Best Cooking Classes in Taormina

Gastronomy is one of the activities that give life to Taormina. In this selection of cooking classes, you will find options to learn how to delight your palate and that of your loved ones.

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

10 min read

Best Cooking Classes in Taormina

Dining in Taormina | ©Eka Shoniya

Taormina is a city that is part of the Sicilian coast and, therefore, keeps an important culinary culture in its interior. In this town you can find a wide variety of cooking classes to prepare delicious savory dishes, desserts, pasta, pizza, appetizers and much more.

If this is of interest to you, I invite you to take a look at a list of cooking classes that many visitors mention among the best things to do in Taormina. You can learn how to prepare a Sicilian pizza, appetizers such as caponata, bruschettas, stuffed pasta, fish and seafood according to the season, and an endless list of sweet recipes such as canoli and tiramisu.

1. Learn how to prepare some typical Sicilian recipes with fresh ingredients from the Taormina market

Cooking class in Taormina| ©kryshiggins
Cooking class in Taormina| ©kryshiggins

In this class you will experience the close relationship between gastronomy and culture, as it is an immersive experience. In it, you will not only receive advice from a professional chef, but you will also take a short tour of the local market with him to purchase the ingredients to be used.

An interesting fact about this class is that the choice of the menu of sweet or savory recipes is usually made according to the seasonal products that are available at the market. In addition, during the visit to such a place, you will be able to taste cheeses, fruits and vegetables, as well as select some to take home.

Once you have all the ingredients in hand, you will set off to the kitchen of the local restaurant selected for the activity. For example, Nettuno. There, the objective is to prepare a total of three dishes and then taste them accompanied by a local red or white wine.

It is important to keep in mind that the recipes may change for each of the cooking classes in Taormina. However, among the preparations that are usually made, the following stand out:

  • A starter, which will be some kind of regional appetizer such as caponata.
  • A fish or seafood dish, the choice of which will depend on the season and the local market offerings.
  • A dessert, which will probably be one or more types of fresh pasta, typical of the region.

Information of interest

  • Price: the price of this cooking class with a professional chef usually has an average price of 85€ per person.
  • Duration: the class and the visit to the market have a duration of 5 hours (approx.).
  • Advantages: you will learn how to prepare a traditional Sicilian homemade lunch and you will receive an autographed apron and certificate of participation.

Book the best cooking lessons in Taormina

2. Sign up for a pastry class in Taormina and learn how to prepare the delicious Sicilian Cannoli

Sicilian Cannoli| ©Eduardo Feo
Sicilian Cannoli| ©Eduardo Feo

Signing up for a pastry class is another option you can incorporate into your itinerary to discover the gastronomy of Taormina during your stay. You will learn how to make the famous Sicilian cannoli, with the help of an expert instructor.

For this activity you will meet the chef and the rest of the group at a restaurant in town, most likely in the historic center area. You will enter the kitchen and get down to work to execute the recipe step by step.

The first thing you will do is the dough, followed by the preparation of the cream and ricotta to finally assemble and fill the cannolis. Once everything is ready, the plates are placed on the table and the tasting of this wonderful dessert begins , accompanied by tea or coffee.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best tours of Taormina for those who love desserts. Although you can try this recipe in the different pastry shops of the city, there is nothing like learning how to make it yourself to share with your family and friends.

Useful information

  • Price: the cost generally established for this pastry class starts at 50€ per person.
  • Duration: the cannoli class lasts approximately 2 hours.
  • Advantages: you will learn how to bake cannolis in a professional way and you will receive a certificate of participation.

Book one of the best tours of Taormina

3. Participate in a private cooking class in a Siliciano home and feel like a local

Cooking class in Taormina| ©jbdodane
Cooking class in Taormina| ©jbdodane

Among the things to do in Taormina at night you can venture out to visit a local home for a private cooking class. You will prepare a delicious meal, with the help of a local person, and then you will sit at their table to dine and share experiences with the family.

