The Great Cime di Rapa Confusion

A few days ago, I introduced you to some cruciferous vegetables—friarielli, cime di rapa, and broccoli di Natale—and the comments came flooding in. Friends living across Italy were suddenly very confused: “Wait, we call that something different up north!” “Isn’t that cime di rapa?” “But we use cime di rapa for orecchiette and it looks completely different!” “We just call it broccoli.”

Honestly? Even many Italians can’t agree on what’s what. And if you don’t live in Italy, you’ve probably never heard of these vegetables at all.

Why the Confusion?

Here’s the thing: rapa is short for Brassica rapa, a variety of turnip greens in the cruciferous family. Italians typically eat the immature flower buds—the cime—which is why it’s called cime di rapa (literally, turnip flower tips). But depending on the region, farmers have cultivated different subspecies and varieties. Some have thin leaves, others curly. Some have tiny buds, others have large ones. Same vegetable, wildly different appearance—which is exactly why Italy’s north, south, east, and west can’t seem to agree.

Friarielli: Napoli’s Own

Neapolitans don’t bother saying “cime di rapa”—they call it friarielli, period. This variety emphasizes leafy growth: thin, tender stems, small delicate buds, and long serrated leaves. You’ll find friarielli in Neapolitan markets all winter long, often for just €2 for five bunches. It’s slightly bitter with a sweet finish—perfect sautéed and paired with garlicky pork sausage in the classic dish salsiccia e friarielli. This combination appears in countless Neapolitan dishes and is absolutely worth seeking out.

Cime di Rapa Pugliesi: The Classic

Travel south to Puglia, and you’ll find a different beast entirely. Pugliese cime di rapa are compact plants with thick stems and large flower buds—the star of the beloved orecchiette con cime di rapa alla pugliese (little ear pasta with Puglian broccoli rabe). This variety is also the easiest to find outside Italy, and compared to the Neapolitan version, it’s more delicate and subtly sweet.

A Northern Perspective

In Northern Italy, where cime di rapa plays a smaller role in traditional cooking, people tend to be less particular about names. They’ll lump everything together as “cime di rapa,” “broccoli,” “broccoletti,” or even “rapini.” But in Southern Italy? Where these vegetables are foundational to the cuisine? The distinctions matter deeply.

Your Winter Adventure Awaits

If you’re planning a winter trip to Southern Italy, ask your restaurant if they have seasonal cime di rapa dishes. Better yet, head to Naples and hunt down salsiccia e friarielli—you absolutely shouldn’t miss it.