Why Italian cuisine almost NEVER use onion and garlic together.

Often overlooked, this is one of those subtle but important points in Italian cooking tradition.

In authentic Italian cuisine, onion and garlic are not often used together in the same base (soffritto) — though it’s not a strict rule, and there are regional and personal exceptions.

Keep reading to discover how it breaks down:

🇮🇹 Traditional approach

The Italian flavor base, called soffritto, is typically made with onion, carrot, and celery (especially in central and northern Italy).
In some recipes, garlic replaces the onion (one such example is Chicken Puttanesca, but rarely are both sautéed together — the idea is that each has a strong, distinct aroma, and using both can make the flavor muddy or overpowering.

Examples:

Ragù alla bolognese: uses onion (with carrot and celery), but not garlic.

Aglio, olio e peperoncino: uses garlic, but no onion.

Tomato sauces (sugo di pomodoro): may use either onion or garlic, depending on region or family tradition — southern Italy tends to favor garlic, while northern Italy often prefers onion.

🇮🇹How to Make Napoletana Sauce – Easy Italian Napoli Sauce Recipe https://youtu.be/_Hk58N9AsNY
🍅How to Make Marinara Sauce – Easy Gluten-Free Homemade Tomato Sauce Recipe! https://youtu.be/jSAQRUXll58

A bowl of Spaghetti with marinara sauce — spaghetti and marinara sauce v3

When Onion AND Garlic are Used Together

Some modern recipes (and even some regional southern dishes) do combine onion and garlic — especially in home cooking outside Italy or in Italian-American cuisine. For example:

Some versions of salsa di pomodoro (tomato sauce) include both for extra flavor.
Cacciatora or stews might occasionally use both, though sparingly.

Modern Italian-American Recipes

Creamy Chicken Pasta | Fettuccine Alfredo – https://youtu.be/jqJFWACRx8E
Veggie Lasagna | Gluten-Free Comfort Food – https://youtu.be/wDB2_kvuuO4
One-Pot Lasagna Soup – https://youtu.be/KhnYsogclrk
Classic Italian Pasta Soup with White Beans | Pasta e Fagioli – https://youtu.be/6cueUR4ROfA
Creamy Gnocchi with Parmesan, Spinach, & Black Pepper – https://youtu.be/8uprlrJeRW0

a large pan of creamy gnocchi with parmesan cheese. — Creamy Gnocchi with parmesan 2

👩‍🍳 The Italian philosophy

Italian cooks usually emphasize balance and clarity of flavor.
So the rule of thumb is:👉 Use onion or garlic — choose the one that best suits the dish’s character.

🍝 Pasta & Sauces

Dish	Base Ingredient(s)	Notes
Ragù alla Bolognese	🧅 Onion (with carrot & celery)	Garlic is not used; flavors come from slow-cooked meat & soffritto.
Sugo di Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce)	🧅 or 🧄 (not both)	Northern regions → onion; southern → garlic. Some modern cooks mix both, but not traditional.
Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino	🧄 Garlic only	A minimalist sauce; garlic is the star.
Amatriciana	🧅 Onion (optional)	Purists from Amatrice say no onion, just guanciale, tomato, pecorino. Romans sometimes add a little onion.
Carbonara	— None	No onion or garlic; just guanciale, eggs, cheese, pepper.
Puttanesca	🧄 Garlic only	Southern sauce with anchovies, olives, capers — onion is rarely used.
Norma (Sicilian)	🧄 Garlic	Pairs with eggplant and tomato; onion would overwhelm the delicate flavor.
Arrabbiata	🧄 Garlic only	“Angry” spicy sauce with chili; onion isn’t used traditionally.

a large pan of chicken puttanesca — chicken puttanesca v10

🍖 Meats & Stews

Dish	Base Ingredient(s)	Notes
Pollo alla Cacciatora (Hunter’s Chicken)	🧅 Often onion, sometimes both	Some regional variants include both onion and garlic, especially in Tuscany and Lazio.
Osso Buco alla Milanese	🧅 Onion (plus carrot, celery)	No garlic; a classic northern soffritto base.
Spezzatino di Manzo (Beef Stew)	🧅 Onion	Garlic is rare here.
Coniglio all’Ischitana (Ischian Rabbit)	🧄 Garlic	Southern island dish — garlic, herbs, and white wine.

🥦 Vegetable & Seafood Dishes

Dish	Base Ingredient(s)	Notes
Zuppa di Lenticchie (Lentil Soup)	🧅 Onion	Often part of a soffritto.
Vongole (Clams)	🧄 Garlic only	Onion would ruin the sea flavor.
Caponata (Sicilian Eggplant Dish)	🧅 Onion	Garlic isn’t traditional here.
Spinaci all’Aglio e Olio	🧄 Garlic	Garlic sautéed in olive oil; no onion.

🧭 General Rule of Thumb

Region	Typical Base	Flavor Style
North (Emilia-Romagna, Lombardia, Piemonte)	🧅 Onion + Soffritto	Milder, buttery, often with meats.
South (Campania, Calabria, Sicily, Puglia)	🧄 Garlic	Sharper, oil-based, often with seafood or tomato.

A ma of Italy divided between garlic in the South, and Onion, in the North. — image

Onion and Garlic: A Nation Divided

The image illustrates a fascinating culinary divide that runs through Italy, revealing how the nation’s regional tastes are deeply rooted in geography and tradition. In the northern regions, represented by the lighter color labeled “Onion,” cooks tend to favor onions as the aromatic foundation for their dishes.

This preference aligns with the richer, butter-based cuisines of regions such as Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Piedmont, where onions provide a mild sweetness and depth that harmonize with meats, dairy, and slow-cooked sauces like ragù alla bolognese. Here, the soffritto—a mix of onion, carrot, and celery—is the soul of countless recipes.

Southern Italy

In contrast, the southern part of Italy, marked “Garlic” in the image, leans toward bolder, more direct flavors. Regions such as Campania, Calabria, Puglia, and Sicily celebrate garlic as an essential ingredient, often sautéed briefly in olive oil to release its aroma before adding tomatoes, seafood, or vegetables.

Dishes like spaghetti aglio e olio, puttanesca, and pasta alla norma highlight garlic’s assertive character, reflecting the Mediterranean climate and the local love of olive oil, chili, and fresh herbs.

Northern Italy

This north–south flavor divide is more than a matter of taste—it’s a window into Italy’s cultural diversity. The northern cuisine, influenced by continental Europe, emphasizes balance and slow-cooked comfort, while the southern approach captures the vibrancy and intensity of the Mediterranean. Though modern Italian cooks sometimes blend both traditions, the map reminds us that in Italy, even simple choices—like whether to start with an onion or a clove of garlic—speak volumes about regional identity and culinary philosophy.