Here is a collection of over 30 traditional Sardinian recipes, from culurgiones pasta to fregola sarda, featuring healthy ingredients that support longevity.
Known for its stunning coastline and traditional lifestyle, Sardinia is home to centenarians who thrive on local, farm-grown foods. You don’t need to live in Italy to enjoy these benefits.
Explore over 20 traditional recipes to bring Sardinian longevity into your life. From fregola Sarda, traditional tomato sauce, to Sardinian minestrone soup, here you have it all.
What is Sardinia – Blue Zone
Blue Zones are regions where people live longer, healthier lives with fewer chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. Sardinia, the first Blue Zone identified, stands out with an equal number of male and female centenarians. Unlike most places where women outlive men 5 to 1.
Dan Buettner on the Secrets Behind Sardinian Longevity
According to Dan Buettner, Sardinians live to 100 thanks to their diet of beans, greens, and whole grains (1). They are complemented by unique “famine foods” like acorn bread, snails, and casu marzu cheese.
Sheep and goats play a big role in shaping Sardinian food. The island’s shepherd culture produces sheep’s milk and a variety of amazing cheeses. The most famous, Pecorino Sardo, you can eat on its own or in dishes like traditional culurgiones.
While diet is the most important piece of the puzzle, the world’s longest-living people also enjoy other activities. Daily walks, shared meals, laughter, and a glass of local wine are rooted in a strong sense of community and tradition.
30+ Sardinian Recipes
Sardinian Vegetarian Recipes: Minestrone soup, chickpeas and more
A Sardinian diet often makes vegetarian versions by replacing meat in traditional recipes. They opt to prepare beans with salads, soups, and whole-grain pasta instead.
Insalata di Carciofi, a traditional salad made with raw shaved artichokes, lemon, and olive oil. It showcases Sardinia’s love for artichokes, often grilled, stewed, or featured in dishes like pasta and risotto. In addition, this salad contains bottarga with a healthy dose of protein.
Another famous and hearty dish in Sardinian cuisine is Sardinian Minestrone Soup. This flavorful soup is packed with fresh herbs, protein-rich beans, and fresh vegetables. It is a hearty and nutritious staple.
A Sardinian herb soup with beans instead of meat, featuring leafy greens such as spinach or kale. Local people serve it with fregola pasta. The herb tarragon used in the soup has many medicinal properties. Together with pancetta and pecorino cheese, makes a tasty blend of local ingredients.
Other favorites include Zuppa Gallurese, a comforting bake of bread, vegetable broth, and herbs.
Stuffed Eggplants (Melanzane Ripiene is filled with breadcrumbs, Pecorino cheese, garlic, parsley, and extra virgin olive oil.
For lighter fare, try Insalata di Finocchi e Arance, a refreshing fennel and orange salad, or Verdure Grigliate, marinated grilled vegetables.
Sardinian meals often end on a sweet note. Recipes like Seadas, pastries filled with pecorino and lemon zest, fried and drizzled with honey, or Abbamele, belong to Sardinian classics.
Sardinian Pasta Recipes: Fregola, Culurgiones, and More
Sardinia is a Mediterranean island located off the coast of Italy. It is known for its fantastic pasta, which you cannot find anywhere else in Italy.
Ancient pastas like fregola, malloreddus, and lorighittas are the stars.
Culurgiones, Sardinian stuffed pasta dumplings with pecorino, mashed potatoes, and mint, traditionally served with homemade tomato sauce. Fresh mint leaves make part of the potato filling for its signature flavor.
Fregolla Ai Frutti di Mare is a famous seafood pasta dish, while Fregolla with Chickpeas is hearty and filling. This Sardinian version of pasta e ceci is a one pot meal that’s easy to make.
Lorighittas, a hand-braided pasta, is used in dishes like Lorighittas with Prawns and Scampi or Lorighittas with Chicken.
Famous Sardinian Malloreddus alla Campidanese pairs Sardinian gnocchi with tomato sauce, basil leaves, saffron and Pecorino. Also known as Gnochetti or mini potato gnocchi, Malloreddus is made by rolling small pieces of dough and creating grooves using a gnocchi board or a fork. These grooves help the gnocchi hold the flavorful sauce.
There’s also Malloreddus with Tuna for a lighter option.
Sardinian Ravioli with Ricotta is a soft, cheesy favorite. Each dish brings the taste of Sardinia to your table.
Similar to couscous, this Sardinian paella uses fregola pasta instead of rice and other flavorful ingredients such as fresh tomatoes, chopped onions, basil leaves, all seasoned with black pepper and white wine.
Spaghettini bottarga is another staple Sardinian dish that stands out with its pressed and seasoned mullet roe, which are preserved fish eggs. Bottarga, which acts as a cheese substitute, is grated over the pasta and mixed with olive oil, garlic, starchy water, and chili.
Lastly, Sardinian Pasta Fagioli is a perfect comfort food that combines beans with pasta, with optional pecorino cheese on top.
Learn how to make Sardinian Bread
Pane Carasau is a traditional Sardinian flatbread made from durum wheat flour, also called semolina, yeast, and water. Known as Carta di musica (music paper), this thin, crispy bread is mold-resistant and was especially important for nomadic shepherds who often didn’t have access to fresh food. Research shows that the sourdough used to make pane carasau can help lower blood pressure.
Additionally, its low glycemic index helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes. A variation of this flatbread is pane guttiau, where the bread is drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, and then baked again, creating a rich, flavorful snack.
Pane frattau is another popular variation, where pane carasau is soaked in a warm tomato sauce. And it is layered with a poached egg, and topped with grated pecorino cheese.
Main Course
People on the Island of Sardinia cook mainly simple recipes that reflect peasant cuisine. This focuses on legumes, fresh vegetables, olive oil, and bread. However, Sardinians often celebrate holidays with elaborate feasts, such as suckling pig, lobster, bottarga, or Sardinian sausages.
Other traditional savory dishes include Sarde in saor, a sweet and sour sardine dish. Braciole al sugo, beef rolls in a rich tomato sauce, and Agnello con carciofi, a lamb dish paired with artichokes.
Additionally, Sa Panada is a savory pie filled with lamb or pork and vegetables. It is a typical dish of Sardinia’s rural regions.
Porceddu is slow roasted suckling pig, often seasoned with myrtle and other herbs.
Like many other traditional Sardinian dishes, Ispinadas were originally crafted to sustain shepherds during their long days of tending to their flocks. They carefully selected the meat, alternating between lean and fatty cuts from the animal’s back.
Stufatu di Manzo is a hearty beef stew cooked with vegetables, herbs, and wine.
Cordero Arrosto is roasted lamb, commonly served with potatoes and herbs.
