A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Without onions" in Italian
Learn how to say 'without onions' in Italian to customize your restaurant orders and avoid unwanted ingredients.
Senza cipolla
SAYN-tsah chee-POHL-lahneutral
Italian TTS · 0:01
Use this phrase when ordering food at a restaurant, pizzeria, or trattoria in Italy if you want to exclude onions from your dish. It is especially useful for popular dishes like pasta alla genovese, certain ragùs, or side salads where onions are frequently included by default. Simply tack it onto the end of your order to alert the server.
Alternatives
- Senza cipollebetter if you want to specify plural onions, though the singular 'cipolla' is more common for describing the ingredient in a dish
- Può farlo senza cipolla?better if you want to ask politely in a sit-down restaurant using the formal 'Lei'
Ways to get it wrong
Mispronouncing the double 'l'
English speakers often treat 'cipolla' as a single 'l' sound, but you need to linger slightly on the 'll' to avoid sounding foreign and ensure clarity.
Using 'con' instead of 'senza'
Make sure not to confuse 'senza' (without) with 'con' (with), which would accidentally add onions to your meal.
A small cultural note
Onions and garlic form the foundational flavor base (soffritto) for many traditional Italian sauces, so asking for a dish entirely without them can sometimes be difficult if the sauce is already simmered and prepared in advance.
Frequently asked
how do you ask for no onions in Italian
To ask for no onions, simply say 'senza cipolla' right after you state the dish you want to order. If you want to be extra polite to your waiter, you can say 'Senza cipolla, per favore'.
what is the Italian word for onion allergy
If you have a medical allergy, tell your server 'Ho un'allergia alla cipolla' to ensure strict kitchen safety. This alerts the chef to avoid cross-contamination during preparation.
how to pronounce senza cipolla in Italian
It is pronounced 'SAYN-tsah chee-POHL-lah'. Be sure to put the vocal stress on the second syllable of cipolla and hold the double 'l' sound for a split second.
