Italian Porchetta Roast

This recipe is: dairy freeegg freegluten freenut free

Traditional Italian porchetta is a labor of love comprised of a pork loin wrapped in a pork belly – and between those is a layer of flavorful ingredients and seasonings. The porchetta, pronounced porketta, is well seasoned and roasted until it develops a beautifully golden and crispy skin.

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Porchetta on a platter sliced to show seasonings in the center, garnished with fresh rosemary springs

What I love about porchetta

  • It might seem complicated to make, but it’s actually a pretty simple when you break it down. The simple seasoning mixture makes this recipe less intimidating that other versions of porchetta that are stuff with fruit and other ingredients.
  • Wrapping with the pork belly keeps the pork loin juicy and moist while it’s cooking and adds a richness to the roast that makes it unbelievably good.
  • Porchetta is a show-stopping main course. It’s a great option for a holiday meal or for when you want to impress guests.
  • It can be assembled in advance to make day-of prep easier than ever. In fact, doing it ahead of time only increases the flavor by allowing the seasoning and salt to really penetrate the meat.
Porchetta on a platter sliced to show seasonings in the center, garnished with fresh rosemary springs

Here’s what you’ll need to make porchetta

Porchetta on a platter garnished with fresh rosemary springs

How to make porchetta

Make the herb mixture. Combine the garlic, shallots, herbs and zest – and crushed red pepper if you’re using it – in bowl. Add the olive oil and stir in the salt & pepper. Set aside.

Prep the pork belly. Start by double checking the size. If you’re pork belly isn’t quite able to wrap around the pork loin, I recommend pounding it a bit thinner until it reaches all the way around.

Then, pierce the outside (fatty side) of the pork belly with a knife. Turn it over and lightly cross hatch the inside of the pork belly before spreading the herb mixture to evenly coat the inside.

Roll the pork loin. Season the pork loin with 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Wrap the pork belly around the pork loin with the herb mixture side in. Secure tightly with kitchen twine and season the outside liberally with salt & pepper. Don’t go easy here. Trust me, you want a nice salty crust to balance the richness of the pork belly.

Roast the porchetta. Preheat the oven to 500˚F. Place the pork belly in a roasting dish and place it in the oven. Let it roast for about 30 minutes to start the crisping process.

Then, reduce the heat to 300˚F and let the it cook for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. The timing will depend on the size of your porchetta

If your skin isn’t as crispy as you want it in the end, turn the heat back up to 500˚F and cook until it’s crispy and golden brown.

Rest before slicing. Remove the porchetta from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before transferring it to a cutting board to slice. Be sure to remove the kitchen twine and slice into 1/2-inch to 1-inch thick slices.

Serve with your favorite sides. I like to serve ours with dairy free mashed potatoes and Italian green beans, as well as a brussels sprout salad.

Close up of crispy pork skin on an Italian pork roast

FAQs and tips for making porchetta

What cut of meat is porchetta?

Porchetta is made of pork. Typically it’s a pork loin or pork roast, wrapped in a pork belly. It can also be made from just pork belly or pork shoulder that has been butterflied and rolled.

What does porchetta taste like?

It tastes like a deliciously juicy pork roast, and traditionally boasts fennel as a main flavor. Many recipes call for sliced fennel or citrus fruit, but to make this recipe simpler, I’ve skipped those and used fennel seeds and citrus zest in my herb mixture.

What temperature should porchetta be?

Technically, pork is safe to eat at 145˚F, but you will want to cook porchetta until the internal temperature reaches at least 160˚F degrees. This helps the fats to break down and gives the pork belly time to crisp up.

Close up of porchetta on a platter sliced to show seasonings in the center, garnished with fresh rosemary springs

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Italian pork roast on a platter sliced to show seasonings in the center, garnished with fresh rosemary springs
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Porchetta

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  • Author: Melissa Belanger
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

Traditional Italian porchetta is a labor of love comprised of a pork loin wrapped in a pork belly – and between those is a layer of flavorful ingredients and seasonings. The porchetta, pronounced porketta, is well seasoned and roasted until it develops a beautifully golden and crispy skin.

Ingredients

Scale
For the herb mixture:
  • 8 garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 2– 3 teaspoons orange zest
  • 2– 3 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

For the porchetta:

  • 4–5 pound pork belly, pounded to even thickness
  • 2 – 3 pound pork loin
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt, divided between the loin and the belly skin

Instructions

  1. In a small mixing bowl, stir the herb mixture ingredients together. Set aside.

  2. Piece the fatty side of the pork belly all over with a knife. Turn and lightly cross hatch the inside of the pork belly. Then, evenly spread the herb mixture on the inside.

  3. Season the pork loin with 1/2 tablespoon of coarse salt and black pepper, to taste. Wrap with the pork belly, herb mixture in, and tightly secure with kitchen twine.*

  4. Using the remaining salt, season the outside of the porchetta with the remaining salt & some black pepper.

  5. Preheat oven to 500˚F. When the oven is ready, roast the porchetta for 30 minutes.

  6. Reduce the oven temperature to 300˚F and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the pork loin reaches 160˚F.

  7. If needed, increase the oven to 500˚F and roast until the skin is crispy and golden brown.

  8. Remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes. Remove kitchen twine before slicing. 

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 541
  • Sugar: 0.1 g
  • Sodium: 1381.4 mg
  • Fat: 47.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 17.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
  • Fiber: 0.6 g
  • Protein: 26 g
  • Cholesterol: 116.5 mg

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! You can leave a rating or review in the comment section below. Ratings and reviews help this site grow and help others who make the recipe in the future!

Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another Cocktail Blog, a cocktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.

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