What lentil-based dish is traditionally eaten for good luck at New Year's in Italy?

Cotechino con lenticchie is the Italian New Year’s dish of cotechino sausage served with lentils.

Cotechino is a fresh pork sausage traditionally made with pork, including rind and other seasoned parts, and it is usually simmered before serving. At New Year’s, it is commonly paired with lentils, whose round, coin-like shape is associated with money and prosperity. Eating the dish is therefore linked with hopes for abundance in the coming year.

The food is especially connected with northern Italian culinary traditions, including Modena, where cotechino has a protected geographical indication. The sausage is often served at or after midnight, or as part of the New Year’s Day meal, depending on household custom.

Lentils alone are also eaten for luck in Italy, so the exact menu can vary. Cotechino should not be confused with zampone, another Italian stuffed pork specialty traditionally associated with the same holiday season.