20 Dishes That Bring A Taste Of Italy To Your Kitchen

Italian cuisine is popular around the world, and the signature combo of fresh produce and Mediterranean herbs and flavors is incredibly satisfying in a variety of dishes. Italian food can also be a practical option when planning a weekly meal rotation, as many dishes rely on simple ingredients paired well, rather than hours of complicated prep.

While pizza and pasta are staple recipes, there are many other delicious options that Italian fare has to offer, from meatball soups to hearty butter bean bowls. Each region of Italy also has its own style, with rustic, comforting food often served in the north and succulent seafood dishes popular in coastal areas.

If you are looking to inject some Italian flair into your weeknight meals, this list of our favorite recipes should give you plenty of inspiration. From simple classics such as Bolognese to the intriguing "Marry Me" Chicken, let's take a look at some dishes that bring a taste of Italy to your kitchen.

When it comes to Italian classics, Bolognese must be close to the top of the list. The rich, meaty sauce is incredibly satisfying alongside perfectly cooked pasta. 

A traditional Bolognese is often left to simmer for hours, but a family favorite such as this needs a quick, weeknight-friendly version. This recipe takes only 25 minutes from start to finish. Ground beef, garlic, canned tomatoes, and fresh black pepper create those classic Italian flavors, and a touch of cream at the end makes the sauce even more luxurious. 

Recipe: Simple Weeknight Bolognese

Soup for dinner can be a fairly pedestrian choice, unless you take inspiration from Italy and try this creamy lasagna soup. This hybrid dish is simple to prepare, meaning you can make it quickly after a long day.

The vibrant Italian flavors are all still there: tomatoes, garlic, and spicy Italian sausage. The base ingredients are cooked in a pot along with the noodles, allowing the aromatic flavors to develop. Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese top the dish, creating a mouthwatering family meal with minimal washing up.

Recipe: Super Creamy One-Pot Lasagna Soup

Evening isn't the only time to enjoy Italian cuisine. Jazz up your usual lunchtime sandwich by giving a pesto Caprese panini a whirl. With the classic Caprese salad as the filling, this simple snack is ready in minutes and will make a delicious change to your usual BLT.

The balance of flavors is incredible: intense garlicky punch from the pesto, creaminess from the mozzarella, and a wonderful tang from the fresh tomatoes. Pop the sandwich in the panini press to turn the mozzarella delightfully gooey, then tuck into a lunch worth waiting for.

Recipe: Pesto Caprese Panini

Rich creamy dinners can be hard to pull off in the short time most of us have in the early evening, but this rustic Tuscan chicken recipe makes it easy. The sumptuous cream sauce means you don't need to worry about the chicken breasts drying out. 

The sauce is full of umami-rich ingredients, including mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes, coming together to balance the cream and create intense flavor. The dish can be served on its own or with crusty Italian bread or pasta for a more substantial offering.

Recipe: Classic Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Pasta is a weeknight staple for many of us, but pairing it with a spicy sauce instead of the usual marinara can elevate things. This recipe pairs chunky rigatoni pasta with a vegetarian sauce that will keep your taste buds happy.

The star of this sauce is Calabrian chile paste, which has a bold heat that can be perfectly mellowed by adding cream. Garlic, onions, and Italian seasoning build on the complex flavors, creating a dish that tastes like it took a lot longer than 20 minutes to put together.

Recipe: Spicy Rigatoni Pasta

If the name of this pasta dish has you intrigued, you won't be disappointed once you taste it. (In fact, you may want to marry the chef who cooks it for you.)

This high-protein version of a classic pasta dish uses chickpea pasta alongside the chicken, and switches heavy cream for Greek yogurt. The classic Italian flavors are still present in the sundried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and dried oregano. As the chicken cooks in the sauce, it absorbs the mouthwatering flavors to create an easy yet tasty weeknight meal.

Recipe: High Protein Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Pasta e fagioli is a staple of Italian cuisine, combining simple ingredients to create a dish that sings with Mediterranean flavor. A cross between pasta and bean soup, this recipe is deeply satisfying and offers a nutrition boost from the vitamin-rich chard.

The steps to make pasta e fagioli are straightforward, but dried beans need to be soaked for at least two hours, so be sure to plan around this. Once you've made the aromatic sauce, add the cooked beans and pasta for a hearty meal.

Recipe: Classic Pasta E Fagioli (With Chard)

Spaghetti carbonara is one of the most beloved Italian dishes worldwide, and the umami punch of pancetta gives it a distinctive flavor. Vegetarians needn't miss out, however, as this recipe shows.

Replacing pancetta with vegetarian sausages and sliced zucchini gives the pasta dish a beautifully balanced base, while the egg yolks and Parmesan cheese create a silky sauce to bring everything together. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will enjoy this luxurious, plant-based dish.

Recipe: Vegetarian Spaghetti 'Carbonara'

Shrimp scampi spaghetti is a brilliant Italian seafood option for a special meal, but this baked recipe puts a twist on the classic. Instead of frying the shrimp with aromatics, they are marinated in white wine and lemon juice and stuffed with a garlic and focaccia mix.

The stuffing is heavily seasoned with classic Italian ingredients and herbs, including Parmesan cheese, parsley, and black pepper. Once baked, the shrimp can be served with pasta or rice, or enjoyed on their own as an elegant appetizer or light entree.

Recipe: Baked Stuffed Shrimp Scampi

There's nothing quite like a crispy Italian pizza, and this foolproof pizza dough recipe will allow you to make it at home like a pro. This recipe requires a bit of advanced preparation, but there is no doubt it will be worth the wait.

