Get more Italian inspiration with these recipes.
Italian Sprinkle CookiesOf all the Italian cookie recipes I make, this is my favorite. These sprinkle cookies take some time, but, believe me, they are well worth it! My husband and I used to operate an Italian American restaurant, and this recipe goes back generations. —Gloria Cracchiolo, Newburgh, New York
Creamy Beef LasagnaThis creamy beef lasagna is a stick-to-your-ribs entree, thanks to its Stroganoff-like filling. My family loves the delicious taste, and I appreciate that it's inexpensive to fix. —Jane Frawley, Charles Town, West Virginia
Pear and Gorgonzola SaladThis pear and gorgonzola salad is quick and easy. When I have leftover cooked chicken, I often add it to the recipe to make a main dish salad. —Candace McMenamin, Lexington, South Carolina
Soft Garlic BreadsticksI rely on a bread machine to mix the dough for this buttery garlic breadsticks recipe that is mildly seasoned with garlic and basil. I like to use this dough when making pizza, too. —Charles Smith, Baltic, Connecticut
Vegetable-Stuffed Flank SteakThis colorful beef dish was always a favorite request for birthday dinners while I was growing up. Savory, special and stuffed full of vegetables, it's as tender as the memories it still brings back every time I make it. —Julie Etzel, Tualatin, Oregon
Quick and Easy TiramisuNo one can resist this classic cool and creamy dessert. It's quick to prepare but can be made ahead for added mealtime convenience.
Portobello Risotto with MascarponePortobello mushrooms add a beefy flavor to this creamy classic. Each serving is topped with soft, buttery mascarpone cheese, which makes it extra special. —Carmella Ryan, Rockville Centre, New York
Italian Cream Cheese CakeButtermilk makes every bite of this awesome Italian cream cheese cake recipe moist and flavorful. I rely on this recipe year-round.—Joyce Lutz, Centerview, Missouri
The Best Ever LasagnaMy brother, Joe, created this lasagna based on our mom’s recipe. It’s a family favorite at Christmas, thanks to the special ingredients that make it
magnifico. —Stephanie Marchese,
Taste of Home Visual Production Director
Anise PizzelleThese lovely, golden brown anise pizzelle cookies have a crisp texture and delicate anise flavor. I create them using a pizzelle iron. —Barbara Colucci, Rockledge, Florida
Gnocchi with Spinach and Chicken SausageDinner is easy when I can use ingredients typically found in my fridge and pantry. —Laura Miller, Lake Ann, Michigan
Italian Appetizer MeatballsStore-bought spaghetti sauce speeds up the preparation of these homemade meatball appetizers. Leftovers make terrific sub sandwiches.—Rene McCrory, Indianapolis, Indiana
Nana's Italian RouladeMy great-aunt from Sicily taught my mother how to stuff and bake a steak in a jelly-roll style. It’s unique and really special in our family. —Roseanne McDonald, Days Creek, Oregon
Garlic KnotsThese novel garlic knots are handy because they can be made ahead of time and reheated when needed. —Jane Paschke, University Park, Florida
Cranberry Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter SauceTo make light and airy gnocchi, work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. You'll be pleased with the resulting pillowy dumplings. —Sally Sibthorpe, Shelby Township, Michigan
Tuscan Grapes and SausagesThis recipe is one of my go-tos when entertaining. It's simple, elegant and you can entertain your guests instead of spending the entire time in the kitchen. The whole pieces of garlic in this dish become so sweet, a lovely complement to the sweet grapes and spicy sausage. —Melissa Zienter, Las Vegas, Nevada
Gingerbread Amaretti CookiesThe classic Italian cookie gets a new gingerbread twist! Don’t overbake—they should be slightly chewy. —Tina Zaccardi, Eastchester, New York
Chicken Pesto MeatballsThese tender, pesto-stuffed meatballs get gobbled up in our house. They're short on ingredients, but packed with flavor. I always make a double batch, freezing the other half for a busy night. —Ally Billhorn, Wilton, Iowa
Over-the-Rainbow MinestroneThis colorful soup is vegetarian-friendly and full of fresh flavors from a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
Amaretto Ricotta CheesecakeThere's a good reason why a relative handed this cherished recipe down to me. It's a keeper! The amaretto and ricotta make for a truly unique dessert. —Isabel Neuman, Surprise, Arizona
Flounder with Shrimp StuffingThe delicious shrimp-herb stuffing makes this fish recipe special enough for company. But it really isn’t hard to make, and since our family enjoys fish, we eat it often. —Marie Forte, Raritan, New Jersey
Italian Herb-Crusted Pork LoinI like to change things up during the holidays with pork loin recipes that incorporate my favorite herbs and veggies. This showpiece dish really dazzles my family. —Kim Palmer, Kingston, Georgia
Italian Chocolate Spice CookiesI recently found this old family recipe in my mom’s kitchen. I made a few adjustments to streamline the process, and the cookies turned out wonderfully. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida
Hearty Ragu BologneseMy robust ragu combines ground beef, sausage and chicken. Serve it over any type of pasta, or baked or fried polenta. It's even good on its own with a slice of hot buttered garlic bread. —Caroline Brody, Forest Hills, New York
Cherry Tomato SaladThis recipe evolved from a need to use the bumper crops of delicious cherry tomatoes we grow. It's one of my favorite cherry tomato recipes, especially at cookouts. —Sally Sibley, St. Augustine, Florida
Marinated Olive & Cheese RingWe love to make meals into celebrations, and antipasto always kicks off the party for Italian dinners. This one is almost too pretty to eat, especially when sprinkled with pimientos, fresh basil and parsley. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
