Lentils are the traditional Italian New Year’s Eve food associated with wealth because they resemble coins.
In Italy, lentils are commonly served around New Year, often with cotechino or zampone, regional pork products. Their small, round, coin-like appearance supports the symbolism of prosperity and financial good fortune for the year ahead. As lentils swell when cooked, they can also suggest growth and abundance.
The custom is strongest in a broader New Year meal rather than in one universal national ceremony. Cotechino is a cooked pork sausage, while zampone is a stuffed pig’s trotter; both are associated with traditional dishes from northern Italy. Lentils are not the same as the hidden-coin cake traditions found in some other countries. Italian households and regions vary in their menus, but the lentil-and-pork pairing is a widely recognized New Year combination.