Credit: Cara Cormack
A famous restaurant chain once said, “When you’re here, you’re family.” And few things evoke family as much as the storied, beloved tradition of Italian-American cooking. Even my Irish-American family can count far more dishes among our favorite multigenerational food traditions with roots in Italy than Ireland. (No shade on Irish-American food, to which my heart also belongs.) In The Italian American Table: Food, Family, and Community in New York City, historian Simone Cinotto argues that the production and consumption of food were essential to the identity-making of Italian immigrants to the United States in the early 20th century, and “the equation of food and family — an Italian-inflected notion of the family that eats together” was central to that identity. “The vision of a family eating together was…the most valuable self-representation Italians were able to craft in the diaspora.”
Italian-American food is marked by abundance as well as the new availability of select ingredients alongside the disappearance of others. Think lots of meat, even more cheese, and the big flavors that made these dishes famous. This collection spans classics like lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken Parmesan alongside regional favorites such as San Francisco’s cioppino, Chicago’s Italian beef sandwiches, and Detroit-style pizza. Whether you’re craving a saucy pasta, a hearty sandwich, or a shareable baked dish, these recipes capture the familial spirit of Italian-American cooking at its most generous and satisfying.
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Sunday Sauce
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Lauren Mcanelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali
Legendary butcher Pat LaFrieda anchors his family’s all-day ragù with bone-in beef short ribs, simmering them in tomato, oregano, and red wine until the meat falls apart. Served over spaghetti with plenty of grated pecorino, this hearty “gravy” turns any afternoon into a crowd-feeding feast.
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Buttery, Toasty Garlic Bread
Credit: Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser
Buttery, crisp, and redolent with flavor, it’s hard to argue with garlic bread. (And why would you start such an argument?) Here, split a store-bought Italian loaf, stuff it with parsley-garlic butter, wrap it in foil, and bake, uncovering it for the last 10 minutes so the top turns toasty.
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Cioppino (Seafood Stew)
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay shares his 30-minute take on the Fisherman’s Wharf classic, which simmers shrimp, clams, and flaky fish in a wine-splashed tomato broth fortified with clam juice. The seafood stew was developed in the late 1800s by Italian-American fishermen working off San Francisco’s North Beach, made with whatever was left from the day’s catch.
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Pasta Bolognese
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
“For a dish to withstand the test of time and become a classic, it has to be something you want to return to again and again,” wrote former F&W editors Grace Parisi and Marcia Kiesel when this recipe was first published in 2000. In this version, the meat cooks in wine and canned tomatoes — an ingredient more typical in the U.S. than in Italy — and is finished with a splash of heavy cream.
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Fettuccine Alfredo
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Though it originated in Rome, pasta alfredo found its greatest popularity in the United States, where heavy cream is often added to the ingredient list. The version sticks closer to the Italian original, which is made with starchy pasta water, butter, and a shower of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and garlicky bread crumbs.
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Grandma’s Lasagna
Credit: Cara Cormack
“Although we tested three Bolognese-style lasagnas with creamy béchamel sauce,” writes former F&W editor Grace Parisi, “we decided that the definitive lasagna had to have tomato sauce, chunks of meat, shredded mozzarella, and creamy ricotta cheese.” Nonna agrees.
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Italian Rainbow Cookies
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Alternate red, white, and green almond-scented sponge in between layers of raspberry jam, then seal under bittersweet chocolate. Once chilled and sliced, the tricolore bars reveal candy-stripe layers that are as eye-catching as they are tender and nutty.
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Chicken Vesuvio
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
First served at Vesuvio Restaurant in Chicago in the mid-20th century, this dish soon became an Italian-American classic. In his recipe, chef Craig Ruff pan-crisps the chicken thighs and baby potatoes, then braises them in garlicky white wine sauce with oregano, lemon, and sweet peas.
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Emeril’s Muffuletta
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo opened Central Grocery in the French Quarter in the early 20th century and developed the iconic muffuletta sandwich not long after. In his version, Emeril Lagasse layers capocollo, Genoa salami, mortadella, fresh mozzarella, and a caper-studded olive salad inside a round, seed-topped loaf. Sliced into wedges, this classic New Orleans sandwich tastes like the inside of an Italian-American deli.
