These Italian dinner ideas will have your family praising your amazing cooking skills! These are all pretty easy recipes to prepare, and who doesn’t love traditional Italian dishes?
I just got back from Sicily and Rome, sailing on the Costa Smeralda ship, a gorgeous new Italian cruise ship. The Italian food was wonderful on the ship, as well as in Sicily and Rome, where I stayed for an extra couple of days. I think I could eat Italian cuisine every night!
There’s no need to go to an Italian restaurant with all these easy Italian recipes at hand. You can do this!
Starting with an Italian appetizer is always fun. In fact, we often eat appetizers as our main course for a quick meal! My best bruschetta recipe, bruschetta with mozzarella, or this caponata siciliana all make delicious starters or perfect finger food for a dinner party.
Serve any of these dishes with this wonderful rosemary garlic bread recipe to sop up the wonderful broths or sauces and you’ll be set with a taste of Italy.
After reading about this braised beef recipe, known as brasato al barolo in Italy where it originated, I knew I had to make it for my family! SO delicious!
This easy Margherita Pasta recipe is super easy to make! The only thing that you cook is the pasta, so it’s ready in minutes! The base for the delicious tomato sauce is fresh tomatoes and basil. It's just so good!
This baked feta pasta recipe will be your go-to comfort food and a family favorite from your kitchen. There's a reason it went viral on TikTok! It’s simple to make and the flavors are simply scrumptious. You are going to love this dish!
This parmesan risotto recipe pairs with just about anything. Simmering the rice and adding freshly grated aged parmesan is the key. We loved the flavors and it was super easy to make.
This homemade Walnut Sauce recipe for Pasta is simple but scrumptious. It gives a fresh and nutritious spin on standard pasta sauces. It’s not only deliciously satisfying, it’s also a healthy dish.
This grilled bruschetta chicken is so easy, you can even make it on busy weeknights. Who else loves a meal that can be on the dinner table in under 30 minutes? Simple recipes are the best!
This Italian Seafood Pasta is the perfect combination of your favourite seafood mix, a few fresh grape or cherry tomatoes and spices tossed with spaghetti. Quick and easy, Italian never tasted so good!
This authentic Italian tomato sauce is so easy to make, it’s ready before the pasta is finished cooking! When you make this easy meal once you’ll never go back to those inauthentic, jar sauces or faux recipes.
A delicious alternative to ground beef, Turkey Bolognese is made special with the addition of bacon and a dash of sherry towards the end or cooking! This is a rich Italian sauce for pasta.
The best lasagna with cottage cheese, fresh mozzarella, spinach, basil leaves & meat sauce! There are lots of tips included for making this homemade lasagna recipe!
Classic chicken cacciatore cooked in a rich and hearty sauce of tomatoes. The chicken is braised until it’s fall off the bone tender. An easy family-friendly dinner.
Classic Italian Stuffed Peppers are a cozy all-in-one dinner. Sweet bell peppers stuffed with a meat, veg, rice mix & topped with melted creamy cheese.
A great alternative to mashed potatoes! Gnocchi Alla Romana (also known as Semolina Gnocchi) is an ideal side dish for roasted or grilled meat — creamy and cheesy. Delicious!
This is an easy risotto Milanese recipe – it’s a simple yet flavorful meal. Cooked the traditional stirring method, with chicken stock and saffron to get nice yellow color.
This Italian meal of penne pomodoro pasta is made with a delicious, homemade tomato sauce from oven-roasted tomatoes and topped with fresh basil. Dinner in only 20 minutes has never tasted yummier!
This creamy asparagus risotto combines zesty lemon with the iconic, bright green spring stalks. A delightful dish for special nights, but quick enough for weeknights, too!
Chicken Riggies are a delicious homemade comfort food, consisting of chicken cooked with hot peppers in a creamy and spicy tomato sauce served over rigatoni.
This Classic Chicken Parmesan recipe makes the Best Chicken Parmesan. The pan-fried breaded chicken breast is baked with marinara and mozzarella for a crispy dish with melty cheese and a flavorful tomato-based marinara sauce.
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a delicious and aromatic pasta dish, and this easy recipe is ready in 20 minutes! Intensely seasoned, and made with a few simple ingredients. This is one of my favorite pasta recipes!
Whenever you’re making Italian food or any other recipe, remember that olive oil does go bad! If you’ve had a giant opened bottle of olive oil you haven’t used in a year, it’s more than likely rancid and could ruin all your hard work. Buy fresh olive oil every six months or so.
Don’t toss that rind of parmesan! It will give wonderful flavor to soup recipes and stews.
When using salt after cooking a dish, we use Maldon salt. It’s a flaky salt just for finishing. I think you’ll agree it adds amazing flavor!
A green salad with a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar would be a perfect pairing to any of these meals.
Can I make any of these meals ahead of time?
Most of these dishes can be made in advance, but check each website to be sure.
How long do these recipes keep?
Most of these dishes will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container or wrapped in foil to easily stick in the oven for reheating, but check each recipe for details.
Which of these classic Italian recipes will you make for Italian night this week?