If you're a vegetarian, finding restaurants to visit can sometimes be a challenge. One of the best places to visit, especially if you will be dining with non-vegetarians, is an Italian pizzeria. The typical menu will include plenty of vegetarian options. Here are three items to consider.
Pizza! Pizza!
Obviously, an Italian pizzeria is going to have pizza. While their specialties may center around classic Italian meats like pepperoni, Italian sausage, and prosciutto, most authentic eateries will have no shortage of vegetarian ingredients as well. Consider items such as assorted olives, tomatoes, artichokes, spinach, fresh basil, pesto, wild mushrooms, portabello mushrooms, and leek. You can create even more exciting combinations if the pizzeria offers sauces other than traditional pizza sauce, such as garlic and olive oil. If you aren't a vegan, consider fresh mozzarella, Greek feta, or goat cheese for a change of pace. You may also want to have your ingredients incorporated into a calzone rather than a pizza. A calzone is like a pizza pocket, where the crust is folded over into a semi-circle, sealed, and then baked.
Pasta
Just because it's a pizzeria doesn't mean they won't offer other classic Italian favorites. If you're in the mood for spaghetti, skip the meat sauce and opt for a simple fresh marinara instead. Other sauce options usually include a creamy Alfredo sauce, perfect in you eat dairy products, a garlic and olive oil sauce, a vodka sauce, which is a marinara with a touch of vodka and cream, or a pesto sauce. Raviolis are another great vegetarian options. They can be the traditional cheese-filled raviolis, but the pizzeria may also offer wild mushroom or butternut squash ravioli, too. Gnocchi, tender, little fluffy potato dumplings that may be simply tossed with butter or topped with a sauce. Of course, there are dozens and dozens of other vegetarian possibilities available, such as spinach cannelloni.
Salad
Most Italian pizzerias have a selection of delightfully fresh salads. You can opt for a Caesar salad, substituting the dressing if you don't eat fish to avoid the anchovies in the dressing. Otherwise, a simple salad of spinach or mixed greens such as arugula and radicchio paired with fresh herbs and then topped with fresh Roma tomatoes, cucumber, and other vegetables may be just what you're craving. Often, an Italian restaurant will also have antipasto salads, a combination of cold marinated vegetables and pasta. A fruit plate may be another option.
Share27 February 2017
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