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Sautéed Italian Sausage with Onions and Peppers
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Brown sweet Italian sausage links low and slow so the fat renders, then simmer bell pepper and red onion in the drippings with tomato paste, broth, and a splash of vinegar. Sommelier Theo Lieberman of Pasquale Jones in New York City likes to pair this iconic dish with “Forlorn Hope’s Queen of the Sierra red — I like it chilled. It’s easy to drink and lends itself to all kinds of food.”
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Ham, Soppressata, and Two-Cheese Stromboli
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Addy Evans
With this recipe from the influential late Tom Valenti (a 1990 F&W Best New Chef), roll soppressata, deli ham, provolone, and fresh mozzarella into store-bought pizza dough, then brush with egg wash and sesame seeds. Bake until the swirl turns molten and the crust bronzes, and slice the giant antipasto log into gooey, sesame-crackling pinwheels, perfect for sharing.
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Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Simmer onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, tomato paste, and San Marzano tomatoes into a quick, fiery sauce, then cook shrimp right in the skillet for a one-pan, 35-minute dinner. Spoon the plump, spicy shrimp and sauce over pasta, polenta, or grilled bread to mop up every drop.
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Italian Beef Sandwiches
Credit: Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Melissa Gray Streett / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Chicago native (and former F&W editor) Chandra Ram braises chuck roast and oxtails in a garlic-onion jus, chills and shaves the meat deli-thin, dunks it back into the hot jus, then piles it onto toasted sandwich rolls with tangy homemade giardiniera and roasted sweet peppers for true Windy City flavor.
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Detroit-Style Pizza
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Motor City’s signature pizza boasts a lofty, focaccia-like crust that’s light, tender, and delightfully crispy. Melty mozzarella is sprinkled all the way to the pan’s edges, giving the pizza its signature lacy edges, and crunchy pepperoni is layered on top and below the cheese for extra meaty flavor.
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Chicken Piccata with Radishes
Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
Lemon-bright, butter-rich, and scattered with pops of briny capers, chicken piccata is an Italian-American classic for good reason. LA chefs Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook brighten the traditional pan sauce with halved crisp-tender breakfast radishes, which add peppery snap to this 40-minute dinner.
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Chicken Scarpariello
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
The name of this comforting dish translates to “shoemaker’s chicken,” though its origins are somewhat unclear. While a few Italian dishes are described as allo scarpariello, many sources consider this version an Italian-American creation, with wide variation from recipe to recipe. Typically, chicken is sautéed in a tangy sauce made with lemon juice or vinegar, often with bell peppers. Some versions add sweet or hot Italian sausage, potatoes, or even pickled peppers in place of fresh ones, as in this recipe.
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Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Christina Daley / Prop Styling by Torie Cox
Toss gemelli with torn salami and pepperoni, sharp provolone cubes, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and plenty of pepperoncini in a tangy dressing of red wine vinegar and mayonnaise for a taste of an Italian deli’s sandwich counter in a bowl. Ideal for potlucks, this dish travels well.
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Grilled Italian Sausage with Apple Mustard and Giardiniera
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This recipe — from chef Tyler Florence’s 2024 cookbook, American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire — tops Italian sausage with giardiniera. Florence uses both direct and indirect heat to cook the links, creating a delicious char while maintaining a juicy interior.
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Cioppino with Mussels
Credit: Cara Cormack
Andrew Zimmern offers his take on San Francisco’s cioppino: a brothy, tomato-rich pot loaded with mussels, red snapper, shrimp, and clams. Serve this Italian-American classic with a crusty baguette.
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Chicken Francese
Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland
Though Francese is Italian for “French,” chicken Francese is neither French nor strictly Italian. Instead, its roots are in Italian-American restaurants, though precisely where and when are up for debate. (Some trace its origins to Rochester, New York, where it’s known as chicken French.) Like chicken piccata, it features pan-fried chicken in a lemony white wine–butter sauce.
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Pepperoni Rolls with Garlic-Anchovy Marinara
Credit: Jen Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
The pepperoni roll is a West Virginia staple, featuring spicy, garlicky pepperoni baked inside a soft yeast roll, where its oils seep into the bread for rich flavor. Cheese is optional, and here provolone adds a salty, gently sweet contrast and melts beautifully, while a touch of honey lends the dough subtle sweetness. Serve with a briny, slow-roasted-garlic–anchovy sauce for dunking.
