pancetta

American  

[pan-chet-uh] / pænˈtʃɛt ə /

noun

1. Italian pork belly cured with salt, pepper, and other spices and air-dried up to four months, tightly rolled in a cylinder.

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pancetta British  

/ panˈtʃetta, pænˈtʃɛtə /

noun

1. a lightly spiced cured bacon from Italy

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Etymology

Origin of pancetta

First recorded in 1950–55; from Italian: literally, “little belly,” diminutive of pancia “belly, paunch,” from Latin pantic- (stem of pantex ) “belly, paunch, guts” + -etta diminutive suffix ( -ette ( def. ) )

Compare meaning

How does pancetta compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• salt pork vs. pancetta

Example Sentences

The balsamic adds a rich, almost fruity, flavor that helps cut the fattiness of the pancetta and the earthiness of the sprouts.

From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025

The sprouts are more like the main event than a side when generously embellished the way these are, with creamy béchamel, Parmesan and pancetta.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025

Pi00a isn’t a restaurant but pops up all over Los Angeles and beyond, baking puffy-edged, char-crusted pizza pies with toppings such as miso eggplant; soppressata with chili crunch; Hainan chicken; and Asian pear with pancetta.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2024

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

From Washington Times • Nov. 16, 2023

I could go to the farmer’s market on the Broad; I could buy venison and pancetta and spend the day cooking.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Related Words

• pork