31 Favorite Italian Recipes (2024)

Lighten up! Reduce Parmesan, pistachios, and olive oil each to 1/3 cup, add 1/4 cup water, and substitute in low-fat feta. Total savings? 110 calories and 12 fat grams per serving.

Recipe: Fava-Bean Pasta Salad with Garlic-Scape Pesto

Traditional pasta gets an upgrade from Jenn Louis, chef-owner of Lincoln Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, with the addition of smoky, salty bacon and zesty red onion.

Recipe: Spaghetti with Red Onion and Bacon

Lighten up this recipe by using ground turkey instead of sausage, plus 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Omit the bread, and opt for fat-free ricotta. Total savings: 57 calories and 6 fat grams per serving.

Recipe: Orecchiette with Sausage and Radicchio

Classic Italian dumplings get a boost of flavor and nutrients from vitamin-rich spinach.

Recipe: Spinach-Ricotta Gnocchi

You only need five ingredients (plus salt and pepper) for this Italian meal for two.

Recipe: Lamb Chops with Mint Gremolata

Use fresh, locally grown ingredients for very tasty fare. Pesto adds robust flavor to this one-dish pasta supper.

Recipe: Pasta e fa*gioli with Pesto

Made with basil, parsley, Parmesan, lemon, and olive oil, our Pumpkin-Seed Pesto works well with pasta or stirred into steamed rice. Aromatic sage pairs well with pumpkin puree to become a creamy pasta sauce.

Recipes:
Pumpkin-Seed Pesto
Pumpkin-Sage Cream Sauce

For a good punch of infection-fighting garlic, which also lowers blood pressure and may help prevent stomach cancer, serve up bowls of Roasted Garlic Soup. It offers a mellow sweet taste and a smooth and soothing texture.

Recipes:
Roasted Garlic Soup
Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup

Reminiscent of a grilled cheese, a panini is filled with combos of meat, cheese, and vegetables. The snack is pressed and grilled, either with a cast-iron weight in a grill pan or with a panini maker, yielding a dense texture and a savory flavor.

Recipe:

Bagna Cauda, a pungent dip, is loaded with heart-healthy olive oil and antioxidants. Plunge crisp vegetables or crusty bread into this warm blend of oil, anchovies, and garlic.

Recipe: Bagna Cauda

Quick and easy pasta begins with basic ingredients, such as mushrooms, onions, and red peppers. An egg yolk is tossed with the ingredients and heated through before serving to glaze the pasta in rich, creamy flavor. Finish with a sprinkle of a fragrant, nutty cheese.

Recipe: Easy Pantry Pasta

Focaccia — hearth bread — originated in Italy and is quite versatile. For a snack or to accompany soup or salad try dipping this flat bread in olive oil or cut it into squares, split them, and make sandwiches.

Recipe: Rosemary Raisin Focaccia

Vegetable lasagna's universal appeal and easy preparation make it a great choice for any get-together.

Recipe:Zesty Vegetable Lasagna

This Italian-inspired side dish is exquisitely simple. Use frozen cauliflower and skip the first step to save time.

Recipe: Cauliflower alla Parmigiana

Make this delicious, comforting dish and serve for a weeknight dinner or freeze for a future gathering. To save time, serve only the meatballs, along with a ready-made dipping sauce such as a lingonberry jam.

Related Recip: Herbed Meatball Soup

Expand your menu with dependable staples from the pantry: marinara sauce, chicken broth, red wine.

Recipe: Tomato and Garlic Bread Soup