21 Italian-Inspired Recipes for Dinners, Sides, and Small Plates
An Italian-inspired meal can start with a full dinner or a small plate on the side. Choose one recipe for the center of the table, then add another only if the meal needs it. It works well for nights when pasta, pizza, or a baked dish is what sounds right.
Tomato Pizza With Fresh Basil
Heirloom and cherry tomatoes give Tomato Pizza With Fresh Basil fresh color over mozzarella, marinara, oregano, and thyme. One 12-inch crust makes two servings, with a pizza oven completing the cook in about 2 to 3 minutes. A kitchen oven takes 8 to 10 minutes at 500°F before torn basil goes over the top. Cut it for dinner or smaller pieces when the table needs an Italian-inspired small plate.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Pizza With Fresh Basil
Aglio e Olio
Garlic-infused olive oil coats Aglio e Olio with red pepper flakes, parsley, and grated Parmesan. One pound of linguini makes six servings in 17 minutes, keeping the ingredient list short and the cooking schedule quick. Reserved pasta water loosens the sauce after the noodles move into the skillet. Serve it as a simple dinner or place smaller portions beside roasted vegetables, salad, or bread.
Get the Recipe: Aglio e Olio
Pesto Pizza
Basil sauce replaces tomato sauce on Pesto Pizza, while mozzarella and halved cherry tomatoes cover the crust. One pre-cooked pizza base makes four servings in 20 minutes, including 10 minutes in a 500°F oven. Fresh basil goes over the melted cheese after baking for another layer of herbs. Serve full slices for dinner or cut the pizza into squares for a small plate at gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Pizza
Marry Me Tortellini
Sun-dried tomatoes and garlic build the creamy sauce around Marry Me Tortellini in one pot. Cheese tortellini, vegetable broth, heavy cream, spinach, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, flour, and red pepper flakes make four servings. The 20-minute recipe cooks the pasta directly in the sauce after the aromatics and light roux are prepared. Bring it to the table when dinner needs filled pasta and greens without a separate side.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Tortellini
Gnocchi
Mashed potatoes and flour form Gnocchi before the dough is rolled, cut, rested, and boiled. Two pounds of potatoes, one egg, butter, olive oil, basil, Parmesan, and salt make four servings in 1 hour 45 minutes. The pieces cook until they float, then finish in browned butter with crisp basil leaves. Make them for a slower weekend dinner or freeze the shaped dumplings for another meal.
Get the Recipe: Gnocchi
Shrimp Alfredo
Garlic-cooked seafood gives Shrimp Alfredo a full pound of shrimp across four creamy pasta portions. Eight ounces of fettuccine combine with heavy cream, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in 30 minutes. The shrimp cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side before returning to the finished sauce. Serve the pasta with broccoli or salad when dinner needs seafood, noodles, and a rich sauce together.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Alfredo
White Pizza
Ricotta and garlic create the sauce-free base on White Pizza beneath mozzarella, Parmesan, and fresh basil. One prepared crust makes four servings in 25 minutes, with red pepper flakes and olive oil adding heat and richness. The pizza bakes for 15 minutes at 450°F until the cheese melts and the crust browns. Slice it for a family dinner or into smaller wedges for a cheese-forward appetizer.
Get the Recipe: White Pizza
Penne Alla Vodka
Tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and cream give Penne Alla Vodka a smooth sauce with gentle heat. One pound of penne, onion, garlic, vodka, red pepper flakes, Parmesan, olive oil, and herbs make four servings in 40 minutes. The sauce simmers before the cream and cheese go in, then pasta water adjusts the consistency. Add salad or roasted vegetables when the pasta needs to anchor a full dinner.
Get the Recipe: Penne Alla Vodka
Lemon Pasta
Fresh juice and zest keep Lemon Pasta bright around softened onion, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan. Eight ounces of spaghetti make four servings in 15 minutes, with reserved pasta water helping the sauce coat every strand. The onion and garlic cook for 6 to 7 minutes before the lemon enters the skillet. Serve it for lunch, dinner, or a smaller first course when the menu needs a lighter pasta.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Pasta
Pasta alla Norma
Browned eggplant fills Pasta alla Norma with vegetables beneath a tomato, garlic, oregano, and red pepper sauce. One pound of penne and a 28-ounce can of tomatoes make six servings in 40 minutes. Fresh basil and grated Parmesan finish the pasta after the eggplant returns to the skillet. Put it on the dinner table with bread or serve a smaller portion before a larger Italian-inspired main.
