Amalfi Recipes: Classic Dishes That Bring the Coast to Your Kitchen

From the lemons of Sorrento to the fresh seafood of Cetara, Amalfi recipes are all about simple, bold flavors. Explore the coastal classics you can make at home.

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The Soul of the Coast: What Defines Amalfi Recipes

The Amalfi Coast is not only a place, but a taste, a feeling, a way of life. With lemon groves perched over cliffs in Positano to sea-soaked ingredients in Cetara, this stretch of southern Italian coast is home to some of the country’s most iconic and flavorful creations. In this article, we explore five classic Amalfi recipes and bring a small piece of the coast into your kitchen.

1. Spaghetti al Limone (Lemon Spaghetti)

This vibrant pasta dish is one of the most iconic Amalfi recipes. Using the juice and zest of Amalfi lemons, butter or olive oil, and grated Parmigiano or Pecorino, it’s both creamy and light.

Why it’s classic:
Lemons are central to Amalfi culture and cuisine. This pasta highlights their perfume without overpowering.

This recipe comes from Cooking with Nonna, Rossella Rago’s celebration of authentic Italian home cooking and real recipes from Italian grandmother which are meant for sharing. Her Spaghetti al Limone is a light, zesty pasta dish from Campania that brings a summery taste straight from the Amalfi Coast into your kitchen. It’s perfect for creamy yet refreshing meals without heavy sauces.

Rossella Rago’s site is a treasure trove of Italian culinary heritage: from pasta and soups to desserts and seasonal treats. Browse the “Campania Recipes” section to find more regional dishes that celebrate simplicity and authenticity, just like this pasta.

2. Alici di Cetara (Anchovies from Cetara)

The fishing village of Cetara is famous for its anchovies and colatura di alici—a fermented anchovy sauce similar to ancient Roman garum. Try anchovies marinated in lemon, grilled, or served with bread.

Why it’s classic:
Cetara’s anchovies are a cornerstone of Amalfi recipes, often added to pastas, salads, and crostini.

To continue with the Nonna recipe, I have one from my Nonno. I called him “Pop”. When I was little, I could always tell when Pop was cooking with anchovies — the salty aroma filled the kitchen before you even walked in the door. He was from Sicily, and like so many southern Italians, he treated anchovies not as a garnish, but as a sacred ingredient. To him, they were flavor, tradition, and home all packed into one tiny fish.

I, of course, wanted nothing to do with them. He’d make this simple pizza, layering tomato sauce, mozzarella, and always anchovies. To get me to eat it, he’d cleverly hide the anchovies under the cheese, like a culinary sleight of hand. I always found them. And I always complained.

It wasn’t until years later, standing by the sea on a trip to Italy, that I finally understood what he was trying to teach me, that anchovies, especially Alici di Cetara, weren’t just salty little surprises. They were a bridge to a deeper flavor, a bolder tradition, and a place he missed every day. Now, I make this pizza in his honor, and I don’t hide the anchovies anymore.

3. Scialatielli ai Frutti di Mare

A typical fresh pasta from the Amalfi Coast, scialatielli is short, thick, and slightly irregular. Served with mussels, clams, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes, it’s a seafood lover’s dream.

Why it’s classic:
Born in nearby Minori, scialatielli reflects the region’s love for handmade pasta and the bounty of the sea.

There’s something timeless and romantic about a seafood pasta especially one like Frutti di Mare, which brings together the very best of the ocean in one beautiful, briny dish. For this version, I followed Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe from Giadzy, and it’s exactly the kind of cooking I love elegant, rustic, and surprisingly approachable. Giada has a way of making even the most elaborate Italian dishes feel totally doable in your own kitchen and Frutti di Mare is the perfect example.

With just a few fresh ingredients and some patience, you can create a dish that tastes like it came from a seaside trattoria along the Amalfi Coast. Whether you’re celebrating something special or just craving the taste of the Mediterranean, this is one recipe that instantly transports you there.

4. Spaghetti alle Zucchine alla Nerano

Spaghetti alla Nerano is a silky, cheesy zucchini pasta born on the Amalfi Coast that turns humble ingredients into something unforgettable.

Why it’s classic:
This dish captures the soul of the Amalfi Coast—simple garden vegetables, local cheese, and pasta—transformed into a creamy masterpiece with roots in the tiny village of Nerano. It’s beloved for its balance of richness and lightness, and its story of coastal ingenuity has made it iconic across Italy.

On his hit CNN show Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, Stanley Tucci traveled to the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast and made a memorable stop in the village of Nerano, where he tasted the legendary Spaghetti alla Nerano. As he sat at a seaside table surrounded by cliffs and cobalt waters, Tucci marveled at how a dish made from such humble ingredients—zucchini, pasta, basil, and cheese—could deliver such extraordinary flavor. What stood out wasn’t just the taste, but the story behind it: invented in the 1950s at a local trattoria, this creamy, comforting pasta has become a regional treasure, made with patience, love, and a touch of Southern Italian magic.

I chose to highlight Spaghetti alla Nerano because, like Tucci, I was struck by its simplicity and elegance. Watching him savor the dish under the Mediterranean sun reminded me that some of the best Italian recipes aren’t extravagant—they’re rooted in tradition, seasonality, and clever technique. This is a dish that invites you to slow down, cook with care, and appreciate the beauty of coastal Italian cuisine. It’s not just pasta; it’s a bite of Amalfi history.

5. Delizia al Limone (Lemon Delight Cake)

This dreamy dessert features layers of sponge cake soaked in limoncello and filled with lemon pastry cream. It’s finished with whipped lemon frosting and sometimes decorated with candied peel.

Why it’s classic:
This dessert is a showstopper from pastry chefs along the coast—especially Sal De Riso in Minori, who popularized it.

I do not think any recipe can come close to having the actual cake at Sal De Riso but here is one that comes close.

BONUS – Limoncello Spritz

No list of Amalfi recipes is complete without limoncello or limoncello spritz. Made from the zest of Amalfi lemons, this bright, sweet digestivo is served ice cold after meals.

Why it’s classic:
Limoncello is the taste of the Amalfi Coast in a glass. Visit small producers like Il Gusto della Costa in Praiano to see it made.

Where to Taste These Recipes on the Amalfi Coast

If you’re lucky enough to visit the coast, try these dishes at local institutions:

• Ristorante Donna Sofia in Sorrento (for lemon pasta and seafood)
• Lo Scoglio da Tommaso in Nerano (for scialatielli)
• Sal De Riso in Minori (for Delizia al Limone)
• Trattoria da Armandino in Praiano (for squid and anchovies)

Bringing Amalfi Recipes into Your Own Kitchen

Many of these recipes use just a handful of ingredients and are all about quality. Whether you’re sourcing anchovies from Cetara or using good lemons from California, it’s the care and simplicity that matter most. And don’t forget: a glass of limoncello (homemade or store-bought) is always the right way to end a meal.