Spinach Chicken ManicottiPepper and nutmeg spice up the rich sauce in this hearty chicken and spinach manicotti. I made this for my boyfriend on our first Valentine’s Day. It was a big success—now we're married! —Amy Luce, Dallas, Texas
Cherry Tomato & Basil FocacciaWhen I had 80 pounds of tomatoes, I got creative incorporating them into meals. Sometimes I slice this loaf into squares to make sandwiches with fresh mozzarella cheese and deli meats. —Katie Ferrier, Houston, Texas
Italian Pasta BakeI love to make this pasta bake whenever I need to bring a dish to pass. Fresh tomatoes add a nice touch that's missing from most other meat, pasta and tomato casseroles.—Karla Johnson, East Helena, Montana
Spicy Seafood StewThe hardest part of this quick and easy recipe is peeling and dicing the potatoes—and you can even do that the night before. Just place the potatoes in water and store them in the refrigerator overnight to speed up assembly the next day. —Bonnie Marlow, Ottoville, Ohio
Olive FocacciaWhen I add my own special touches to a basic focaccia recipe—including sun-dried tomatoes, olives and roasted sweet red peppers—the results were simply delectable. The flavorful, chewy loaf makes a wonderful accompaniment to nearly any meal. —Dee Froemel, Hayward, Wisconsin
Cheesy Spinach-Stuffed ShellsThis is my own personal recipe. I'm very proud of it because I am still a beginner cook and it was the first recipe I created. You can adjust it to your liking by doubling the spinach or adding some meat. —Laci Hooten, McKinney, Texas
Herbed Bread TwistsA blend of herbs and a special shape dress up ordinary frozen bread dough in this unbelievably easy recipe. —Deb Stapert, Comstock Park, Michigan
Fig & Almond CookiesIn our family, holiday cookies—like these nutty fig ones—are a big deal. I'm so proud to be passing on this Italian tradition to my two boys. —Angela Lemoine, Howell, New Jersey
White Bean Soup with EscaroleThis escarole and bean soup has become a favorite because it uses kitchen staples, it's packed with healthy ingredients and is a cinch to prepare. If I can't find escarole, I sub fresh spinach at the very end of cooking. —Gina Samokar, North Haven, Connecticut
Penne alla VodkaThis easy and impressive pasta is always on the menu when my husband and I have new friends over for dinner. Years later, they've asked me to make this Penne alla Vodka recipe again. —Cara Langer, Overland Park, Kansas
Holiday BiscottiA twice-baked Italian cookie, biscotti makes a wonderful "dunker." A pretty way to present a batch is on a seasonal plate arranged in a wagon-wheel fashion. —Libia Foglesong, San Bruno, California
Pasta Fagioli al FornoThe name of this Italian-inspired dish means "baked pasta with beans." But my busy family translates it as "super satisfying dinner." —Cindy Preller, Grayslake, Illinois
Italian Christmas CookiesA single batch of these ricotta cheese cookies is never enough. I usually make one to give away and two more to keep at home. The ricotta cheese makes the morsels extra moist. —Doris Marshall, Strasburg, Pennsylvania
Stamp-of-Approval Spaghetti SauceMy father is very opinionated, especially about food. This recipe received his almost unreachable stamp of approval. I have yet to hear a disagreement from anyone who has tried it! —Melissa Taylor, Higley, Arizona
Perfect Four-Cheese LasagnaLasagna is one of my favorites, and this is the recipe I’ve been making since I was a teenager. It’s a tantalizing combo of pasta, meat sauce, cheese and more cheese that really lives up to its name! —Lauren Delaney-Wallace, Glen Carbon, Illinois
PizzelleThis recipe was adapted from one that my Italian-born mother and grandmother followed. They used old irons on a gas stove, but now we have the convenience of electric pizzelle irons. These delectable cookies are still a traditional treat in our family. —Elizabeth Schwartz, Trevorton, Pennsylvania
Italian Chocolate-Hazelnut Cheesecake PieI first prepared an Italian-style cheese pie years ago. When I added a chocolate-hazelnut topping, it proved so popular that I had to give out copies of the recipe.—Steve Meredith, Streamwood, Illinois
Cranberry Walnut BiscottiA chocolate drizzle lends a little extra sweetness to biscotti.—Joan Duckworth, Lee's Summit, Missouri
The Best Eggplant ParmesanTruly delicious! I love eggplant and have many recipes, but this one's my favorite. The cheeses and seasonings make this dish unforgettable. —Dottie Kilpatrick, Wilmington, North Carolina
Bread Machine PanettoneThis bread machine panettone is easy to make. Every tender, moist slice is filled with candied fruit and raisins. —Josephine Bianchi, Bristol, New Hampshire
Citrus Almond CookiesThese frosted goodies were a "must" every Christmas in my mother's family. I think the blend of milk chocolate, toasted almonds, lemon and orange is cookie perfection.
Slow-Cooker Spaghetti & MeatballsI’ve been cooking for 50 years, and this dish is still one that guests request frequently. It is my No. 1 standby recipe and also makes amazing meatball sandwiches. The sauce works for any type of pasta. —Jane Whittaker, Pensacola, Florida
Sweet Italian Holiday BreadThis is authentic ciambellotto, a sweet loaf my great-grandmother used to bake in Italy. I still use her traditional recipe—the only update I made was for using modern appliances. —Denise Perrin, Vancouver, Washington
MostaccioliEven though we're not Italian, this rich, cheesy pasta dish is a "family tradition" for holidays and special occasions. I was delighted the first time I tried this mostaccioli recipe—it has all the flavor of lasagna without the work of layering the ingredients. Try it…I'm sure it'll become one of your family's favorites, too! —Nancy Mundhenke, Kinsley, Kansas
Updated: Jan. 20, 2023