Get the Recipe: Pasta alla Norma
Italian Pasta Salad
Pesto coats Italian Pasta Salad before cherry tomatoes, baby bocconcini, mixed greens, and balsamic glaze join the bow ties. Six ounces of pasta make four servings in 18 minutes, including eight minutes of cooking. Rinsing the drained pasta with cold water stops the cooking and prepares it for the chilled ingredients. Pack it as a side for picnics or serve a larger bowl for lunch.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad
Chicken Tetrazzini
Cooked poultry and spaghetti make Chicken Tetrazzini a six-serving casserole under mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan. Sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, melted butter, chicken broth, peas, garlic powder, salt, and pepper create the creamy base. The one-hour recipe includes 45 minutes in a 350°F oven after a 15-minute assembly. Serve it for dinner or bring the baking dish to a gathering that needs a substantial pasta option.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tetrazzini
Mushroom Risotto
Three kinds of mushrooms give Mushroom Risotto deep savory flavor with toasted walnuts and pecans. Porcini, chestnut, and portobello mushrooms join risotto rice, white wine, vegetable stock, rosemary, garlic, butter, olive oil, and cheddar. The 50-minute recipe makes four servings and adds the warm stock gradually as the rice cooks. Offer it as a main dish or serve smaller portions beside roasted vegetables and salad.
Get the Recipe: Mushroom Risotto
Cacio e Pepe
Black pepper and finely grated cheese form the sauce on Cacio e Pepe without cream or butter. Six ounces of spaghetti, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, salt, and reserved pasta water make four servings in 30 minutes. The pepper is briefly heated before the pasta and cheese mixture are stirred together in the skillet. Serve it immediately as dinner or divide it into smaller bowls for a first course.
Get the Recipe: Cacio e Pepe
Neapolitan Pizza
Fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil, and olive oil keep Neapolitan Pizza focused on a short topping list. One 12-inch crust makes two servings, with an Ooni completing the cook in 2 to 3 minutes. A home oven needs 8 to 10 minutes at 500°F on a hot stone or tray. Serve it straight from the oven for pizza night or cut it into small slices for a shared plate.
Get the Recipe: Neapolitan Pizza
Italian Sliders
Ham, salami, and pepperoni give Italian Sliders three deli-meat layers beneath melted provolone. Roasted red peppers, optional banana peppers, butter, Italian seasoning, marinara, and 12 Hawaiian rolls complete the tray. The 40-minute recipe bakes covered for 25 minutes before the connected sandwiches are separated. Serve them for lunch, casual dinner, game day, or a small-plate spread with marinara for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Italian Sliders
Artichoke Pizza
Garlicky spinach and marinated hearts make Artichoke Pizza a vegetable-forward option with mozzarella, tomatoes, Parmesan, and basil. The two-serving recipe takes eight minutes with a pizza oven, after the spinach wilts and the artichokes warm briefly in a skillet. Pizza seasoning adds another layer before the toppings reach the crust. Serve it for dinner or cut it into narrow slices for an appetizer board.
Get the Recipe: Artichoke Pizza
Tuscan Pasta
Spinach and sun-dried tomatoes bring color to Tuscan Pasta while garlic-and-herb cream cheese thickens the sauce. One pound of spaghetti, heavy cream, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, and parsley make six servings in 30 minutes. The pasta goes into the skillet after the greens wilt and the cheeses melt, with reserved water adjusting the sauce. Add a crisp salad when a creamy pasta dinner needs something fresh beside it.
Get the Recipe: Tuscan Pasta
Italian Pasta with Salami
Tri-color rotini gives Italian Pasta with Salami a sturdy base for cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, Colby, and sliced salami. Salad seasoning and Italian dressing coat eight servings after the cooked pasta cools completely. The 1-hour 25-minute schedule includes a full hour of refrigeration so the ingredients can absorb the dressing. Bring it to a potluck or serve it as a substantial side with sandwiches and grilled food.
Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta with Salami
Caprese Pizza
Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic glaze turn Caprese Pizza into a two-serving pie with no heavy sauce. Olive oil covers one 12-inch base before the tomato and cheese slices go on. A pizza oven cooks it in 1 to 2 minutes, while a kitchen oven takes 8 to 10 minutes. Serve it as a quick dinner or cut small pieces for a summer appetizer with salad.
Get the Recipe: Caprese Pizza
Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna
Herbed ricotta and sautéed vegetables build Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna into eight layered servings. Mozzarella, Parmesan, carrots, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, spinach, marinara, no-boil noodles, and pine nuts fill a 9-by-13-inch dish. Preparation and baking take 1 hour 15 minutes, followed by a five-minute rest before slicing. Make it for dinner, holidays, or potlucks when one casserole needs to feed a larger table.
Get the Recipe: Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna
