Five ways to get your veggies at Lucca
Adding more vegetables to your meal doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. In fact, many of the core dishes on our menu, inspired from the city of Lucca, are veggie forward. Italy's enduring love the humble chickpea is reflected in the many traditional regional recipes based on whole, ground, or pureed beans. And the chickpea is where our veggie journey begins.
1. Il Cecio
This dish instantly became a guest favorite after opening our doors in May of 2021. Listed in the Antipasti section of our menu, Il Cecio is an Italian-style hummus bursting with bright, fresh flavor — and 100% vegan. It’s made with puréed tuscan chickpeas, tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, and herbs, served with garlic toast points.
2. Lucca Salad
It’s only natural that a salad would make the list, but this isn’t just any ordinary salad. This salad boasts two ingredients synonymous with Italian cooking — Tuscan kale and farro.
We all know kale is healthy, but farro may be lesser-known. It is an extremely nutritious grain. Farro is an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium, zinc and some B vitamins. Add in the freshness of cucumber, the bright punch of acid from the pickled red onions, then topped with a tomato vinaigrette, and you have an excellent flavor combination.
3. Rapini
The side dish of Rapini is new to the menu this winter, and should not be overlooked. The flavor profile is bitter with a subtle nutty undertone. Our Rapini is sautéed with olive oil and garlic — simple, rustic perfection.
Rapini is rich in vitamins A, C and K, and also packs a high concentration of calcium, iron and potassium. Together, these nutrients help maintain healthy bones, regulate blood pressure and boost the immune system. What more could you ask for?
4. Pasta with grilled vegetables
What would a list from an Italian restaurant be without pasta? Incomplete, that’s what. And sometimes nothing hits the spot quite like a simple bowl of pasta with roasted vegetables. Our main menu features Rigatoni Dell’Orto which uses a tube-shaped rigatoni noodle, plus roasted garlic, sun-dried tomato pesto, and seasonal roasted vegetables. Pictured above is the same dish with spaghetti - both are equally delicious!
5. Grilled vegetable pizza
If you made it this far, here is your reward — an insider only, off-the-menu item — the grilled vegetable pizza. This veggie-packed pizza is not listed on the main menu, but it is always available upon request. It comes on the traditional pizza crust you know and love, and is topped with a variety of grilled veggies, then drizzled with EVOO and balsamic vinegar.
💡PRO TIP: Add a side of charred hot peppers for an extra punch of flavor.
As you can see, it’s easy to eat your veggies when you dine with us. The menu key is also a great helper. All veggie/vegan dishes are marked with a (V). We look forward to welcoming you soon!