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Toasted St. Louis-Style Ravioli
Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford
Use your favorite store-bought ravioli to make this classic Italian-American appetizer from the Gateway to the West. This recipe coats stuffed pasta with panko and Parmesan to create a golden, crunchy shell when fried. For extra flavor and texture, fry rosemary and sage leaves in the same oil until crisp. Serve with a garlicky marinara for dipping.
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Deep-Dish Pizza
Credit: Stacy Allen / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall
This icon of Chicago (a city so rich in Italian-American cuisine that it can claim several pizza styles to its name) is defined by its hearty golden-brown crust and thick fork-and-knife slices. This recipe calls for chunky tomatoes, crumbled hot sausage, and a mix of melty mozzarella and provolone cheese. Is it even a pizza? It’s definitely a pie. And what no one can argue over is its enduring deliciousness.
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Proposal Chicken Parmesan
Credit: Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Nicole Hopper / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
This recipe combines old and new classics: chicken Parmesan and Marry Me Chicken. As in the former, panko- and Parmesan-coated chicken cutlets are fried until juicy, then topped with mozzarella and broiled until golden and bubbling. Like the latter, it’s served over a rich, sun-dried tomato cream sauce.
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Italian Grinder Pinwheels
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Sara Haas
Roll up the flavors of an Italian grinder — provolone, ham, capocollo, salami, crisp lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pepperoncini — into these party-ready pinwheels made with soft lavash.
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Lemon Ricotta–Stuffed Shells
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Both approachable and festive, stuffed shells are an Italian-American stalwart for a reason. This recipe trades the traditional mozzarella filling for a blend of creamy ricotta and garlic-and-herb Boursin. Fresh lemon zest adds brightness, complementing the gentle sweetness of the spinach. A drizzle of hot honey stirred into jarred marinara gives the sauce a hint of sweetness and floral heat.
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Pizza Chiena (Easter Pie)
Credit: Christopher Testani
In their 2021 cookbook, Italian American, chefs Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli of New York City’s Don Angie share this savory Easter pie, a recipe passed down from Tacinelli’s grandmother. The filling combines sweet and spicy Italian sausage with ham, cooked eggs, mozzarella, and sharp provolone, all bound with raw egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Enclosed in a rich, homemade dough made with rendered meat fat and cooking liquid, the pie bakes up crisp and golden.
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Vodka Sauce
Credit: Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
This recipe for the popular sauce melts pancetta fat with garlic and crushed red pepper, then deglazes the skillet with a generous splash of vodka to bloom the aromatics before stirring in hand-crushed tomatoes. A finish of heavy cream and plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano turns the sauce blush-pink and silky, ready to cling to the side of any ridged pasta.
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Linguine with Red Clam Sauce
Credit: Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners
Pasta with chopped clams, garlic, and tomato sauce is a classic of Italian-American cooking. In this version, a few simple additions deepen the flavor: Anchovies add savory depth, and herby vermouth can be used in place of dry white wine. A final touch of butter brings the whole dish together.
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Chicken Saltimbocca
Credit: Diana Chistruga
While this Roman recipe is traditionally made with veal, Italian-American versions often use pork or chicken. At her now-closed New York City restaurant, Felidia, chef, cookbook author, and TV presenter Lidia Bastianich served quail. In this recipe, she returns to the Italian-American staple — chicken cutlets — and tucks the sage beneath the prosciutto rather than securing it on top or rolling the cutlet involtini-style.
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Steak and Garlic Bread Pasta
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Prissy Montiel
This pasta dish evokes the classic flavors of Italian-American restaurants in a single bowl. Tender, seared ribeye is paired with a rich, creamy pasta and finished with crisp, buttery garlic bread pieces for a satisfying crunch.
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Chicken Parmesan Heroes
Credit: Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Seattle-based 2008 F&W Best New Chef Ethan Stowell stuffs toasted hero rolls with crisp Parmesan-coated cutlets, fresh mozzarella, and bright tomato sauce for a handheld take on the beloved Italian-American dish.
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Cioppino with Fennel and Saffron
Credit: Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Max Rappaport
The West Coast is known for Dungeness crab, which takes center stage in LA chef Brandon Boudet’s take on this Italian-American seafood stew. While Dungeness crabs are in season from November through June, the recipe can be made year-round using cooked, frozen crab available at many fish markets.
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Chicken Piccata Skillet Lasagna
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Phoebe Weeks
This one-pan dinner combines two Italian-American favorites — chicken piccata and baked lasagna — into a weeknight-friendly recipe. It captures the bright, lemony notes of piccata in a format that feels like a cheesy, satisfying pasta bake.
