Vegetarian food in Italy

[goingtobefree]

We are going to Lake Garda in 3 weeks time. Staying there and then to venice for 3/4 days
We are staying self catering but would like to taste local cuisine for some of the meals
I don't eat meat,fish,eggs. I don't like eating lot of cheese either.
Am slightly panicking thinking about this, I can always make pasta with tomato sauce but that is so boring....

Try pasta primavera, artichokes, gnocchi with fresh pesto, ravioli con spinachi or the really gorgeous ravioli stuffed with pumpkin. And there's always pasta pomodoro and pizza margherita wherever you go, if you get stuck. I don't think the pizzas are as laden with cheese as they are in UK/USA.

there are more vegetables than tomatoes! Your eyes will be opened at the results when supermarkets buy for flavour not looks. The only problem is that you won't want to eat British veg ever again, unless you grow it yourself.

Two of my favourites when I was there was the spaghetti and mushrooms and the spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and chilli. Simple and delicious.

If you don't eat eggs, how can you eat pasta?

I don't eat boiled eggs,scrambled eggs etc., but don't mind it in Pasta or cakes if they dont smell of eggs. I know it is odd but I just don't like it.
Thanks for all the suggestions can't wait, it is my first time to Italt

I found it tricky, the Italians flavour food with meat - just not very much meat. Tbh I found the food dull, got very fed up with pasta and pizza, my Italian wasn't good enough to negotiate anything better....but that was Rome and further South it might be different up north.

I spent 7 months living in Italy as a vegetarian & it was generally easy to do. They have gorgeous food there - lovely cheeses, bread, fruit, veg.

Italians do not understand vegetarianism at all & will say things like "oh it's only ham" .

So things to try are:

Polenta
Pasta con olio & peperoncino (oil & chilli)
Pasta with ricotta
Any tomato based pasta sauce

They do a lot of broth based soups, but they will have meat stock usually. Oh another gorgeous dish is Ribollita - cabbage & bean stew, it's really nice.

Failing the above just eat tonnes of Gelato - god it's gorgeous

Alla zucca in San Giacomo del Orio ( Venice) is a vege restaurant.

Mushroom risotto
Baked aubergine
Tomato, avocado and mozzerella salad
Stuffed pepper
Roast veg

My veggie DH loves going to Italy (over other european countries) because the food is better. He's not too bothered about variety - and if you're only there 4 days that's not so much an issue - he just loves the quality veg that makes
simple dishes v tasty. Have fun!

gnocchi are fab with pesto, lots of lovely fresh roasted veg, salads