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Prosciutto is a famous Italian cured ham, originating from the city of Parma. The most common form is the seasoned, dry-cured version called Prosciutto Crudo which is usually sliced paper-thin and eaten raw.
It is very salty, enjoyed as an appetizer with cantaloupe melon, used in sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes or wrapped around vegetables and baked. There is also a cooked version called Prosciutto Cotto. The dry-cured version is much more popular and can be found in supermarkets and delis worldwide.
Substitutes for Prosciutto
If you need Prosciutto for a recipe but you don’t have it at home, you can use these substitute ingredients instead:
- Ham
The closest flavor will come from Iberico or Serrano ham as these are made with a very similar curing process.
If you don’t have access to these ham versions either, you can try any smoked ham, deli ham or thinly sliced sandwich ham instead. Keep in mind that most non-cured ham will be less salty than Prosciutto so you might need to add salt to get close to the taste profile.
- Pancetta
Pancetta is also a salty, cured cold cut from Italy and will have a similar flavor than prosciutto. Made from pork belly, pancetta needs to be cooked before you can use it in recipes.
This means you need enough time to cook it and cool it if you want to use pancetta in cold dishes such as appetizers or salads.
- Lean bacon
Thinly sliced, lean bacon is another good substitute for prosciutto. There are many versions of bacon so make sure you pick a salty, cured variety to get as close to the flavor of prosciutto as possible.
You can also choose different smoked versions for an additional twist. You can use raw bacon if you wrap it around cheese or vegetables and fry it before serving. For cold dishes, you need to schedule time for cooking and cooling before use.
- Capicola
Yet another dry cured meat from Italy, Capicola is made from pork shoulder. Many delis will have it in a large chunk and it’s best to ask for thin slices in the shop rather than try slicing it at home.
One important detail you need to ask is if the capicola is salty as the sweet variety will provide a different flavor than prosciutto.
- Smoked cheeses
If you need to quickly prepare cold appetizers and don’t have time to cook and cool bacon before you can use thinly sliced cheeses instead.
Wrapped around vegetables or served with cantaloupe, a smoked or other strong flavored cheese might also serve as a prosciutto substitute.
Related questions
Can I substitute salami for prosciutto?
Most salamis will have a different flavor profile than prosciutto due to spices used. Capicola is a cold cut similar to a salami that will work as an alternative.
What is a non-pork substitute for prosciutto?
Go for a kosher deli meat such as pastrami for a non-pork alternative. You can also use swiss, cheddar or Parmesan cheese in cold dishes instead.
Is prosciutto healthy to eat?
Prosciutto is a lean meat variety and have less calories than bacon and many other cold cuts. Use can include it in a healthy diet in moderate amounts.
Why is prosciutto so expensive?
Prosciutto is a premium quality Italian product that is prepared with a long curing process. High quality meat, time, inspection, traceability and transport costs all add to the price of original Prosciutto di Parma.