Italian

101 Italian Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight

Craving Italian? We've got you covered with our favorite pastas, pizzas, soups, roasts, and more.
Pasta with 10minute pesto in a blue bowl.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
  • Pasta with 10minute pesto in a blue bowl.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    1/101

    Pasta With 10-Minute Pesto

    Blanching fresh basil leaves before blending is the key to this vibrant, ultra-herby pesto. Perfect for pasta, it also dresses up pizza, scrambled eggs, and more.

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  • Three plates of bucatini all'amatriciana next to three forks.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi
    2/101

    Bucatini All'Amatriciana

    It's hard not to love this classic Italian pasta—it's just the right mix of spicy and sweet.

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  • A wide shallow brown ceramic bowl filled with polenta cacio e pepe and a small bowl of grated cheese on the side.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    3/101

    Polenta Cacio e Pepe

    Your favorite Roman pasta is just as decadent, dreamy, and delicious in polenta form.

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  • A serving of pasta pomodoro on a plate topped with grated cheese.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    4/101

    Pasta al Pomodoro

    Unlike marinara, which is usually hit hard with herbs and other aromatics, this classic sauce is all about the tomatoes.

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  • One of the best zucchini recipes is this white pizza with shaved vegetables and pesto.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    7/101

    White Pizza With Shaved Vegetables and Pesto

    This so-good-you-won't-believe-it's-healthy pie is covered in pesto and cheese and then topped with a veritable salad of peas, crisp asparagus ribbons, zucchini, leeks, and watercress.

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  • A caesar salad topped with croutons and parmesan on a plate.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
    8/101

    Caesar Salad

    It it Italian? Mexican? American? It's actually all three. Get the story (and the recipe) by clicking through.

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  • Image may contain Food
    Nicole Franzen
    9/101

    Weeknight Porchetta

    Porchetta sure is delicious, but it also takes some serious time to make. This satisfying recipe produces all the flavor of traditional porchetta (thanks to a bacon wrap) in much less time.

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  • Image may contain Spaghetti Food Pasta Cutlery and Fork
    Photo by Ted Cavanaugh
    10/101

    Bucatini With Lemony Carbonara

    Lemon makes the perfect foil for carbonara’s salty richness. You may never go back.

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  • Image may contain Food and Pizza
    Photo by Alex Lau
    21/101

    Red Sauce for Pizza

    The only trick to this uncooked sauce is finding good canned tomatoes: If you can’t find Jersey Fresh, look for ones from California, New Jersey, or Italy—the only ingredients should be tomatoes and salt.

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  • Cannellini beans with spinach in a white shallow bowl with a spoon.
    Photo by Eva Kolenko, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    22/101

    Cannellini Beans With Spinach

    If there is a lot of liquid in the pan when the spinach is done, drain it before adding the beans.

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  • BAs Best Eggplant Parmesan recipe
    Alex Lau
    27/101

    BA's Best Eggplant Parmesan

    Trying to slice into this eggplant Parmesan while it's molten hot creates an oozy mess, so let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to firm up before serving.

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  • Image may contain Glass Food Goblet Drink Wine Alcohol and Beverage
    Photo by Alex Lau
    28/101

    Steak Pizzaiola

    Palizzi Social Club in Philadelphia gets very thin-cut rib eyes on the bone. But for us mere mortals, a boneless rib eye is your best bet, plus it’s easier to serve family-style.

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  • Instant Pot Italian chickpea stew with pesto in a bowl.
    Photo by Susan Brooks-Dammann/Stocksy United
    31/101

    Instant-Pot Italian Chickpea Stew With Pesto

    Chickpeas are the basis for this savory Italian stew, which gets an extra kick from a spoonful of intensely flavored pesto at serving time. This recipe calls for making the pesto from scratch because I don’t think storebought pesto can match the flavor of homemade. But premade pesto is a timesaver—not to mention that it makes this recipe a one-pot meal.

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  • Pea and prosciutto salad on a white platter.
    Photo by Laura Murray
    32/101

    Pea and Prosciutto Salad

    Add zing to an elegant salad of snap peas, sweet peas, and prosciutto with a touch of fresh horseradish.

