Get ready to be transported to the warm embrace of Nonna’s kitchen with these classic Italian dinners. From comforting pastas and bubbling bakes to rustic soups and stews, we’ve pulled together a collection of recipes that celebrate simple ingredients, hearty portions, and timeless flavors. Even if you didn’t have the distinct privilege of growing up with a Nonna of your own, there’s one out there somewhere cheering you on.
01 of 20
Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
Get Recipe: The Best Homemade Lasagna
“This classic lasagna recipe is made with an easy meat sauce as the base. Layer the sauce with noodles and cheese, then bake until bubbly! This is great for feeding a big family and freezes well, too.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
02 of 20
Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
Get Recipe: Easy Italian Wedding Soup
“Italian wedding soup combines tiny meatballs, hearty greens, and itty-bitty pasta to produce a filling, whole-meal soup, garnished with a flurry of parmesan cheese and a drizzle of good olive oil. Since it’s usually a labor of love, I don’t make it often. But by introducing a clever shortcut I learned from one of my editors, I was able to make this comforting soup a weeknight-friendly recipe.” —Stephanie A Ganz, Recipe Developer
03 of 20
Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Risi e Bisi (Italian Rice and Peas)
“Risi e bisi simply means rice and peas, and the dish is traditionally made with the fresh new peas of spring. If fresh peas are not available, you can easily make it with frozen peas (avoid canned).” —Hank Shaw, Recipe Developer
04 of 20
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Chicken Romano
“Chicken Romano is a variation of a breaded chicken cutlet. The secret ingredient is Pecorino Romano, which is added to the breading—this is how Grandma Hope made her cutlets.” —Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer
05 of 20
Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan
“Eggplant Parmesan is one of those great Italian comfort foods—a layered casserole much like lasagna but with slices of globe eggplant taking the place of pasta.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
06 of 20
Get Recipe: Classic Minestrone Soup
“There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. It can be vegetarian, contain meat, or contain a meat-based soup base (such as chicken stock).” —Elise Bauer, Founder
07 of 20
Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer
Get Recipe: Easy Tuscan Ribollita Soup
“Ribollita is an Italian soup from the central region of Tuscany. It translates to ‘reboiled’. Ribollita’s history is commonly associated with the less well-off as it traditionally utilizes leftovers to make a new meal; the bread used to add heft and thicken the soup is often leftover or stale.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer
08 of 20
Simply Recipes / Cambrea Bakes
Get Recipe: Baked Ziti
“Do you like lasagna, but not the fuss? Make baked ziti instead! It’s a lot like a classic lasagna casserole, but easier to make and without lots of layers or broken noodles.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
09 of 20
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Chicken Pomodoro
“For a chunkier, heartier sauce, simply use your spoon to mash the cooked tomatoes. For a more homogenous sauce, use a potato masher instead. And if you prefer smooth sauces, you can transfer the cooked sauce to a blender (crack the lid!) and blend before returning to the pan.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director
10 of 20
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: Spaghetti and Meatballs
“Spaghetti and meatballs is such a comfort food classic. The meatballs are made from ground beef and Italian sausage and served with a sauce made with mushrooms, onions, basil, and Parmesan.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
11 of 20
Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli
“Pasta fagioli, aka pasta fazool (which is Neapolitan dialect for the standard Italian word for ‘beans’), is a peasant dish, a simple soup of pasta and beans and veggies.” —Hank Shaw, Recipe Developer
12 of 20
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Caponata Pasta
“It may have been food for the poor, but the flavor of caponata is rich. To me, it’s a delicate balance of all the best elements of Italian cuisine. I love the appetizer version, served cold or at room temperature and typically spread on bread or crackers, but sometimes I just need more.” —Julie & Amy Luxemberg, Recipe Developers
13 of 20
Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)
“Chicken cacciatore is an Italian dish of chicken braised in a tomato-based sauce and often includes wild mushrooms. It is frequently referred to as ‘hunter style’ as the word cacciatore means ‘hunter’ in Italian.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
14 of 20
Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Spaghetti all’Assassina (Assassin’s Spaghetti)
“From the very Italian backstory (a man is distracted by an alluring woman so he burns his pasta) to the unique cooking method, I had to try it for myself. Over two years later, I think I’ve perfected it.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director
15 of 20
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: Pastina en Brodo (Italian Penicillin Soup)
“This comforting Italian soup always takes me back to winter days spent in the kitchen with my zia (my aunt). Requiring only a handful of simple ingredients to make, it’s a classic example of cucina povera—a traditional Italian cooking style based on resourcefulness.” —Candace Nagy, Recipe Developer
16 of 20
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Get Recipe: Cheese Stuffed Manicotti
“Surprisingly, this baked pasta dish is both light and luscious without the dense and ultra-cheesy texture that one usually associates with lasagna and other baked pastas. Ricotta, parsley, and mozzarella—with a touch of lemon to brighten it—create a filling that is sensual and creamy.” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
17 of 20
Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Shell Pasta with Sausage and Greens
“This simple recipe of pasta, sausage, Parmesan cheese and rabe or kale is very easy to prepare and delicious. We all agreed that it is a keeper!” —Elise Bauer, Founder
18 of 20
Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Classic Bolognese Sauce
“Bolognese sauce is a classic Italian sauce for pasta made with ground meat such as beef or pork. It’s slow cooked with a soffritto of onions, carrots, and celery, tomatoes, and milk to give it a creamy texture.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
19 of 20
Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Mushroom Sugo
“The sauce is so good I just want to eat it straight with a spoon! (And I will if it’s anywhere in reaching distance). It shines over polenta, ravioli, or a short pasta like penne or fusilli.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
20 of 20
Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Italian Pot Roast
“It’s a simple and delicious recipe, much like our standard pot roast but with a soffritto base, the addition of tomatoes, and a whole bottle of wine.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
Read the original article on Simply Recipes
Dining and Cooking