Buon appetito! 15 Italian meals you shouldn’t miss

Italian food is like a warm hug on a plate, perfect for any occasion. Whether it’s a cozy family dinner or a big celebration, these meals bring a wonderful taste of Italy to your home. They’re so delicious, that you’ll be shouting “Buon Appetito!” after every bite, wondering how you ever lived without them. Get ready to enjoy these 15 Italian meals you shouldn’t miss, making every meal feel special and full of flavor.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

When you want a blanket but you’re hungry, the only answer is a bowl of Chicken Gnocchi Soup—it’s warmth and comfort dolloped with a spoon. This soup is like your most reliable friend—it won’t let you down and always knows how to cheer you up. As for the gnocchi, these little doughy delights are basically floating hugs in your bowl. Free tip: Curling up on your couch with this soup is a pro-level move.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Garlic Shrimp Scampi

When shrimp and garlic decided to tie the knot, the world was blessed with Garlic Shrimp Scampi, the ultimate seafood soirée on a plate. This is the kind of meal that could make a grown pirate swoon; it’s nautical fine dining with none of the pomp and all of the flavor. And if you’re whispering sweet nothings to your fork by the end of the meal, know that you’re not alone.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Shrimp Scampi

Pesto Orzo Salad

This isn’t just any Pesto Orzo Salad; it’s like a garden party went off in your mouth and everyone’s invited. It’s zingy, it’s tangy; it’s that surprise hit at the picnic that people keep talking about long after the ants have marched away. No one saw it coming, but suddenly you can’t picture your summer—or heck, any season—without it.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad

Shrimp Scampi Pizza

Love triangles can be so passé, but the love TRIANGLE slices of Shrimp Scampi Pizza are a whole different story. It makes you wonder, why should pasta have all the fun when pizza can strut its scrumptious seafood topping too? Call the neighbors, alert the press—there’s a new slice in town and it’s swimming in garlicky, cheesy goodness. If this pizza was a movie star, it would be walking the red carpet every day of the week!
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Scampi Pizza

Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

If there was an Academy Award for best dressing, Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette would be giving its acceptance speech and thanking the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar for their support. This dressing walks onto a salad like it owns the place—it’s creamy, it’s dreamy, and it just turned your leafy greens into the main event. Honestly, you could drizzle this stuff on a flip-flop and it would be a taste sensation.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Tortellini Soup with Kale & Chicken

Thinking of Tortellini Soup with Kale & Chicken as just another meal is like calling a unicorn a horse—it just doesn’t do it justice. It’s like the supergroup of soups, where each member brings their A-game to rock your socks off. Peek into the pot and you’ll see tortellini busting moves with kale and chicken like they’ve got the keys to the castle. Buckle up, because this bowl is going to whisk you off into a whirlwind of deliciousness.
Get the Recipe: Tortellini Soup with Kale & Chicken

Birria Pizza

Birria Pizza is like that cool exchange student that shows up and totally revitalizes the classroom vibe. It’s a cross-cultural handshake between Italy and Mexico that your mouth is not going to forget any time soon. With every bite, you’re at a fiesta where the DJ is spinning flavors that make you want to dance in your seat.
Get the Recipe: Birria Pizza

Italian Chicken

Ever met a dinner that doubles as a one-way ticket to the Amalfi Coast? That’s Italian Chicken for you, simple yet oh-so swanky. This dish doesn’t need bells and whistles to make your palate swoon; it’s all about that understated charm and flavor finesse. Bring your appetite, folks, because this bird’s about to lay down some serious culinary law, Italian style!
Get the Recipe: Italian Chicken

Ham & Asparagus Pizza

Ham & Asparagus Pizza doesn’t just enter a room—it makes an entrance with jazz hands, and suddenly, it’s the life of the party. It slices through convention and serves up proof that there’s more to pizza life than pepperoni. Ever wanted to try green on your pizza but felt too chicken? This masterpiece will have you singing its praises to veggie naysayers far and wide. Plus, it’s classy enough to wear a bowtie on a pizza box.
Get the Recipe: Ham & Asparagus Pizza

Oven Roasted Asparagus with Mascarpone

If your side dish dreams had a VIP list, Oven Roasted Asparagus with Mascarpone would never wait in line. We’re talking about spears of asparagus that honestly believe they’re royalty because, well, they kind of are when dolloped with that creamy mascarpone. Sure, you could share it with your guests, but let’s be real, you’ll want this all to yourself. And who could blame you? It’s like giving your plate a touch of nobility.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Asparagus with Mascarpone

Pasta with Ricotta & Tomatoes

Let’s take a moment of silence for all the times Pasta with Ricotta & Tomatoes has single-handedly rescued dinner. With cheese that clings to pasta like gossip at a family reunion, this dish is the ultimate comfort without the fluff. If you’re looking for a meal that’s equivalent to a snuggly throw blanket on a lazy Sunday, then you’ve landed in the right bowl.
Get the Recipe: Pasta with Ricotta & Tomatoes

Creamed Spinach with Mascarpone

Get ready to roll out the red carpet because Creamed Spinach with Mascarpone just turned this humble leaf into a luxury. It’s the underdog of the veggie world that’s been hitting the gym and is back with a vengeance—and a whole lot of creaminess, thanks to mascarpone. Now, brace yourself; this little dish might just become the main attraction at your dinner table. And honestly, it’s so good, it might even steal your dessert’s thunder!
Get the Recipe: Creamed Spinach with Mascarpone

Sausage & Broccoli Rabe Pasta

Sausage & Broccoli Rabe Pasta doesn’t mess around—it’s the robust, no-nonsense dinner that tells hunger to take a hike. This pasta’s got the gusto to be the powerhouse of your dining table, thrilling even the toughest of critics (yes, including your picky toddler). And for those who doubt the power of green veggies, broccoli rabe’s about to do some serious flexing. Face it, each bite is like a high-five to your mouth from Italy itself!
Get the Recipe: Sausage & Broccoli Rabe Pasta

Tortellini Soup with Sausage

This Tortellini Soup with Sausage is what happens when your favorite pasta wants to take a swim with some sizzling sausage in a lake of savory broth. It’s like a congregation of all the best comfort foods having a potluck in your mouth. You better bring a big spoon because this soup is not messing around with those dinky little teaspoons. Quick warning: You’ll want to hold your bowl like it’s the only treasure you’ve got.
Get the Recipe: Tortellini Soup with Sausage

Greek Spaghetti

Who says you can’t have a little Opa in your spaghetti? This dish is like that one friend who shows up at a potluck and unexpectedly steals the show—yes, Greek Spaghetti is THAT friend. It’s pasta with a personality so flavorful, you’ll half expect it to break out into a dance on your plate. You won’t need to hop on a plane to Greece when the flavors in this dish have enough mileage to bring the Mediterranean to you!
Get the Recipe: Greek Spaghetti