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  • Image may contain Plant Cutlery Fork Food Dish and Meal
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    45/101

    Lobster Catalan, Revisited

    This recipe is a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, especially when prepared and eaten outdoors, in warm weather, with bread and unconscionable quantities of Italian or Spanish rosé.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal and Culinary
    Photo by Eva Kolenko, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    46/101

    Stuffed Lamb Breast With Lemon, Ricotta, And Oregano

    Straining the ricotta will tighten the filling, making it easier to roll. Let it hang out in a sieve while you’re measuring everything else out.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Plant Animal Seafood Lobster Sea Life Platter and Salad
    Photo by Ted Cavanaugh, Food Styling by Sue Li
    47/101

    Radicchio and Plum Salad

    You can use almost any type of plum in this salad recipe, even hybrid ones like Pluots and Peacotums. If it looks like a plum, it probably acts like a plum too.

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  • Image may contain Food Creme Ice Cream Dessert Cream and Breakfast
    Photo by Liz Clayman
    48/101

    Cavatelli With Roman Cauliflower

    Roman cauliflower makes for an extra creamy, at least slightly healthy, pasta you'll make again and again.

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  • Two wide shallow bowls of cacio e pepe with a small pinch bowl of freshly cracked black pepper on the side.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi
    49/101

    Cacio e Pepe

    This classic pasta only has a few ingredients, but they merge into a surprisingly silky, flavor-packed sauce.

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  • Mustardcrusted branzino in an ovular pan.
    Hirsheimer & Hamilton
    50/101

    Mustard-Crusted Branzino

    Butterflying branzino is a great way to fast-track when cooking a whole fish. Ask your fishmonger to do it for you.

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  • A bowl of pork ragù over creamy polenta on a grey tablecloth.
    Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    51/101

    Pork Ragu Over Creamy Polenta

    This ragù only gets better with time, as the pork and tomato meld together to create a thick, delicious sauce. Cook a big batch and you're set for easy dinners all week long.

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  • Image may contain Spaghetti Food Pasta and Pizza
    Photo by Alexandra Shytsman
    52/101

    Spaghetti Pie

    Bake well-sauced pasta, plus plenty of cheese and a few eggs to hold things together, in a cake pan and the edges turn crunchy, crusty, chewy, and downright irresistible.

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  • Roasted Vegetables Antipasto Plate
    Photo by Alex Lau
    53/101

    Roasted Vegetables Antipasto Plate

    This antipasto platter goes way past jarred peppers and cold cuts, with roasted vegetables that change with the seasons. Even at room temp, these options round out any meat and cheese platter.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Curry Seasoning and Sesame
    Photo by Gentl & Hyers
    54/101

    Oxtail Ragù with Semolina Gnocchi

    This recipe makes a lot of ragù, but it freezes well and is worth having around. If making the gnocchi feels like a project, serve over polenta instead.

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  • This image may contain Food Dish Meal Plant Stew Pork Vegetable and Produce
    Photo by David Malosh
    57/101

    Eggplant Caponata

    The addition of the briny capers, anchovies, and acidic vinegar help cure the eggplant and other veggies, so this dish only gets better in a tightly sealed container in the fridge, where it will last for up to a week.

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  • A plate of gemelli with summer squash.
    Photo by Danny Kim, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi
    58/101

    Gemelli with Summer Squash and Herby Breadcrumbs

    All the best flavors of summer in a simple pasta dish.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Pasta and Spaghetti
    Peden + Munk
    63/101

    Delicata Squash Carbonara

    Roasting the pancetta in one large piece renders out most of the fat, making it easy to dice into perfect 1/4" pieces.

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  • Image may contain Food and Pork
    Gentl & Hyers
    64/101

    Pork Shoulder Al'Diavolo

    Letting the roast sit at room temperature will help it cook more evenly; starting it at a higher temperature jump-starts the browning process.

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  • Spaghetti aglio e olio with lots of kale in a pot and a bowl.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    71/101

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio With Lots of Kale

    You will think this pasta recipe calls for an absurd amount of kale, but it will shrink a ton when cooked.

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  • Image may contain Food Cake Dessert Pie Tart and Bread
    David Cicconi
    72/101

    Pizza Rustica

    Not all pizza is made with the super-thin Neapolitan-style crust. The word actually means pie in Italian, and the classic rustica version is more like a cheese-and-meat tart.

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  • Image may contain Food Pasta Lasagna and Pizza
    Con Poulos
    73/101

    Tuscan Lasagna

    The iconic Italian dish, lasagna's sauce-noodles-cheese combo can be customized every which way. This take on the classic tomato-ricotta version features whole wheat pasta and low-fat cheese for a hearty, and healthy, meal.

