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Italian cuisine is popular all over the world and you can find pizza, lasagna and antipasti on menus everywhere. But those aren’t the only delicious dishes from Italy. Read on for some of the best Italian recipes you can make at home. If you like Italian food, you’re definitely going to enjoy these. Roasted cauliflower carbonara, penne rosa pasta and ricotta pie are just some options for you. These recipes are all simple to prepare as well as very tasty.
Italian Penne Rosa Pasta
If you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, try making this one-pot Penne Rosa Pasta with a creamy tomato sauce. This comforting and filling Italian dish is both tasty and satisfying and perfect for those who love a little spice in their meal.
Get the Recipe: Italian Penne Rosa Pasta
Roasted Cauliflower Carbonara
This delicious Italian recipe is ideal for any pasta lover, combining roasted cauliflower florets with a creamy sauce that includes bacon, pancetta, and parmesan cheese. It comes out of the oven perfectly golden brown and caramelized and is sure to impress.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Carbonara
Italian Tuna White Bean Salad
Simple ingredients combine to make this Tuscan classic. Juicy fresh tuna pairs with beans for a Tuscan tuna white bean salad everyone will enjoy. It makes a tasty meal, whatever the season.
Get the Recipe: Italian Tuna White Bean Salad
Italian Frittata Recipe
Straightforward to make and a treat to eat, this Italian vegetable frittata recipe is definitely a winning recipe. It’s simple to prepare, and you can mix and match the fillings depending on what you have in the refrigerator. It’s the perfect way to use up any vegetables or cooked meats you need to use up.
Get the Recipe: Italian Frittata Recipe
Antipasto Skewers
Impress your guests with easy-to-make antipasto skewers, perfect for any occasion! Made with classic Italian flavors, these crowd-pleasing bites are ideal for parties, picnics, and more.
Get the Recipe: Antipasto Skewers
Italian Limoncello Recipe
Make this Italian limoncello recipe for yourself, for a special occasion, or even to give as a gift. A great homemade limoncello recipe is well worth knowing because this lemon-infused alcohol is an excellent way to finish dinner, especially if you’ve enjoyed delicious Italian recipes.
Get the Recipe: Italian Limoncello Recipe
Italian Panzanella Salad
Panzanella salad is a refreshing summer side dish that combines juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and chunks of crusty bread, all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. It’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats and a delightful way to enjoy the flavors of the season.
Get the Recipe: Italian Panzanella Salad
Pressed Italian Picnic Sandwiches
Transport your taste buds to Italy with these amazing pressed Italian picnic sandwiches! Perfect for lunch or a summer picnic, these sandwiches are bursting with authentic flavors that will have you coming back for more.
Get the Recipe: Pressed Italian Picnic Sandwiches
Roasted Tomato and Meatball Polenta
Meatballs and polenta with garlic roasted tomatoes is a simple-to-make, hearty meal. Easy, comforting weeknight meals like this are perfect for the colder months when you crave something tasty and satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Tomato and Meatball Polenta
Heart Shaped Pizza
Indulge in a delightful homemade heart-shaped pizza with a crisp, golden crust, gooey cheese, and your favorite toppings. This simple recipe will win over your loved one’s heart with its delicious flavors and charming presentation.
Get the Recipe: Heart Shaped Pizza
Meatball Marinara Subs
Savor the juicy homemade meatballs, tangy marinara sauce, and fluffy brioche buns in Italian meatball marinara subs – a satisfying comfort food that’s perfect for lunch or busy weeknights. These sandwiches are far tastier than the fast-food version and are sure to please anyone, regardless of their Italian heritage.
Get the Recipe: Meatball Marinara Subs
Chopped Italian Sandwich
A chopped Italian sub is sure to satisfy even the strongest hunger pangs. This Italian bread sub with deli meats, cheese, pepperoncini peppers, red onion, and more make a great lunch.
Get the Recipe: Chopped Italian Sandwich
Italian Rice Salad – Insalata di Riso
This colourful, flavourful Italian rice salad is perfect for a picnic, potluck, summer BBQ, or as a versatile side dish for a simple lunch or dinner. Every mouthful of this Mediterranean brown rice salad is bursting with fresh ingredients such as tasty salad vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Italian Rice Salad – Insalata di Riso
Hot Italian Sliders
Spice up your next gathering with hot Italian sliders – the perfect appetizer for tailgating or backyard picnics! Made with slider rolls, deli meats, and cheeses, these mini sandwiches are a crowd-pleaser. Don’t forget the marinara dipping sauce for an extra kick of flavor!
Get the Recipe: Hot Italian Sliders
Antipasto Board
Make the Italian antipasto board or holiday antipasto wreath your new appetizer tradition – a delicious party platter featuring a variety of cheeses, deli meats, vegetables, and a flavorful garlicky herb dressing that’s sure to please every palate.
