountain calls, go. Not even your appetite should get in the way of a breathtaking hike.

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