During this culinary experience you will learn tricks for the preparation of the recipes. All this, while listening to anecdotes about the city and its inhabitants, as well as curiosities about the different Sicilian dishes. The idea is to make you feel as if you were with your family, while you learn and have fun.

At dinner time, you will observe an authentic Italian table filled with a menu according to the season, consisting of a starter, a main course, pasta and dessert. This, accompanied by delicious drinks. In addition, you will taste a small selection of red and white wines from local wineries.

After spending a lively evening and learning how to cook some homemade dishes, you can continue with other activities on your itinerary, or return to the hotel to connect with the transfer service to Taormina airport, assuming it is your last day in the city.

Useful information

  • Price: the price per person for this home cooking class usually starts from about 139€.
  • Duration: the class usually lasts between 2 and 3 hours (approx.).
  • Benefits: you will enjoy an unforgettable dinner with loved ones and locals, while learning some of the best Sicilian dishes and tasting delicious drinks.

Book a Taormina Airport Transfer Service

4. Sign up for a Sicilian dessert class and expand your repertoire as a professional or enthusiastic pastry chef

Making Cannoli| ©aftermath2002
Making Cannoli| ©aftermath2002

If you're a pastry lover, you probably won't be satisfied with preparing just one sweet recipe. So this class is for you, because it focuses solely on desserts. You will be able to expand your repertoire as a professional or enthusiastic pastry chef as agreed with the chef.

This is an activity that can be done at any time of the day. Therefore, you can join it after finishing one of the day trips from Taormina and, thus, take advantage of every minute of your stay in the city.

You will only have to connect with the chef at the place and time previously agreed upon. The class will then begin in the restaurant's kitchen. You will learn how to prepare the main Sicilian desserts. Some of them are:

  • The Sicilian cannoli, a typical sweet with cylindrical shape and filled with ricotta.
  • The tiramisu al marsala, considered one of the most popular desserts on the tables of the region.
  • Orange cake, prepared with the juice of fruit grown in the region and accompanied by almonds.
  • The creamy chocolate, which consists of a frothy chocolate-based cream and is also complemented with almonds and salted caramel.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to learn how to make handmade truffles, which are another popular recipe in the city. You will be able to choose between chocolate, cocoa and hazelnut filling or then with nutella and pistachio. You could also opt for a delicious lemon sorbet, which will have a delicate creamy texture that will delight your palate.

Interesting information

  • Price: the price of this dessert class in Taormina starts at 60€ per person.
  • Duration: this class usually lasts about 3 hours.
  • Advantages: you will learn how to prepare the main Sicilian desserts, which will increase your repertoire as a professional or cooking enthusiast.

Book a day trip from Taormina

5. Join a half-day class to learn how to make Sicilian pizza in Taormina

Sicilian Pizza| ©CharmaineZoe's
Sicilian Pizza| ©CharmaineZoe's

Don't leave out of your culinary experiences in Taormina the classes to learn how to make pizza in the best Sicilian style. This is a classic recipe for anyone visiting any corner of Italy. During this class, you will be guided by a local pizzaiolo, who will teach you step by step how to prepare this delicious dish.

The activity will take place in one of the restaurants of the city, probably near Porta Messina, or inside Corso Umberto I Once you arrive at the place, the chef will go over with you and the rest of the group the steps of the recipe, show you the ingredients and explain how to handle them correctly, in order to obtain the best possible final result.

Next, you will start preparing the dough, which should be well elastic to be able to expand in the tray that will go into the oven. Then it's time to make the sauce, which will have the particular Sicilian style. You will probably not only cook pizza, but also the famous bruschettas.

Once the cooking time of the preparations is completed, it is time to taste everything, accompanied by a delicious wine. You will receive a certificate of participation and you will carry in your memory a nice memory and a new learning experience.

Information of interest

  • Price: the average price of this cooking class to learn how to make pizza is 55€ per person.
  • Duration: the class lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes (approx.).
  • Advantages: you will learn how to prepare pizzas like a professional and you will receive a certificate of participation.

