Natale in Umbria: A Feast of Tradition

November 27, 2025

Natale in Umbria: A Feast of Tradition

We sit at the Christmas table of one of Italy’s most delicious regions

As the holiday season approaches, Italy’s kitchens come alive. Some of our favourites? Those found in the countryside and medieval hill-towns of Umbria, soon home to Pellicano Hotels Group’s new hideaway, La Badia. Christmas in this region is not just a date on the calendar: it is a culinary ritual rooted in local farms and family tables. From rich broths and stuffed pasta to spiced sweets and generous wines, Umbrian festive cuisine offers a vivid portrait of regional taste, and we’re here for it. Keen to take a bite with us?

Starters & First Courses: The welcome of the table

In Umbrian homes, hospitality begins early, usually with something small, savoury and impossible to refuse. The crostino with chicken-liver pâté is the classic opener: a crisp slice of rustic, salt-light bread topped with a rich, velvety spread straight from the region’s cucina povera. It’s humble, yes, but it sets exactly the right tone for the feast ahead: simple ingredients, bold flavour, and a generous hand.

Come Christmas Day, the meal shifts into its most beloved chapter: the first course. Here, homemade stuffed pasta takes centre stage – most famously cappelletti in brodo. These delicate little parcels of beef and pork, bobbing in a fragrant broth, are non-negotiable on Umbrian holiday tables. For many families, the making of cappelletti is its own celebration: a day spent around the kitchen table, everyone shaping, folding and chatting. The pasta becomes the opening act of the meal, and what fills the bowl tastes as much of shared effort as it does of broth and dough.

Main Course: Meat, wine and conviviality

By the time the second course arrives, Umbrian Christmas lunch is fully in its stride. Meat takes centre stage here, and it’s all about slow-cooking and deeply comfort. Stewed capon simmered with red wine, rosemary and bay leaves is a favourite, its rich aroma filling the kitchen long before it reaches the table. In many homes you’ll also find roasted lamb or pork, dishes rooted in the region’s agricultural heritage and brought out on special occasions like this.

Whatever the main course, it’s almost always paired with a local wine – and in Umbria, that means something bold enough to stand up to a holiday feast. A Montefalco Sagrantino or a structured Rosso di Torgiano often appears, poured generously and with pride. Wine is more than a pairing here; it’s part of the ritual, a link between the land and the celebration.

Sweets: Spice, nut, tradition

Dessert is where Umbrian Christmas cooking shows its personality: bold spice, plenty of nuts, and more than a little folklore.

In Terni and beyond, Panpepato (or Pampepato) is the uncontested star. Dense with nuts, honey, candied fruit, chocolate and a gentle kick of pepper, it’s a recipe that reaches back centuries. Families still bake it in December to give to friends and neighbours, each version slightly different, each fiercely defended as the “real” one.

Then there’s Torciglione, the almond-based sweet shaped like a coiled snake – yes, a snake – baked golden and glossy. The symbolism varies depending on who you ask, but it has long been a holiday staple across Umbria, beloved for its chewy, aromatic texture and its unmistakably festive presence on the table.

Some families also bring out tozzetti dipped in Vin Santo, or other local biscotti, but it’s panpepato and torciglione that anchor the season.

The Spirit of the Table: Tradition that brings people together

What ties all these dishes together, from the crostini to the cappelletti to the final slice of panpepato, is the Umbrian belief that food is meant to be shared, prepared together, and savoured slowly. Christmas lunch isn’t rushed; it’s a long conversation punctuated by plates.

Which is all to say: In Umbria, Christmas isn’t just celebrated: it’s cooked.

Tips for Visitors: How to eat like an Umbrian at Christmas

Look for homemade cappelletti. Many families make them by hand, and if you can try the real thing, you’ll taste the difference immediately.

Pick up a panpepato from a Terni bakery. December is prime season, and many shops wrap them beautifully for gifting.

Drink local. Montefalco Sagrantino, Grechetto, Rosso di Torgiano — Umbrian wines shine at the holiday table.

Visit village markets. You’ll find torciglione, tozzetti and other regional sweets that rarely travel far outside Umbria.

Embrace the pace. Umbrian holiday meals are leisurely by design. Settle in, sip something local, and enjoy the company.

Add a Touch of Umbria to Your Table

Bring the flavours of Umbria home with the ISSIMO × Quintosapore collaboration: three curated boxes celebrating the region’s harvests and artisanal traditions.