Start by blooming your yeast and combine it with olive oil, flour, and salt to create the pizza base. The dough then needs to be rested before being stretched and kneaded multiple times, before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. You can then hone your pizzaiola skills by stretching it out to size and adding your favorite toppings.

Recipe: Fool-Proof Homemade Pizza Dough

Tiramisu is the ultimate Italian dessert, and this pistachio version has a deliciously nutty twist. The absence of alcohol also means it is suitable for those who are teetotal.

Ladyfingers make up the base of the dish, and these are soaked in espresso and pistachio extract. Pistachio paste is combined with marscapone for the creamy topping, meaning the pistachio flavor comes through loud and clear. This is the perfect elegant dessert for a family event or dinner party, and can be made in advance and chilled in the fridge overnight before serving.

Recipe: Pistachio Tiramisu

Pomodori con riso is a traditional dish from Rome and makes a perfect summer dinner. Featuring large, fresh tomatoes stuffed with savory risotto, simple Italian flavors shine through in this versatile meal.

The risotto is cooked first before being added to the scooped-out tomatoes and baked. Crispy roast potatoes are also baked in the same pan, adding a second portion of tasty carbs. This recipe is ideal for a garden party or a quick after-work dinner.

Recipe: Pomodori Con Riso (Roman Baked Stuffed Tomatoes)

Beans of all types are integral to Italian cuisine, and as a nation, they have a particular fondness for butter beans. Also known as lima beans, these legumes are large in size and have a creamy texture, making them ideal in a rustic, Mediterranean dish.

This butter bean recipe features ingredients from across Italy, including Tuscan kale and Calabrian chile peppers, giving the dish a robust flavor that allows it to pair beautifully with a hearty entree. You'll need to soak the dried beans before cooking, but after that, everything simmers together in the same pot for a low-maintenance dish.

Recipe: Italian-Style Butter Beans

Preparing food for a picnic can be fun, but there's no need to stick to the same old sandwiches. If you're going to make a picnic sandwich, make it right, and try this Italian version of a cheese and ham panini.

Herby focaccia bread gives a satisfying crunch. Mortadella, ricotta, and mozzarella make for a mouthwatering filling, with fresh arugula and red chile flakes brightening the flavors. Pop the sandwich on the skillet until the cheese becomes gooey and the bread turns golden brown, then challenge yourself to resist eating it until your picnic begins.

Recipe: Grilled Italian Picnic Sandwich

Panzanella is a famous bread salad from Tuscany, and in this recipe, small portions of it are stuffed into Campari tomatoes, creating perfect bite-sized appetizers. These are easy to prepare, though the mixture does need an hour in the fridge, and they are pretty enough to serve at a dinner party.

The tomatoes are hollowed out, then stuffed with the bread mixture. Bell peppers, capers, and garlic give the filling plenty of bold Mediterranean flavor, and the baked, crusty bread creates texture. Basil on top gives an extra punch of Italian freshness.

Recipe: Bite-Sized Panzanella Stuffed Tomatoes

Artichokes are a staple of Italian cuisine, especially in Sicily, where they feature in many local recipes. While you may have tried artichokes on a pizza or in risotto, this recipe elevates them to the star of the dish.

Once the fresh artichokes have been prepared, they are stuffed with a mixture of classic Sicilian ingredients, including anchovies, pine nuts, Pecorino cheese, and currants. They are then steamed until tender and served with a lemon wedge to add a burst of bright flavor. The result is an authentic Sicilian dish that looks great and tastes even better.

Recipe: Sicilian-Style Stuffed Artichokes

If your weeknight pastas are starting to look too similar, switch things up by trying this classic Italian dish. Named after the two main ingredients, cheese and black pepper, cacio e pepe contains only three other ingredients: salt, butter, and bucatini pasta.

The pasta is cooked, then added to a pan containing melted butter and cracked peppercorns, before the grated pecorino cheese is sprinkled over the top. As the cheese melts, the simple sauce is created, and the dish is complete in less than 15 minutes. 

Recipe: Classic Bucatini Cacio E Pepe

The next time you reach for a jar of tomato sauce, consider how easy it is to make your own. This all-purpose sauce only requires five minutes of preparation before being left to simmer.

Minced garlic and chopped onions are sauteed in olive oil before being combined with canned tomatoes or passata, Italian herbs, and a dash of sugar. 15 minutes later, you will have a rich, versatile sauce that can be used on pizza, pasta, or as part of a more complex meat or fish dish.

Recipe: Basic All-Purpose Tomato Sauce

Granita is an Italian classic dessert, originating in Sicily, and providing a refreshing option to end a meal. This coffee-flavored version provides a caffeine hit at the same time, making it a fantastic after-dinner treat or a fun alternative to iced coffee on a hot day.

Sugar is dissolved in hot coffee and a little coffee liqueur before being frozen for an hour, at which point the mixture is broken up and stirred, then returned to the freezer. This process is repeated several times until the mixture has frozen. Whipped cream flavored with vanilla and sugar is added to the top to provide contrast to the crunchy granita.

Recipe: Coffee Granita

Despite the name, Italian wedding soup is not served at weddings — its name instead refers to the perfect marriage of ingredients. In the absence of nuptials, this hearty soup makes a substantial lunch or light dinner, and brings a delightful taste of Italy to your table.

It's filled with protein-rich meatballs, an abundance of vegetables, and pasta to make it extra-satisfying. The Italian meatballs are fragrant, made with both beef and pork, garlic, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese. Every mouthful of this soup is a delight and will leave you feeling nourished and content.

Recipe: Italian Wedding Soup With Mini Meatballs