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  • A bowl of pasta carbonara with english peas.
    Photo by Laura Dart and A.J. Meeker
    74/101

    Pasta Carbonara with English Peas

    Adding peas to a carbonara is by no means classically Italian, though the combination of black pepper, pancetta, and peas is. Instead of (or in addition to) the peas, you could use asparagus or thinly sliced sugar snap peas.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Vegetable Bean and Soy
    Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    77/101

    Stewed Cannellini Beans with Chiles and Thyme

    This bean recipe is purposely brothy; if you have leftovers, reheat and smash them—they're great on toast with an egg. Also, if you have any leftover meat, throw it in during the last few minutes of cooking for an even heartier flavor, just as we did.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Produce Spaghetti Pasta Vegetable Bean and Lentil
    donna hay magazine, photography by Chris Court
    78/101

    Chorizo Bolognese with Buffalo Mozzarella

    Using chorizo in place of beef means this cheater’s Bolognese is ready in less than 15 minutes (but still packed with flavor).

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  • A platter of fried squash blossoms with flakey salt.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
    81/101

    Fried Zucchini Blossoms

    In Italy, fried zucchini blossoms are the jalapeño poppers of the jet set. Crunchy, salty, and utterly addictive, they go perfectly with an aperitivo, from a Bellini to a Negroni.

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  • Image may contain Dish Food Meal Bowl Bread and Soup Bowl
    Ditte Isager
    82/101

    Cioppino

    This stew uses bottled clam juice, a smart shortcut to a robust broth.

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  • Two bowls of pasta with roasted romanesco and capers.
    Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    87/101

    Pasta with Roasted Romanesco and Capers

    Broccoli would be just as good in this pasta recipe, as would diced winter squash such as butternut or acorn.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Plant and Pasta
    Photo by Melanie Dunea
    88/101

    Handmade Orecchiette With Mortadella and Pea Sauce

    This tiny handmade pasta is a labor of love, but you'll be glad you devoted an afternoon to fresh pasta-making once you've tasted it. The tender orecchiette is irresistible once tossed in the rich, buttery sauce studded with savory mortadella and bright peas.

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  • Image may contain Dish Food Meal Plant and Vegetable
    Photo by Elizabeth Cecil
    89/101

    Strozzapreti Carbonara With Radishes

    You can finish this carbonara with other seasonal vegetables, such as shredded brussels sprouts or Napa cabbage. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of Bon Appétit's Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Animal Seafood Sea Life Lobster and Plant
    Linda Xiao
    90/101

    Steamed Mussels with Tomato and Chorizo Broth

    Don't Move a Mussel—Seriously—this one-pot dinner is that easy. Sweet cherry tomatoes, earthy chorizo, and a splash of wine do the heavy lifting.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Meal Dish and Salad
    Photo by Alex Lau
    93/101

    Charred Caprese Sandwich

    How do you improve on a classic Caprese? Grill your tomatoes—and then spill them over charred baguette.

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  • Image may contain Animal Seafood Lobster Food Sea Life and Crawdad
    Photo by Marcus Nilsson
    94/101

    Lobster Fra Diavolo

    To keep lobsters alive in your fridge for up to one day, pack in damp newspaper. You can substitute eight frozen tails; sear per recipe method, then use the meat from four in place of the knuckles and claws, and split the others for serving.

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  • Three bowls of spinach gnocchi on a red gingham napkin.
    Maren Caruso
    95/101

    Spinach Gnocchi

    With creamy ricotta and a heathy dose of spinach, these fluffy pillows are easy to make and add more veggies to your meal.

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  • Rolled pork loin roast on a plate.
    Photo by Ed Anderson
    96/101

    Rolled Pork Loin Roast Stuffed With Olives and Herbs

    Of course, you can just roast a chunk of pork loin and spoon tapenade over it, but when you stuff the tapenade inside the roast, it will look all swirled and magical when sliced. It’s not that hard to do, really—two strategic cuts, a smear, a row of knotted strings—more basic butchery than brain surgery.

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Katherine Sacks is a New York City-based writer, editor, and recipe developer (with a special interest in baking and vegetarian cuisine), focused on the connections between food culture, food pathways, sustainability, and the environment. Her previous roles include acting as the Digital Content Manager for FoodPrint.com, traveling the country as ... Read More
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