Veganissimo!: The Plant-Based & Gluten-Free Italian Kitchen

by Antonio Alderuccio

If you’re looking for an Italian cookbook that doesn't leave you feeling like an afterthought or that you’re missing out, then this is the book for you. Alderuccio ‘s award-winning pasta and pizza has made gluten-free and vegan meals the center of the experience, rather than just a footnote.

By refusing to shy away from the typical Italian cuisine’s foundations of breads and cheeses, the recipes are firmly rooted in tradition and tastes, while creating new textures that can attract a wider audience.

Genres: Cookbooks

192 pages, Hardcover

Published April 8, 2025

Reviews

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book really centered on recipes of Italian origin, although we are certainly not known for being vegan. With no particular difficulties other than finding good ingredients, the book is clear, with European measurement and nice photos for each recipe. Highly recommended even for omnivores.

Un libro veramente centrato su ricette di origine italiana, anche se non noi siamo certo famosi per essere vegani. Senza particolari difficoltà, se non quelle di trovare dei buoni ingredienti, il libro é chiaro, con indicazioni di misure europee e belle foto per ogni ricetta. Consigliatissimo anche agli onnivori.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Good (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This is a beautifully presented fancy food cookbook with a focus on being inclusive. The author is an award winning chef for his vegan recipes, all of which have a strong authentic Italian flavor.

The book breaks down as follows: introduction by the chef, starters, mains, desserts (Antipasti, Primi, Secundi), pizza/bread/crackers, sauces and sides, dolce, pantry. Each recipe includes a photograph. Recipes include: vegan butter, marmellata di arancia, scarola di monachina, carciofi alla giudia, melanzane sott'olio, oatate e cuoikke fruttata, oyster mushroom cotoletta milanese, aubergine pamigiana, caramelized pear and chocolate tart, and many more.

Recipes break down as follows: title and description, servings/prep time/cook time, ingredients in italicized font, and then unnumbered paragraph steps. No nutrition information is given. No storage information is given. Where needed, any notes will be in the description. Opposite the recipe is a full page, nicely presented photograph of the meal.

The recipes have a very authentic taste since the author is an Italian born Brit. Most of the recipes feel like something you would get at a fine dining restaurant and not necessarily casual fare. As can be seen from the names, many are in original Italian and can be hard to remember when you want to come back to a favorite a few weeks later. A lot require very specific measurements with a scale, including the pizza crust which will require you to be VERY precise. Perhaps not necessarily for the casual diner. There are also some very specific ingredients that could be hard to source or something you won't use often and so will take up space in the pantry.

The recipes are quite good and worth the time and effort to find the ingredients and make. Of note: there is a LOT of oil and even fried items, so this is not intended for those trying to lose weight or with specific chronic diseases that don't do well with fat/saturated fat (i.e., coconut oil appears in a few places as well). As noted, there are no nutrition facts to help guide those looking to eat healthier vegan fare.

In all, nicely presented and great tasting recipes. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veganissimo had me at hello. From the moment I flipped open the book, I was captivated by the inviting recipes and the promise of bringing authentic Italian flavors into a vegan and gluten-free lifestyle. The first recipe I tried was the first recipe in the book: a fennel and orange salad—simple, fresh, and absolutely delicious. It set the tone for what turned out to be an exciting culinary journey through Italian cuisine, reimagined for plant-based and gluten-free eaters.

As someone who has cooked plenty of vegetarian meals, I always thought vegan recipes—especially those involving dairy substitutions and pasta dough—would be more complex than typical vegetarian fare. However, Alderuccio’s approach is pretty straightforward. The recipes are easy to follow and require minimal special ingredients, making them accessible for cooks of all skill levels.

One of the biggest surprises for me was how easy it was to make my own vegan cheeses. The book provides simple instructions that make it feel approachable, and the results were impressive.

Overall, Veganissimo is a wonderful addition to any cookbook collection. Antonio Alderuccio has successfully captured the essence of traditional Italian cooking while making it accessible to a wider audience. The recipes are simple, the results are mouthwatering, and the book is a great resource for anyone looking to explore plant-based and gluten-free Italian cuisine.

[Kristen Barenthaler · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the pictures are anything to go by, I honestly wouldn’t mind being a vegan in an Italian kitchen (for like a night or two).