Can I find vegetarian pasta in Italian restaurants?

If so, what should I order? Also what about pizzas? Is vegetarianism too uncommon in Italy?

Over a population of almost 60 million people, 6 million are vegetarian, 3 million of them strictly and 500,000 vegan.
Great part of traditional Italian cookery in theory is indeed vegetarian and especially most of Mediterranean Diet is even vegan; but since after WWII people became richer and richer and so also meant everybody had money enough to buy "la bistecca" (the steak) on a regular basis. So, today recipes and habits tend to put various kind of meal or fish in every meal if not even every dish; still you're not going to face big issues since the choices are almost always far enough you can easily fund vegetarian foods; as for pasta, even lot easier since I'd say 90% of pasta recipes are vegetarian by themselves, 30 to 40% is vegan.
Second courses may be a little more tricky, while no problem at all with side dishes and salad.
Believe me, "meatball and spaghetti" is indeed more American than Italian...
Pizza, half or more are vegetarian (both dough and toppings), what's not so easy is finding a vegan pizza, though.
Desserts are almost all vegetarian, few vegan.

PS: if you ask for "fettuccine alfredo" ar "alfredo sauce" in Italy, you'll be very lucky if somebody understand what you mean :) THAT Alfredo is absolutely unknown in Italy.

Being vegetarian in Italy should not be to difficult. Just to be sure that you make it clear that you are vegetarian. I would also suggest that you avoid cheese, as much of the cheese produced in Italy has animal rennet in it. If you are trying to be vegan things will be more difficult as most fresh pasta has egg in it.

If speaking of Italian restaurants, be sure to make it clear that you are vegetarian.

Italian cuisine is very vegetarian-friendly to start with, and in Italy you can dine at many vegetarian restaurants (check out this link: )

http://www.vegdining.com/GetRestList.cfm...

If you are at any Italian restaurant, you can order pomodoro, pesto, aglio e olio, and arrabiata pasta, and you should be safe. For pizza, order Margherita. I would be surprised if an Italian restaurant doesn't have a vegetarian pizza or something that they can't make vegetarian.

Good luck!

Of course you can. Most italian restaurants will have a primavera pasta dish (all veggies). Same with the pizza.

Even if you come across a restaurant that doesn't have a veggie option, just ask them to omit the meat. For example if a pasta has sausage, sun dried tomatoes, etc. ask for them to make it but leave out the sausage.

SURE you can get vegetarian food in an Italian restaurant.

I got (and still get even now in the states) angelhair pasta in olive oil with olives and artichokes all the time when I go out - one of my favorites actually.

My former used to get margherita pizza here in the states all the time at a favorite restaurant of ours - one of his personal addictions - he even made it at home! It is served all over Italy.

Over 20 years ago - such was not common in Italy. Lived there for 7 years - ate all over the country since my ex husband was in military intelligence (worked with US and NATO intelligence) - spent my time seeing as much as I could. Haven't been back there since 1979 - so have no thought as to the mindset that is there now. It very well could have changed.

Edit:

Things to watch out for - if you are not into cheese - watch out for the white sauces. Also watch out for the red sauces as well as they usually will have some sort of meat within them (even if only a small portion that it hard to see). If your not into eggs - make sure that you let them know that as well as they put it in all sorts of things over there you would never think it would be in (I even have had it show up in a calzone before over there).

Learn the phrases that you will need to eat the way that you want to before you get there - or at least have them written down so that you can show them to the person so that they will understand.

pasta prima vera - mixed vegetables in a cream sauce with pasta
Fettucine alfredo - fettucine with cream and parmesan cheese
Gnocci with tomato sauce -sort of potato pasta with tomotoes
Pasta with pesto sauce - ground pine nuts and basil
Eggplant parmesan
Canneloni stuffed with cheese and maybe spinach
Lots to choose from
I would order a very fine angel hair pasta (cappelli d'angeli) with a nice tomato sauce or the prima vera.

ya you can how about mac and cheese or fetticini alfredo.

pasta is all ready vegetarian

it is