Get the Recipe: Antipasto Board
Limoncello Italian Wedding Cookies
Also known as Russian tea cookies, Italian snowball cookies, anginetti, polvorones, Russian tea cakes, butterballs, and Mexican wedding cookies, Italian wedding cookies are a bite-sized sweet treat that always tastes best when homemade. These sweet little balls have limoncello as well as lemons and vanilla to flavour them, so you can imagine how wonderful these powdered sugar-topped cookies will taste.
Get the Recipe: Limoncello Italian Wedding Cookies
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Transform traditional Italian comfort food with this homemade sweet potato gnocchi recipe with roasted garlic sauce. The perfect vegetarian main course or flavorful side dish, this dish is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of patience.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Eggplant Parmigiana
Try this authentic Italian recipe for eggplant parmigiana, which is a comfort food favourite. Baked with a flavorful tomato and vodka sauce, this delicious vegetarian dinner idea is a hearty and satisfying meal bursting with tasty flavors.
Get the Recipe: Eggplant Parmigiana
Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Italian chicken pesto sandwich is easy and quick to make for dinner or lunch. Made with tender grilled chicken, creamy pesto sauce, fresh mozzarella, and tomato, this sandwich is sure to satisfy your taste buds when served on ciabatta rolls or focaccia bread.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Italian Beef
You won’t be able to resist making slow cooker Italian beef again and again once you try it. This hearty and filling dish is perfect on toasted rolls or hoagie buns, and the slow-cooked beef is incredibly tender and flavorful.
Get the Recipe: Italian Beef
Pizza Giana Rustica
Looking for a unique brunch or dinner dish? Look no further than pizza giana rustica, an authentic and classic Italian savory pie filled with a delicious blend of meats and cheeses. This dish, also known as pizza ripiena or pizza chiena, is the perfect way to use up leftover ham and is sure to impress your guests with its tasty combination of egg, cheese, and meat.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Giana Rustica
Mushroom Ragu
Elevate your pasta game with this delicious and flavorful mushroom ragu vegan pasta sauce made with garlic, wine, herbs, and various fresh vegetables. This homemade spaghetti sauce is perfect for vegans or anyone who loves a hearty and healthy meal and is sure to become your new favorite meatless ragu recipe.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Ragu
Lasagna Soup
This slow cooker lasagna soup recipe is the best you’ll ever try, with a hearty and delicious flavor that will satisfy you. Although there are quite a few ingredients, it’s an easy crockpot Italian dinner that is perfect for any night of the week.
Get the Recipe: Lasagna Soup
Giardiniera
An authentic Italian giardiniera recipe consists of Italian pickled vegetables, making it the perfect condiment for Italian sandwiches, cured meats, cheese, grilled meats, pasta salads, and charcuterie boards. Fresh peppers and veggies add a burst of flavor to any dish.
Get the Recipe: Giardiniera
Limoncello Panna Cotta
A truly delicious classic Italian dessert, limoncello panna cotta with fresh berries is definitely something you should try. It’s straightforward to make, even if you don’t often make desserts, and the combination of fresh berries, limoncello liqueur, lemon zest, and cream is just mouthwatering.
Get the Recipe: Limoncello Panna Cotta
Smoked Italian Pasta Salad
Add some smoky flavour to your favorite pasta salad with this delicious smoked Italian pasta salad recipe. Packed with pepperoni, salami, mozzarella cheese, and a pepperoncini dressing, it’s the perfect dish for your summer BBQ.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Italian Pasta Salad
Italian Stromboli Recipe
Experience the taste of true Italian flavors with this authentic stromboli recipe from South Philly, where Italian immigrants first created this Italian-American dish. With its combination of deli meats, cheese, and rich Italian flavors rolled into a delicious sandwich, this easy-to-make stromboli is a great way to spice up any pizza night.
Get the Recipe: Italian Stromboli Recipe
Pesto Genovese
Creating your own authentic Italian basil pesto is a breeze and requires no cooking. The fresh and creamy flavor of this homemade pesto sauce surpasses store-bought alternatives, and it can be used as a pasta sauce, condiment, or dip, making it a perfect use for fresh basil from your garden.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Genovese
Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad
This authentic Italian burrata caprese salad is a delicious side dish or appetizer that features heirloom tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese with balsamic vinegar and truffle salt for added flavor. With every bite, you’ll savor the delicious flavors of this simple yet impressive dish.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad
Beef Braciole
This savory dish, featuring a stuffed and rolled steak smothered in tomato sauce, is a timeless classic that pairs perfectly with pasta, mashed potatoes, or a side of vegetables, making it the perfect centerpiece for a Sunday family dinner.
