Best substitutes for pancetta (2024)

Pancetta is Italian, salt-cured pork belly. It’s often seasoned with pepper, bay leaves and garlic. Unlike many other cured meats, it is not smokeds, so it has a rich, savoury flavour.

What can I useinstead of pancetta?

Bacon is the best substitute for adding flavour to soups, stews, pasta and salads. For charcuterie or wrapping meats or poultry, prosciutto is your next best option.

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Best substitutes for pancetta (2024)

FAQs

Best substitutes for pancetta? ›

What can I use instead of pancetta? Bacon is the best substitute for adding flavour to soups, stews, pasta and salads. For charcuterie or wrapping meats or poultry, prosciutto is your next best option.

What is a good substitute for pancetta? ›

Pancetta is the same cut as American bacon, so that's the first substitute that comes to mind. Canadian bacon, salt pork, prosciutto, smoked ham, and smoked sausage are all good choices as well.

What is the same as pancetta? ›

bacon. Pancetta is bacon's leaner relative, and they can be used almost interchangeably. While there is really never any substitute for a crispy piece of Sunday morning bacon next to your eggs and toast, there are lots of places where pancetta vs.

Is pancetta just diced ham? ›

It is salt-cured meaning that the meat is treated with a liberal amount of sea salt, spices, and seasonings for curing, making it safe to eat. Pancetta is a salumi cut from the pork belly, a notoriously flavorful and fatty portion of meat that is extremely popular around the world.

Is pancetta just thick bacon? ›

Pancetta is salt cured with an array of other flavors, including fennel, chili, and nutmeg, which create its sought-after flavor. Although it is similar to bacon in many ways, there is one distinct difference — pancetta is not smoked.

What Italian meat is similar to pancetta? ›

Get To Know Italian Cured Meats
  • Prosciutto. Typically made from a pig or wild boar's hind leg, prosciutto—the Italian word for ham—is salted and cured for several months, before it's pressed, washed, and hung with care to dry slowly in a cool and stable environment. ...
  • Pancetta. ...
  • Guanciale. ...
  • Speck. ...
  • Lardo.
Feb 14, 2020

What is a good substitute for pancetta in turkey? ›

Are there any non-pork alternatives to pancetta? Yes, turkey bacon can be a suitable non-pork alternative to pancetta. It offers a similar smoky and salty flavor, making it a good substitute in recipes that call for pancetta.

Why is guanciale banned? ›

Guanciale has a particular affinity with fish, various legumes, and dark green vegetables. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the importation of guanciale and other cured meats from Italy from the 1970s until 2013, concerned that they might carry swine vesicular disease.

What is better prosciutto or pancetta? ›

Prosciutto comes from pork belly, which means that it has a firm texture but deceivingly vibrant flavors. Pancetta, on the other hand, comes from a pig's hind legs. Pancetta has a far smoother texture than prosciutto, and the flavor is much more delicate than the pork belly.

What is the English equivalent of pancetta? ›

Bacon is salted or smoked meat taken from the back or sides of a pig. ... bacon and eggs.

Is speck the same as pancetta? ›

Speck is meat similar to bacon, prosciutto, or pancetta, but it has a distinct flavor and different preparation from these other traditional meats. Speck, in the Italian and Tyrolean sense, is often served as an appetizer on a charcuterie board, and it also is used in cooked dishes.

Why is pancetta so expensive? ›

The culprit for pancetta's elevated price is the way that it's cured, which involves a long, multi-step process of brining, seasoning, and occasionally smoking. Luckily, there are a few cheaper alternatives out there that can play the same role in your dish, namely bacon, prosciutto, and salami.

Are lardons and pancetta the same thing? ›

Lardons And Pancetta Have Differences In Shape And Seasoning

They offer a salted pork flavor, free of any smoky notes. Once cooked, both take on soft, meaty consistencies internally, lending a rich note to dishes. As a result, they're a viable substitute, especially in slow-cooked dishes.

What can I use instead of pancetta? ›

What can I use instead of pancetta? Bacon is the best substitute for adding flavour to soups, stews, pasta and salads. For charcuterie or wrapping meats or poultry, prosciutto is your next best option.

Is boar's head pancetta ready to eat? ›

Ready to eat. 0 g trans fat per serving. Gluten free.

Is salt pork a good substitute for pancetta? ›

Since salt pork is pork belly that hasn't been smoked like bacon and pancetta is pork belly that has been cured but not smoked, we think pancetta is the best substitute flavor wise. Pancetta doesn't have as much fat as salt pork, so you can add lard to the mix.

What does pancetta taste like? ›

The flavor of pancetta is somewhat similar to bacon, but with a much deeper flavor of pork. The essence of pork flavor is stronger in pancetta than bacon because it isn't smoked.

Can I use chorizo instead of pancetta? ›

To make this carbonara recipe, switching the traditional pancetta/guanciale with chorizo is a great substitution. The fat that renders from the deeply seasoned chorizo balances really well with the rich flavours of the carbonara, also adding a hint of spice which is beaautiful.

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