What to Eat in Genoa in Spring: Seasonal Specialties You Shouldn’t Miss

What to eat in Genoa in spring? The answer is in the dishes that come back to the table with the warmer weather. Fresh fava beans, artichokes, and leafy greens show up at the markets. Pesto gets stirred into minestrone, torta Pasqualina reappears in bakeries, and springtime picnics bring along focaccia and Sant’Olcese salami. Some recipes are tied to local holidays, others simply follow the changing season. These are dishes rooted in the land, the sea, and the habits of a city that still cooks with whatever’s fresh at the market. In this article, we take a tour of Genoa’s springtime flavors—the kind that mark the season better than any calendar.

Torta Pasqualina

Torta Pasqualina is one of the most iconic springtime dishes in Genoa. It’s made with a shell of puff pastry—or pasta matta, a traditional flour-and-water dough—and filled with Swiss chard (or artichokes), eggs, and prescinsêua, a soft, slightly tangy cheese typical of the region. Little wells are made in the filling and whole raw eggs are cracked inside; they bake in the oven and come out hard-boiled, becoming part of the filling.

This savory pie is closely tied to Easter. Tradition has it that it used to be made with 33 layers of dough, one for each year of Christ’s life. These days it’s mainly prepared around Easter, but you’ll find it in local bakeries well into the spring, especially packed up for picnics and outdoor lunches.

It’s a humble recipe, born in home kitchens, that still speaks to a seasonal way of cooking based on simple ingredients and familiar gestures.

Trofie with Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans

Trofie with pesto, potatoes, and green beans is one of the most famous dishes from Ligurian cuisine. It’s made with trofie, a short, hand-rolled pasta, tossed with traditional basil pesto and served with diced potatoes and green beans, all cooked in the same pot.

You can find it year-round, but it makes the most sense in spring. Fresh basil starts growing on balconies, and green beans return to the market stalls. It’s the perfect time for homemade pesto, made with new-season olive oil and Ligurian pine nuts. The flavor shifts depending on the freshness of the ingredients and the hand that makes it.

Served warm or at room temperature, it’s a dish that captures the spirit of spring—lighter, greener, but still full of character.

Cream of Asparagus and Shrimp

Not a traditional recipe, but one that’s become common in Ligurian kitchens during spring, is cream of asparagus and shrimp. Asparagus—especially the violet variety from Albenga—is a seasonal staple. The shrimp come fresh from the Ligurian Sea, small and tender, ideal for adding to a delicate soup.

This dish brings together land and sea. The asparagus is cooked and blended into a smooth, fragrant puree, often finished with fresh herbs. The shrimp, quickly sautéed or poached, are added at the end for flavor and contrast.

It may not be part of Genoa’s culinary history, but it’s found a place in modern spring menus, especially in restaurants that follow the seasons. It’s a good example of what the region offers this time of year: simple ingredients, essential techniques, clean flavors.

Fava Beans and Salami

With spring come fresh fava beans, a staple in one of the most straightforward and beloved local pairings: fava beans and salami. The beans are eaten raw, freshly shelled, alongside slices of salami—often from Sant’Olcese—or mild sheep’s cheese like young pecorino.

It’s not a recipe, but a habit. A seasonal ritual. This is the kind of food people bring on spring outings, share during festivals, or eat on a blanket in the grass. It doesn’t require cooking, but it has a fixed place in the local food culture.

The first time you eat fresh favas in the spring really does feel like the season has changed. The table gets greener, the meals move outdoors, and a quiet tradition continues—from city balconies to rural hillside villages.

Cavagnetti

Cavagnetti are Easter sweets traditionally made in Liguria. They’re shaped like little baskets from shortcrust pastry, with a whole hard-boiled egg tucked in the center and often held in place with two crisscrossed strips of dough. The name comes from the Genoese dialect word cavagnetto, meaning “little basket.”

They were once homemade, brought to church to be blessed, then given to children or served with Easter lunch. Today, you’ll mostly find them in bakeries and pastry shops in the weeks leading up to Easter, usually next to Colomba cakes and other seasonal sweets.

They’re simple but carry strong symbolism. The egg stands for rebirth, spring, and celebration. Though less common than they once were, cavagnetti remain a meaningful Easter tradition tied to family and local heritage.

Quaresimali Cookies

Quaresimali are dry cookies traditionally made during Lent. In Liguria, there are several versions, but the base is the same: flour, ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites. They don’t include butter or animal fat, which made them suitable for the fasting period before Easter.

You’ll find them in bakeries and pastry shops between Carnival and Easter. Their shape varies—sometimes long and biscotti-like, other times more rustic depending on the area. Some recipes also include flavors like anise or lemon zest.

They’re light, born more out of necessity than indulgence, but they’re still part of Liguria’s Easter tradition. People enjoy them with coffee, as a light dessert, or packed up for spring picnics along with other seasonal treats.