Get the Recipe: Beef Braciole
Zuccotto Cake
Indulge in the perfect treat with this easy Italian zuccotto cake – a traditional Italian dessert made with pound cake, mascarpone cheese, chocolate, and more. With only nine ingredients, including fun multicolored sprinkles, this simple liqueur cake is a deliciously delightful dessert after dinner.
Get the Recipe: Zuccotto Cake
Garlic Marinara Sauce
Italian garlic marinara sauce made with fresh and simple ingredients. Whether you love authentic Italian cuisine or appreciate delicious flavors, this classic marinara recipe is easy to make and guarantees the absolute best taste compared to any store-bought alternatives.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Marinara Sauce
Muffaletta Sandwich
Savor the deliciousness of a homemade muffaletta sandwich, featuring a flavorful olive spread, deli meats, and cheese. With a simple recipe you can make at home, this satisfying sandwich will surely become a culinary highlight that will impress even the heartiest of appetites.
Get the Recipe: Muffaletta Sandwich
Chicken Saltimbocca
Chicken saltimbocca is a classic Italian dish that features tender chicken with sage saltimbocca sauce, prosciutto, and provolone cheese. Rich in flavor and beautifully served with polenta, potatoes, or pasta, this traditional Italian dish is sure to become your new favorite chicken dinner recipe.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Saltimbocca
Chicken Alfredo Crepes
Wondering what Italian crespelle are? They are delicious Italian crepes with alfredo sauce, perfect for making a savory, unique, and flavorful chicken alfredo crepe that is easy to make. Try this leftover chicken recipe, and you’ll discover a new favorite way to enjoy Italian cuisine.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Alfredo Crepes
Mushroom and Onion Focaccia Bread
Marsala mushroom and onion focaccia are a wonderful addition to any meal or gathering and is especially great for sharing. With its savory, mushroom flavour and fluffy texture, this focaccia recipe will impress and become a family favourite.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom and Onion Focaccia Bread
Pesto Fettuccini with Bolognese Sauce
Indulge in a delicious homemade Italian pasta dinner with pesto fettuccini and Bolognese sauce, bursting with fresh veggies in every bite. This hearty dish, featuring a homemade beef Bolognese meat sauce and fettuccine pasta, will satisfy your cravings for a flavorful Italian meal.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Fettuccini with Bolognese Sauce
Sweet Italian Ricotta Pie
Looking for a traditional Italian dessert to make? Try making sweet Italian ricotta pie, a delicious cheese pie filled with ricotta, vanilla, orange, and spices. You can simplify the recipe by using a pre-made pie crust instead of pasta frolla, and your family will love this creamy pie with its lattice top and rich ricotta cheese filling.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Italian Ricotta Pie
Burrata Stuffed Tomato Appetizer
For a delightful Italian appetizer, try making fresh burrata-stuffed tomatoes – a quick, simple, and colorful dish that’s perfect for bite-sized finger food. With only four ingredients, plus salt and pepper, these appetizers are appetizing without being too filling, making them a great start to an Italian-inspired meal.
Get the Recipe: Burrata Stuffed Tomato Appetizer
Chicken Piccata with Angel Hair Pasta
Indulge in the deliciousness of garlic chicken piccata with angel hair pasta – a flavorful and easy chicken and pasta meal. With juicy chicken, garlic, lemon, and pasta, this dish is a true delight that will satisfy your cravings for a scrumptious Italian-inspired dinner.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Piccata with Angel Hair Pasta
Creamy Mushroom Risotto
This creamy mushroom risotto bursts with flavor and is a standout side dish for chicken, or turkey, or a satisfying standalone option for vegetarians. Made with white wine or chardonnay, shiitake, and cremini mushrooms, this Northern Italian dish is simple to make yet impressively delicious.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Mushroom Risotto
Pesto Rosso
Pesto rosso, a red alternative to green pesto, is versatile – spread it over crackers or toast, or use it as a pasta sauce. Try this delicious sun-dried tomato pesto recipe for a burst of flavor in your dishes.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Rosso
Ham Provolone Rosettes
If you’re looking for an easy and aesthetically pleasing dish, try making Italian baked ham provolone rosettes. These adorable little pasta pinwheels, filled with ham, provolone, and parmesan, are easy to assemble and delicious, making them a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Get the Recipe: Ham Provolone Rosettes
Lemon Ricotta Amaretti Budino Cake
The bundt pan is essential for creating the classic shape of this Italian dessert, which is a delightful combination of sweet and tangy flavors. Whether you enjoy it for a holiday celebration or a casual gathering, this lemon ricotta amaretti budino cake will surely please.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Ricotta Amaretti Budino Cake
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.