Local food map Venice (Italy)
Venice guides
Recipes 13
Pick a recipe
All Venice recipes
🐟
Main course Fish & Seafood

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥480kcal
💪35gProtein
🌾42gCarbs
🥑20gFat
🌿5gFibre
⚖️350 gServing

* Per serving · 350 g. May vary.

Allergens

🦐 Shellfish

Venetian Cuttlefish Stew

How to order / say it
Say it Seppie in Umido — [SEP-pee-eh een OO-mee-doh]
Order I'd like the Seppie in Umido, please.
Locally Vorrei le Seppie in Umido, per favore.
Say locally

A savory stew with cuttlefish, tomatoes, and peas, often enjoyed over polenta.

Why try it?

This hearty stew represents Venetian comfort food, showcasing local seafood in a rustic, robust preparation. It's a dish that brings Venetian warmth and the authentic flavors of the lagoon to life.

How it tastes

The stew is deeply flavorful, with tender cuttlefish pieces absorbing the full-bodied tomato broth. The sweetness of peas cuts through the savory sea-flavored notes, finished with a hint of fresh herbs.

Origin & History — first documented: 1800

Utilized since Roman times, this dish has evolved into a classic Venetian stew, celebrated for its simplicity and depth of flavor. By the 19th century, it was entrenched in Venetian tradition and typically enjoyed with corn-based polenta.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🦐 400 g cuttlefish
  • 🥕 300 g tomatoes
  • 🥕 150 g peas
  • 🧄 100 g onions
  • 🫒 50 ml olive oil
  • 🌿 10 g parsley

Method

  1. 1 Clean and cube the cuttlefish, sauté in olive oil until opaque.
  2. 2 Add chopped onions and cook until soft, then add diced tomatoes.
  3. 3 Incorporate peas, simmering until the vegetables are tender.
  4. 4 Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over polenta.

More from Venice

Venetian-Style Pasta with Cuttlefish Ink
Main course Fish & Seafood

Venetian-Style Pasta with Cuttlefish Ink

Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia
spah-GEH-tee ahl NEH-ro dee SEHP-pyah

Spaghetti colored with cuttlefish ink, served with seafood.

🐟
Main course Fish & Seafood

Venetian-Style Octopus

Polpo alla Veneziana
POHL-poh ah-lah veh-neh-tzee-AH-nah

Tender octopus served with potatoes, seasoned with lemon.

Venetian Risotto with Peas © Wikimedia Commons
Main course Meat

Venetian Risotto with Peas

Risi e Bisi
REE-zee eh BEE-see

A creamy risotto cooked with fresh peas and pancetta.

Venetian-style Fried Fish
Main course Fish & Seafood

Venetian-style Fried Fish

Fritto Misto alla Veneziana
FREE-toh MEES-toh ah-lah veh-neh-tsyah-nah

A medley of mixed fried seafood including fish, shrimp, and calamari.

🐟
Main course Fish & Seafood

Venetian Bigoli in Salsa

Bigoli in Salsa
BEE-go-lee een SAHL-sah

Thick spaghetti-like pasta served with an anchovy-onion sauce.

Venetian Risotto © Wikimedia Commons
Main course Fish & Seafood

Venetian Risotto

Risotto al Nero di Seppia
ree-SOT-toh ahl NEH-ro dee SEH-pee-ah

Risotto cooked with squid ink, providing a distinct black color and rich flavor

Venetian Cuttlefish in Black Ink © Wikimedia Commons
Main course Fish & Seafood

Venetian Cuttlefish in Black Ink

Seppie al Nero
SEP-peeh ahl NEH-ro

Cuttlefish cooked in its own ink with garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

🐟
Main course Fish & Seafood

Polenta and Schie

Polenta e Schie
poh-LEHN-tah eh SHK-EH

Creamy polenta served with tiny, crispy lagoon shrimps.

Baccala' Mantecato © Wikimedia Commons
Starter Fish & Seafood

Baccala' Mantecato

bahk-KAH-lah man-teh-KAH-toh

Creamy whipped salt cod served on grilled bread.

Venetian-Style Soft-Shell Crabs
Main course Fish & Seafood

Venetian-Style Soft-Shell Crabs

Moeche Fritte
MOH-eh-keh FREE-tteh

Deep-fried soft-shell crabs, a Venetian delicacy.

All Europe recipes — Italy — Venice — Venetian Cuttlefish Stew
keyboard_arrow_up