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Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza
Credit: Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco
Tavern-style pizza was once Chicago’s under-the-radar favorite, with locals deflecting deep-dish debates while happily eating the square-cut, cracker-thin pies they truly loved — until the style finally gained wider attention. It was designed to be made easily in neighborhood bar kitchens, without specialized ingredients or equipment: ideal for adapting to home kitchens.
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Seafood Fra Diavolo
Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Developed by cookbook author and The Sporkful host Dan Pashman, cascatelli pasta was created to hold plenty of sauce while staying easy to eat. Its ridges and curves make it especially well suited to this Italian-American–style dish. Here, littleneck clams and mussels are cooked with tomato paste and white wine for a briny, tangy sauce, while plump shrimp add sweetness and echo the pasta’s distinctive shape.
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Chicken Scarpariello with Pickled Peppers
Credit: Greg DuPree
This one-pot recipe for chicken scarpariello requires little more than stirring together pantry-friendly ingredients, like jarred pickled peppers and sweet Italian sausage. The peppers bring bold flavor with minimal effort, and crusty bread is perfect for soaking up the savory juices.
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Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches
Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Stacy Allen / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines
In this hearty eggplant Parmesan sub, crispy oven-fried eggplant is layered with tangy marinara, melted cheese, and fresh basil. Parmesan in the breading creates a frico-like crust that turns especially crisp as it bakes. A layer of sliced cheese on the bottom bun helps protect it from the sauce, minimizing sogginess.
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Sheet-Pan Eggplant Parmesan
Credit: Victor Protasio
This easy, hands-off version of eggplant Parmesan is ideal for feeding a crowd. Instead of breading each slice, seasoned sourdough crumbs are scattered over the top for crunch. Without the added coating, the eggplant is cut into thicker, half-inch rounds to give the dish more structure.
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Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
Credit: Fredrika Stjärne
Spaghetti and meatballs is an icon of Italian-American cuisine. A blend of beef, veal, and pork gives these meatballs rich, layered flavor. Serve them over spaghetti with plenty of sauce, finished with chopped basil and grated cheese at the table.
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Shrimp Parmigiana
Credit: Aaron Kirk
Crispy, bubbly, cheesy, and satisfying, this shrimp Parmesan delivers everything you expect from a classic Italian-American dish. Instead of the familiar shake of canned cheese, finely processed Parmigiano-Reggiano adds a deeper, more nuanced flavor, woven into the breading and layered over the finished dish.
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Italian-American Meatballs with Fennel
Credit: Jonelle Weaver
Chef Roger Hayot starts these meatballs with a quick sauté of onion, fresh fennel, garlic, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper, building sweet-anise depth and a hint of heat. Serve the meatballs straight from the skillet or tuck them into red sauce or sandwiches for classic Italian-American comfort.
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Meatball and Provolone Subs
Credit: John Kernick
At Neal’s Deli in North Carolina, owner Matt Neal piles tender pork-and-beef meatballs onto a warm hero roll and tops them with melted provolone. Neal prepares a chunky housemade tomato sauce for these sandwiches, and using about six cups of jarred sauce works just as well.
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Italian Grinders with Garlic Aioli
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Chef Todd Ginsberg drew inspiration from a favorite pizza shop sandwich for this sub, layering meats and cheese with crisp iceberg lettuce and creamy garlic aioli.
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Chicken Parmesan with Pepperoni
Credit: Quentin Bacon
Chef Bryan Vietmeier of Seattle’s Take 5 Urban Market adds even more flavor to classic chicken Parmesan by topping the dish with rounds of sliced pepperoni before a quick bake to melt the cheese.
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Italian Sausage Heroes with Peppers and Onions
Credit: Quentin Bacon
The oversized, sauce-dripping sausage-and-pepper hero is a fixture at Italian-American street fairs. This streamlined version from television host and cookbook author David Rosengarten uses smaller rolls and halved sausages for a tidier, weeknight-friendly take that keeps cleanup to a minimum.
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Scallop Fritters
Credit: James Baigrie
When chef Jimmy Bradley opened the Red Cat in New York City in 1999, he set out to blend Italian-American influences with flavors from his New England roots. Here, light, crisp fritters — studded with chopped scallops and made with a clam broth–pilsner batter — capture that spirit.
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