Christmas in Venice tastes like no other place in Italy. The city has its own winter flavors, traditions, and family rituals — quietly passed down through generations and deeply connected to the lagoon. If you’ve ever wondered what Venetians really cook during the holidays, this guide brings those recipes straight into your kitchen.
From creamy baccalà served on golden polenta to fragrant bigoli in salsa, from seafood pastas to biscotti baked only in December, these are the dishes that fill Venetian homes from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. And the best part? You can recreate them at home with simple ingredients and a bit of lagoon spirit.
For travelers wanting even more local insight, pair this guide with our Hidden Venice Orientation Tour, or explore festive flavors directly through our Cicchetti & Wine Tour.
Why Venetian Christmas Food Is Different
Unlike other Italian regions, Venice traditionally serves seafood on Christmas Eve and a mix of warming, comforting dishes on Christmas Day. The city’s unique geography — a lagoon with centuries of trading routes — shaped a cuisine that blends spices, local fish, creamy polenta, and slow-cooked stews.
Christmas dishes in Venice share a few traits:
- Simple ingredients prepared with long-standing techniques
- Lagoon seafood as the star of the holiday season
- Slow-cooked comfort to warm winter days
- Baked sweets perfect for gifting
Now, here are the signature recipes you can easily prepare wherever you are.
Starter: Baccalà Mantecato (Creamed Salt Cod)
If Venice had to choose one Christmas dish to represent itself, it would be baccalà mantecato. This silky, airy cod spread is served on toasted bread or grilled polenta squares. It appears at almost every family table on December 24.
Ingredients
- 500g soaked salt cod (baccalà)
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- Olive oil (a generous amount)
- Salt & pepper
- Bay leaf
Method
- Boil the soaked fish with garlic and a bay leaf until tender.
- Drain, remove skin and bones.
- Place in a bowl and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon while adding olive oil in a slow stream.
- Continue until fluffy, white, and creamy.
Serve on warm polenta squares. Or recreate the full Venetian experience by pairing it with our Cicchetti Guide.
Starter: Sarde in Saor (Sweet & Sour Marinated Sardines)
This 14th-century preservation dish is a Christmas favorite — sweet, tangy, and deeply Venetian.
Ingredients
- Fresh sardines
- Onions (lots)
- White wine vinegar
- Raisins
- Pine nuts
- Flour and oil for frying
Method
- Fry lightly floured sardines until golden.
- Caramelize onions slowly with vinegar, raisins, and pine nuts.
- Layer sardines and onions in a dish and let marinate 24–48 hours.
This is one of the oldest dishes in Venice — and still one of the best with a glass of white wine.
Pasta: Bigoli in Salsa (Venetian Christmas Eve Pasta)
The most traditional Christmas Eve pasta in Venice. Rich, savory, aromatic — and very easy.
Ingredients
- Bigoli pasta (or thick spaghetti)
- White onions
- Salted anchovies
- Olive oil
Method
- Gently melt anchovies in olive oil.
- Slice onions thinly and cook until soft and translucent.
- Add cooked bigoli and toss with the sauce.
This dish is a must on December 24 — simple, satisfying, and full of history.
Pasta: Lasagna al Radicchio (Winter Venetian Lasagna)
Radicchio from Treviso is the king of winter vegetables in the Veneto. This lasagna, slightly bitter and beautifully creamy, is a December classic.
Ingredients
- Fresh lasagna sheets
- Radicchio (Treviso or tardivo)
- Butter & olive oil
- Béchamel sauce
- Parmigiano
Method
- Sauté sliced radicchio until wilted.
- Layer pasta, béchamel, radicchio, and Parmigiano.
- Bake until golden.
Serve with a glass of Prosecco Superiore — and for a full countryside experience, explore our Prosecco Hills Tour.
Main: Fegato alla Veneziana (Venetian-Style Liver)
A beloved winter dish in Venice — tender veal liver paired with sweet onions, traditionally served on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
Ingredients
- Veal liver
- White onions
- Butter & olive oil
- White wine
- Salt & pepper
Method
- Sauté onions slowly until meltingly soft.
- Add sliced liver and cook for only a few minutes.
- Deglaze with white wine.
Delicious with polenta. Simple and deeply comforting.
Main: Granzievola alla Veneziana (Venetian Crab)
A true Christmas delicacy — the creamy, delicate meat of local lagoon crabs, seasoned lightly with citrus and olive oil.
Method: Steam the crab, clean carefully, mix the meat with lemon zest, pepper, a touch of oil, and serve inside the cleaned shell.
You’ll often see this dish in gourmet restaurants such as Lineadombra, Al Covo or Local — perfect places to enjoy a winter meal in Venice.
Dessert: Zaleti (Venetian Cornmeal Cookies)
Golden, rustic Christmas cookies made from cornmeal, raisins, and lemon zest. Lightly sweet and perfectly Venetian.
Ingredients
- Cornmeal
- Flour
- Butter
- Sugar
- Raisins soaked in grappa
- Lemon zest
Shape into ovals, bake, and serve with coffee.
Try them in Venice from traditional bakeries such as Dal Nono Colussi, Dal Mas, Majer, or Olivàn for comparison.
Dessert: Fugassa Veneta (The Original Venetian Christmas Cake)
A soft, buttery cake — the ancestor of panettone — with a delicate citrus aroma. Venetians bake it at home or buy it from artisan bakeries for Christmas morning.
Method: Prepare a rich dough with eggs, butter, sugar, lemon zest, and a long, slow rise. Bake until golden and dust with powdered sugar.
Dessert: Baicoli (Lagoon Ship Biscuits)
Crisp, elegant, and perfect for dipping in zabaglione or dessert wine. Once made for sailors, now a Christmas staple in Venice.
Pair with a holiday visit to the Baroque Concert at San Teodoro for a perfect winter evening.
Bring Venetian Christmas Into Your Home
These recipes reflect the heart of Venetian tradition — simple, elegant, and deeply connected to the lagoon’s rhythm and winter flavors. Whether you’re cooking bigoli in salsa for Christmas Eve or baking zaleti with your family, each dish carries a story that travels far beyond the canals.
If you’re planning a holiday trip, pair this culinary journey with a real taste of Venice through our curated experiences:
- Cicchetti & Wine Tour
- Private Winter Boat Tour
- Venetian Christmas Sweets Guide
- Prosecco Hills Tour
- Feast of the Madonna della Salute Guide
- Venice in December – Full Guide
FAQs
What do Venetians traditionally eat on Christmas Eve?
Seafood dishes like bigoli in salsa, baccalà mantecato, and granzievola are the classics.
What dessert should I bake for an authentic Venetian Christmas?
Zaleti cookies, baicoli, or a homemade fugassa veneta.
Can I find these recipes in Venice restaurants?
Yes — especially in traditional osterie and restaurants like Al Covo, Osteria da Alberto, and Local.