6. Take part in a cooking class to prepare Italian pasta from scratch in Taormina

Attending a cooking class| ©aftermath2002
Attending a cooking class| ©aftermath2002

If during your stay of 1 day in Taormina or longer, you wish to get to know the culinary culture of the city in depth, you can opt for this Italian pasta class. You will learn how to prepare loose and stuffed pasta from scratch, while a professional chef will provide you with a series of practical tips.

To start the day, you will head to a local restaurant where you will meet the chef and the other people who will be part of the class. Once in the kitchen, you will begin the step-by-step preparation of the dough. All this with the help of the culinary professional, whom you will carefully observe.

You will then cut the dough according to the type of pasta you have decided to cook. It is common to use maccheroni or similar types of pasta, as the dough can be filled or absorb the sauce better, and this makes the recipe much more special.

When the cooking phase is finished, the food will be served and you will be able to taste each recipe. Keep in mind that you will not only taste what you or your companions have made, but some of the specialties of the restaurant where you are.

Interesting information

  • Price: the price per person for this cooking class usually starts at 120€.
  • Duration: the cooking class lasts 3 hours (approx.).
  • Advantages: you will learn how to prepare various types of pasta typical of the region in the kitchen of a local restaurant with the help of a professional chef.

7. Discover the secret of preparing the popular Sicilian arancini in the kitchen of a restaurant in Taormina

Sicilian Arancini| ©Aussie Taste
Sicilian Arancini| ©Aussie Taste

Those who love cooking know that it is made up of many aspects and that it tries to be more and more inclusive. That's why in this class you will learn how to make a slightly more informal, oriental-influenced dish that is often sold on the streets of Sicily: arancini.

Although it is a street food, not just anyone can make a good arancini. So much so, that many gastronomic enthusiasts take advantage of this type of class to perfect their techniques when preparing this recipe.

The experience begins in the kitchen of a local restaurant. There, a chef will explain you the step-by-step to elaborate the recipe that consists of a dough filled with rice with meat ragu or with mozzarella cheese and ham. You will mold the dough into asymmetrical balls and fry them until the outside is crispy.

When you finish preparing the popular Sicilian arancinis, you will sit on the restaurant's terrace to taste your culinary creation and exchange ideas with the chef about the activity.

Useful information

  • Price: the average price for this type of cooking class is approximately 50€ per person.
  • Duration: the class lasts about 2 hours.
  • Advantages: you will learn how to prepare arancini from scratch with practical advice, provided by a culinary expert. This way, you will never fail to make this recipe.

8. Take a cooking class with vegan and vegetarian versions of some Sicilian dishes in Taormina

Sicilian Caponata| ©Antonio Ilardo
Sicilian Caponata| ©Antonio Ilardo

If you are enthusiastic about vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free cooking, then this cooking class is for you. You will prepare traditional dishes from the Sicilian lands, but with a variation in ingredients. This way, you will have no inconvenience to enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean without putting your health at risk.

This activity is completely customizable, that is, you will have the opportunity to plan the menu to prepare together with the chef in charge of the cooking class. Likewise, you will decide the place where you will meet (local restaurant or a private kitchen), which will surely be located in the center of the city.

The class begins with a visit to the market or a private vegetable garden, with the purpose of acquiring all the fresh produce. Such is the case of fruits and vegetables like tomato arancinetto, eggplant, chickpeas, potatoes, peas, olives, capers, onion, zucchini, celery and many more.

After collecting everything you need, the culinary magic begins. You will be able to prepare caponata siciliana, delicious potato croquettes, zucchini flowers, eggplant mille-feuille, chickpea burgers and much more, as the options are endless. Finally, it will be time to delight your palate with all the preparations.

Information of interest

  • Price: the average price of this cooking class starts at 50€ per person.
  • Duration: the class lasts 2 hours (approx.).
  • Advantages: you will learn how to prepare gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan dishes in a simple way, with typical ingredients of the region and totally fresh.