What Is Friarielli?
Friarielli is a bitter Neapolitan leafy green, the tender tops of a plant called cime di rapa, known in English as broccoli rabe or turnip tops. It has an earthy, slightly bitter flavour and a tender texture, and it is a staple of Naples, most famously in sausage and friarielli, or salsiccia e friarielli, on pizza and through pasta. The classic way to cook it is simply, sautéed in olive oil with garlic and a little chilli.
For a kitchen, friarielli is easiest bought ready-prepared, either preserved in oil or from the frozen range, so it goes onto a pizza or through pasta with no washing, trimming or prep. That convenience is a big part of why it has spread from Naples to menus across the UK.
Quick overview: friarielli at a glance
What is friarielli, and what is it in English?
Friarielli is the tender leafy tops of cime di rapa, the plant known in English as broccoli rabe or turnip tops. It shares a family with broccoli and turnips, but it has its own identity: harvested young, with thinner stems and more delicate leaves, it has a tender texture and a distinctive bitter edge. You will sometimes see it spelled friarelli, and outside Italy it goes by broccoli rabe, rapini or turnip tops depending on the region. Whatever the name, it is the same southern Italian green that Naples has cooked for generations.
What does friarielli taste like?
Friarielli tastes earthy and pleasantly bitter, with a depth that builds as it cooks. It is more assertive than spinach or broccoli, and that bitterness is the point. Paired with rich, sweet or spicy partners, sausage, tomato, chilli, it balances a dish rather than dominating it. Cooking mellows the sharpness while keeping the character, which is why friarielli works so well against fatty pork or a spicy salami.
How do you cook friarielli?
The traditional way to cook friarielli is to sauté it in olive oil with plenty of garlic and a touch of chilli, which brings out the flavour and softens the texture without losing its character. In Campania that simple method is the standard, and it is all the vegetable needs. If you are using friarielli preserved in oil, the work is already done: it is pre-cooked, so it only needs warming through before it goes on a plate or a pizza. Do not overcook it from fresh, as the leaves lose their texture. Keep it quick, keep it garlicky, and let the bitterness balance the richer parts of the dish.
Pizza and pasta uses
Friarielli earns its place on pizza and in pasta, where its bitterness cuts through rich, savoury ingredients. Some of the ways kitchens use it:
An old Neapolitan saying has it that sausage would die without friarielli. The two are made for each other, which is why salsiccia e friarielli is on so many menus.
Frozen and ready-to-use friarielli
Friarielli is easiest for a busy kitchen when it comes ready-prepared, which cuts out the washing, trimming and cooking. The friarielli preserved in oil is pre-cooked and imported from around Naples, so it only needs warming before it goes on a pizza or through pasta, with consistent flavour and no waste. Friarielli also features in our frozen range, including a sausage, friarielli and scamorza frittatina that goes from freezer to oven or fryer, ideal for aperitivo plates and small menus. Both formats give you an authentic Neapolitan green with none of the prep, which is what makes it easy to put on the menu and keep on it.
FAQs
What is friarielli in English?
Friarielli is known in English as broccoli rabe or turnip tops. It is the tender leafy tops of the plant cime di rapa.
What does friarielli taste like?
Earthy and slightly bitter, with a depth that develops when cooked. The bitterness mellows and balances rich, sweet or spicy partners like sausage and chilli.
How do you cook friarielli?
Sauté it in olive oil with garlic and a little chilli. If you buy it preserved in oil, it is already cooked and only needs warming through.
What is salsiccia e friarielli?
Salsiccia e friarielli is the Neapolitan pairing of sausage and friarielli, a classic on pizza, traditionally without tomato, and through pasta.
Is friarielli the same as broccoli rabe or cime di rapa?
Yes. Friarielli is the tender top part of cime di rapa, which is the same plant sold in English as broccoli rabe or turnip tops.
Can you buy friarielli ready-prepared in the UK?
Yes. A Di Maria & Son supplies friarielli preserved in oil, ready to warm and use, and it features in our frozen range, with fast nationwide delivery.
Related reading
Buy friarielli from A Di Maria & Son
Family-run Italian food & wine wholesaler since 1975, supplying pizzerias, Italian restaurants and delis with fast nationwide delivery. Our friarielli preserved in oil is imported from around Naples and made to a classic recipe, ready to warm and use with no prep, and friarielli also appears across our frozen range for quick, consistent plates.
Apply for a trade account to set your pricing for repeat ordering. Call 02476 680 514 or email contact@adimaria.co.uk, and we will help you add an authentic Neapolitan green to your pizza and pasta menu without the prep.
