19 Italian recipes that are way too easy to taste this fancy

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Some of my favorite recipes to make are Italian food. From focaccia to pasta in all its forms, you can’t go wrong with an Italian meal. In this roundup, which includes one low-carb pizza recipe, you’ll find 19 Italian recipes that taste fancy but are super easy to make.

A plate of linguine with shrimp and pesto sauce, garnished with parsley. A fork and napkin are placed beside the dish.
Easy Gremolata Recipe. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Easy Pasta Puttanesca

A pan full of spaghetti and tomatoes on a tablecloth.
Easy Pasta Puttanesca. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Pasta Puttanesca is a perfect solution for busy nights when you want something packed with bold flavors. It comes together quickly, making it a great choice when you’re craving a hearty meal without spending much time in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Easy Pasta Puttanesca

Goat Cheese Pizza Sauce

A hand holding a slice of freshly baked pizza with cheese stretching between the slice and the rest of the pizza.
Goat Cheese Pizza Sauce. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Goat cheese in your pizza sauce is a game-changer. The creamy goat cheese mixed with tomato sauce adds a rich layer of flavor that takes your pizza to the next level.
Get the Recipe: Goat Cheese Pizza Sauce

Sourdough Pizza Dough

Sliced gourmet pizza with arugula and balsamic glaze on a wooden board.
Sourdough Pizza Dough. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

If you’ve never worked with Sourdough Pizza Dough, give it a try. Pizza is always a favorite around here, but once we switched to sourdough, it became our new go-to for pizza nights.
Get the Recipe: Sourdough Pizza Dough

Goat Cheese Focaccia with Dates

A close-up of freshly baked focaccia topped with rosemary, caramelized onions, and cheese.
Goat Cheese Focaccia with Dates. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Focaccia Bread with Goat Cheese and Dates is a fantastic dish for brunch or a potluck. It’s a step up from the usual cheese platters and veggie dips, guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Get the Recipe: Goat Cheese Focaccia with Dates

Homemade Focaccia Bread

A rosemary-topped loaf of bread in a decorative baking dish, placed on a tablecloth with a tiled backsplash in the background.
Homemade Focaccia Bread. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Homemade Focaccia is the ultimate olive-oil bread, often topped with rosemary, cheese, veggies or meat. Whether as a side, appetizer or main course, it’s a simple recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Focaccia Bread

Risotto Shrimp Scampi

A bowl of creamy risotto with shrimp, topped with green herbs, and a spoon resting on the side.
Risotto Shrimp Scampi. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Risotto Shrimp Scampi brings together two Italian classics in one dish. It’s perfect for entertaining and cooks up quickly—especially if the risotto is already pre-made.
Get the Recipe: Risotto Shrimp Scampi

Fast No Rise Pizza Dough

A ladle pours tomato sauce onto an uncooked pizza dough placed on a round black pan.
Fast No Rise Pizza Dough. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Need pizza dough fast? Fast, No Rise Pizza Dough is your solution. Mix, shape, add your favorite toppings and bake for a homemade pizza in no time.
Get the Recipe: Fast No Rise Pizza Dough

Copycat Trader Joe’s Arancini Rice Balls

A person pulling apart a gooey, cheese-filled arancini with more of the fried rice balls and sauce in the background.
Copycat Trader Joe’s Arancini Rice Balls. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Arancini are crispy fried risotto balls stuffed with cheese. Since Trader Joe’s no longer sells them, we’ve created a copycat recipe that’s great as an appetizer or side dish.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Trader Joe’s Arancini Rice Balls

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine

A close-up of fettuccine Alfredo topped with grilled chicken pieces, garnished with parsley. Breadstick visible in the background.
Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo makes a fast, easy dinner that tastes just like the restaurant version. Topped with seasoned chicken and tossed in rich Alfredo sauce, it’s a meal you can enjoy at home.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine

Easy Pepperoni Pizza

Close-up of a cheese pizza slice with tomato sauce and fresh basil on a parchment background.
Easy Pepperoni Pizza. Photo credit: My Full Belly.

The Easy Pepperoni Pizza recipe is a game-changer for anyone looking for low-carb comfort food. So why not shake up your usual dinner routine and give this pizza a try, whether you eat low carb or not.
Get the Recipe: Easy Pepperoni Pizza

Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta in One Pot

A close-up of creamy macaroni and cheese garnished with parsley.
Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta in One Pot. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta in One Pot is a hearty, one-dish meal that cooks in under 30 minutes. It’s the perfect option when you need a comforting, flavorful dinner fast.
Get the Recipe: Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta in One Pot

30-Minute Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta

Creamy Chicken And Corn Pasta closeup partial of finished dish cropped horizontal.
30-Minute Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta is a comforting dish combining bowtie pasta, seasoned chicken and bacon. It’s simple but full of flavor.
Get the Recipe: 30-Minute Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta

Easy Shrimp Scampi

A blue bowl filled with shrimp and rice, topped with green herbs, with a metal spoon in the bowl.
Easy Shrimp Scampi. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Shrimp Scampi is a quick and easy dinner that’s sure to impress. With minimal prep, you can enjoy a restaurant-quality dish at home in no time.
Get the Recipe: Easy Shrimp Scampi

Easy Cold Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

A white bowl filled with tri-color rotini pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber chunks, and feta cheese on a red-and-white checkered tablecloth.
Easy Cold Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Cold Pasta Salad is my go-to meal during warm weather. And during the winter, it becomes a perfect appetizer or salad course for a bigger meal. It’s quick and easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cold Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Easy Tomato Focaccia

Freshly baked focaccia with cherry tomatoes and herbs in a rectangular baking dish.
Easy Tomato Focaccia. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Easy Tomato Focaccia Bread combines my love for focaccia and pizza into one delicious creation. This puffy, pizza-like bread is a gourmet take on the cafeteria pizza I grew up enjoying.
Get the Recipe: Easy Tomato Focaccia

Crock Pot Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo with Tortellini

Close-up of tortellini pasta cooking in a creamy yellow sauce with pieces of chicken, stirred by a wooden spoon.
Crock Pot Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo with Tortellini. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Crock Pot Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo with Tortellini is a one-pot meal that tastes just like the restaurant version. The chicken simmers in Alfredo sauce, and once the cream and tortellini are added, it’s a hearty, flavorful dish.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo with Tortellini

Slow Cooker Caesar Chicken With Pasta

A ladle scooping creamy chicken pasta with rotini and spinach from a slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Caesar Chicken With Pasta. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

When you make this recipe for Caesar Chicken with Pasta in the Slow Cooker, you’re making a dish that can give you many meals. From the initial warm bowl of pasta to the leftover creamy chicken, read on for all the different ways you can serve this easy dinner and then reuse your leftovers creatively.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Caesar Chicken With Pasta

Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine

A hand holding a fork twirls spaghetti with shrimp in a white bowl, with a glass of white wine in the background on a wooden table.
Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine is a classic Italian dish that’s quick and impressive. Whether cooking for yourself or hosting, it turns simple ingredients into something special.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine

Easy Gremolata Recipe

A bowl filled with chopped green leafy vegetables, placed on a table.
Easy Gremolata Recipe. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Gremolata is an easy, Italian parsley-based recipe for a condiment that gives a fresh pop of flavor to almost any dish. It is often served as a garnish or side with fish and meat. It is reminiscent of middle eastern tabbouleh but without the grains. Here’s a simple way to make it.
Get the Recipe: Easy Gremolata Recipe

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