In Italy, lentils are traditionally eaten around New Year's Eve because their coin-like shape symbolizes wealth.
The custom is especially associated with cotechino con lenticchie, a dish of lentils served with cotechino sausage. Lentils are thought to resemble small coins, so eating them at the turn of the year represents the hope of receiving greater prosperity in the months ahead. The dish is common in Italian New Year's celebrations, particularly after midnight or on New Year's Day.
Cotechino is a cooked pork sausage from northern Italy, traditionally made with pork and pork rind. When paired with lentils, it creates a celebratory meal whose symbolism combines abundance, nourishment, and good fortune. Preparation and serving customs vary by region and household.
The lentils are not a literal prediction of financial success, and the dish is not Italy's only New Year's food tradition. Other countries use foods with similar prosperity symbolism: Spain is known for 12 grapes, while some cultures emphasize round fruits, noodles, or cakes. In Italy, however, the defining symbolic ingredient in this pairing is the lentil.