Lentils are the Italian New Year’s Eve food traditionally associated with prosperity for the coming year.
Their round, coin-like shape is the key to the symbolism. As lentils swell when cooked, they are also connected with hopes that wealth will increase during the new year. In Italy they are commonly served around midnight or as part of the New Year’s meal.
A popular pairing is lentils with cotechino, a seasoned pork sausage from northern Italy, or with zampone, a stuffed pig’s trotter. Pork carries its own prosperity symbolism because a pig’s forward rooting suggests progress and abundance.
Recipes and timing vary from region to region, so lentils are not one single national dish. They are also not eaten only on New Year’s Eve; lentils are an important everyday ingredient in Italian cooking and in many other cuisines.