Italian Jarred and Preserved Vegetables

Italian cuisine is known for the use of simple high quality ingredients, and preserved vegetables play an important role when the fresh ingredients are out of season. From canned tomatoes to artichokes and olives, these jarred and preserved vegetables are essential in every Italian pantry.

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A variety of canned and jarred preserved vegetables used in Italian cooking.

Even Michelin-starred restaurants use canned Italian tomatoes and jarred olives in their dishes. Why? Because the flavor and texture are much more intense and easier to work with than the fresh ones. But they are not the only preserved ingredients that are popular in Italian cuisine.

Sun-dried tomatoes, Giardiniera (pickled vegetables), marinated vegetables in olive oil, and so much more. Italians have been preserving and jarring all kinds of vegetables to use as ingredients in classic recipes or standalone for appetizers. In this guide, we'll explain all of them.

History and Culture

Preserving vegetables has been a part of Italian tradition for centuries. Because of ancient methods like drying, pickling, and canning, it allowed Italians to enjoy their vegetable garden's harvest all year long.

These techniques have been passed down through generations, preserving the rich flavors and nutritional benefits of the vegetables that are still nowadays appreciated and used in many traditional recipes.

Types of Preserved Vegetables

Canned Tomato Products

Tomatoes are some of the most loved and appreciated Italian product in the world. San Marzano tomatoes, especially, are an Italian variety of tomatoes that are perfect for tomato sauces and are used worldwide, even in Michelin-star restaurants.

San Marzano Tomatoes: Prized for their low water content, sweet flavor and low acidity, perfect for tomato sauces.
Passata: Pureed tomatoes used as a base for soups and sauces.
Whole Peeled Tomatoes: Versatile and ideal for a variety of dishes. The most common is the San Marzano tomato. It's also common to find cubed or sliced canned peeled tomatoes.
Cherry Tomatoes: Canned cherry tomatoes (ciliegini, datterini, or pomodorini) are canned in their own sauce. They're sweeter and more flavorful than regular tomatoes.
Tomato Paste: It's basically evaporated tomato passata. It has a strong and concentrated tomato flavor, that adds depth in recipes.
Sun-dried Tomatoes: Halved tomatoes are dried in the sun, then preserved in olive oil. They have an intense tomato flavor and can be used as an ingredient in recipes or on their own as appetizer.

An assortment of differed Italian tomato products.

Other Preserved Vegetables

Olives: Green Olives (Cerignola, Castelvetrano) are mild and buttery, great for snacking and salads. Black Olives (Gaeta, Taggiasca), instead, have a rich, briny flavor, perfect for tapenade and pasta.
Pickled Vegetables: Called sottaceti in Italian (literally "under vinegar"). Giardiniera is perhaps the most famous, and it's a mix of pickled vegetables often used as a condiment in pasta salads or on its own. Other classic Italian pickled vegetables include pickled peppers, pickled pearl onions, and pickles.
Vegetables in Oil: Called sottoli in Italian (literally "under oil"). Perhaps the most common way of preserving vegetables in Italy. You can preserve in olive oil almost anything, but the most common are roasted red peppers, marinated or grilled artichoke hearts, champignon mushrooms, grilled eggplants, stuffed cherry peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, vegetables mixes, and more.
Vegetables in Brine: Preserving vegetables in a salt and water brine is also very common, to keep the ingredient flavor as pure as possible. The most common jarred vegetables in brine are peperoncini, Lupini beans, olives, capers, artichoke hearts, champignon mushrooms, broccoli rabe, cannellini beans, chickpeas, and more.

Quality and Authenticity

Whether you buy your products in an Italian deli, grocery store, or online, it's important to be able to recognize and differentiate the authentic imported Italian products to the low quality ones.

Tips for Recognizing Authentic Italian Preserved Vegetables

Check the Label: Look for the DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) label, indicating the product's authenticity and region of origin.
Read Ingredients: Authentic products have minimal ingredients, often just the vegetable, water, salt, or sometimes vinegar or oil.
Packaging: Quality Italian preserved vegetables are often packaged in glass jars rather than cans (except for tomato products).
Producer Information: Research the producer. Reputable brands often have a history and a commitment to traditional methods.
Price: Authentic Italian products may be more expensive due to the quality of ingredients and production methods.

Top Italian Brands: Mutti, La Valle, Cento, Frantoi Cutrera, Agostino Recca, D'Amico, Saclà, Artigiana, Ponti.

Where to Purchase: Specialty Italian grocery stores, online retailers like Amazon, and local markets with imported goods sections.

Uses in Italian Cuisine

Jarred, canned, and preserved vegetables, have many uses in Italian cuisine. Some are enjoyed on their own as appetizer or on an antipasti platter or charcuterie board. Others are key ingredients to classic authentic recipes.

Antipasti and Appetizers

Sun-dried Tomatoes: Intense tomato flavor, used as an ingredient or on their own.
Olives: Both green and black varieties in antipasti platters and charcuterie boards, but also as tapenade on crostini.
Pickled Vegetables (Sottaceti): Giardiniera, pickled peppers, pickled pearl onions.
Vegetables in Oil (Sottoli): Roasted red peppers, marinated or grilled artichoke hearts, stuffed cherry peppers, sun-dried tomatoes.
Vegetables in Brine: Peperoncini, olives, artichoke hearts.

Main Courses

San Marzano Tomatoes: Perfect for tomato sauces.
Passata: Base for soups and sauces.
Whole Peeled Tomatoes: Versatile, used in a variety of dishes.
Cherry Tomatoes: Sweeter and more flavorful, canned in their own sauce.
Tomato Paste: Adds depth to recipes.
Black Olives (Gaeta, Taggiasca): Used in tapenade and pasta.
Vegetables in Brine: Broccoli rabe, cannellini beans, and chickpeas.

Snacks

Green Olives (Cerignola, Castelvetrano): Mild and buttery, great for snacking.
Lupini Beans: Commonly used as a snack.
Sun-dried Tomatoes: Can be enjoyed on their own.

Salads and Sides

Green Olives (Cerignola, Castelvetrano): Great for salads.
Pickled Vegetables (Sottaceti): Giardiniera, pickled peppers, used in pasta salads.
Vegetables in Oil (Sottoli): Roasted red peppers, marinated or grilled artichoke hearts, champignon mushrooms, vegetables mixes.
Vegetables in Brine: Lupini beans, capers, artichoke hearts, champignon mushrooms.

RECIPES USING PRESERVED VEGETABLES

Buying and Storing Tips

Choose jars without cracks or signs of damage.
Ensure the lid is sealed and not bulging, indicating a proper vacuum seal.
Check expiration dates.

Storage Tips

Before Opening: Store in a cool, dark place like a pantry.
After Opening: Keep in the refrigerator and ensure the vegetables are submerged in their brine or oil to maintain freshness.
Use Airtight Containers: Transfer contents to airtight containers if necessary to prevent contamination.