17 Nonna’s Secret Italian Dishes That Won’t Leave You Missing Those Expensive Restaurants

Cook What You Love ^ | December 23, 2024 | Chef Jenn Allen

[nickcarraway]

Forget long waits and hefty bills—these 17 Italian classics show how homemade can beat the high-end every time. With Nonna’s secrets guiding the way, every dish is a masterclass in keeping things authentic, flavorful, and utterly fulfilling. They’re the kind of recipes that make even the best trattorias a little jealous. You don’t need to tip anyone, except maybe the chef in your mirror.

Italian Pot Roast Pasta

If cozy dinners are your thing, you’ll love this combo of tender pot roast with pasta. It turns a classic comfort meal into something you can twirl on a fork. Italian Pot Roast Pasta doesn’t need a special occasion to be enjoyed, making any dinner feel like a Sunday family gathering. It’s proof that combining two favorites, slow-cooked meat and pasta, is always a good idea.

Classic Shrimp Scampi

Sometimes, the simplest dishes hold the most appeal, and shrimp lovers will rejoice at this dish. Rich and garlicky, it takes a straightforward approach to seafood. In Classic Shrimp Scampi, the focus is on enhancing the natural flavors rather than overwhelming them. Perfect for a quick dinner, its simplicity is its greatest charm. Get the Recipe: Classic Shrimp Scampi

Chicken Cacciatore

Imagine your kitchen filled with the aroma of herbs and simmered chicken that reminds you of a rustic Italian country house. Chicken Cacciatore is a classic Italian dish that offers a fantastic combination of savory flavors. It’s a one-pot wonder that makes clean-up easy and dinner filling. This dish is just right for those who love a touch of tradition with their meals. Get the Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore

Italian Wedding Soup

For soup lovers, there’s nothing more inviting than a warm bowl of Italian Wedding Soup. This dish melds meat and greens in a broth that’s accented with just the right amount of seasoning. It’s as ideal for a cozy night in as it is for a special occasion meal. Plus, who doesn’t love a meal that feels like a celebration every time? Get the Recipe: Italian Wedding Soup

Pasta with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

Bringing the freshness of cherry tomatoes to the forefront, this pasta dish is all about highlighting fresh, clean flavors. Pasta with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce has a lightness that’s perfect for those who appreciate a less is more approach. It’s quick to prepare and always leaves everyone wanting more. Perfect for a busy weekday meal or a casual dinner with friends.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

When you crave something hearty and filling, this is the go-to dish. Pasta e Fagioli Soup combines pasta and beans in a rich broth, offering a texture and depth that’s hard to match. It’s both nourishing and deeply satisfying without being overly heavy. Ideal for chilly evenings or when you need a comforting meal. Get the Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast Pasta. Photo credit: Dinner by Six.

For those who love coming home to a meal that’s ready to serve, this dish offers convenience and flavor packed into one. The slow cooker does all the hard work, melding flavors over hours for Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast Pasta, which is just as delicious as it sounds. This dish combines the depth of a pot roast with the hearty satisfaction of pasta. It’s a crowd-pleaser that frees up your day. Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast Pasta

Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

If you’ve been yearning for that rich, creamy Alfredo Sauce from your favorite restaurant, this copycat recipe brings it to your table. Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce is indulgently creamy and smooth, perfect over your choice of pasta. It’s ideal for an Italian feast night and much more cost-effective than dining out. A sure hit for any gathering, large or small.

Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich

Take your sandwich game to the next level with this Italian-inspired creation. Featuring succulent grilled chicken and fresh Caprese elements, Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich brings a bit of Italy to your lunchtime. It’s quick to assemble, making it perfect for a delicious last-minute meal. Whether you’re at home or on the go, this sandwich stands out.

Authentic Bolognese Sauce

If you cherish slow-cooked meals that allow flavors to develop and deepen, this is your dish. Authentic Bolognese Sauce is robust and meaty, perfect for those who love a good, thick sauce on their pasta. It’s the kind of meal that commands attention at the dinner table and is perfect for sharing with family and friends. It’s a true taste of Italy right in your kitchen.

Chicken Piccata Two chicken piccata on a white plate with parsley and lemon wedges. Chicken Piccata. Photo credit: Cook What You Love. Known for its vibrant and tangy flavor profile, this chicken dish is a wonderful choice for those who appreciate a lighter, lemon-infused meal. Chicken Piccata provides an enticing blend of flavors with a touch of sophistication. It’s incredibly versatile, easily paired with pasta or a side of veggies. Whether it’s a weeknight or a special occasion, this dish fits right in. Get the Recipe: Chicken Piccata

Polenta with Mascarpone

When you’re in the mood for something different yet comforting, turn to this creamy delight. Polenta with Mascarpone is smooth, with a subtle richness that comes beautifully together in each spoonful. It can be a wonderful base for various toppings or enjoyed gloriously on its own. It’s a soothing, creamy dish that’s especially comforting on a cool evening.

Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Alfredo

Seafood and pasta enthusiasts will find a perfect blend in this rich and creamy dish. Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Alfredo takes the classic Alfredo and upgrades it with the addition of plump, juicy shrimp. Ideal for when you desire something a bit more upscale without leaving your home. It makes dining in feel like a treat. Get the Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Alfredo

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Combining the fresh flavors of bruschetta topping with perfectly grilled chicken, this dish creates a magical blend that is hard to resist. Grilled Bruschetta Chicken is as visually appealing as it is delicious. With flavors that pop with every bite, it’s a summer favorite that’s welcome year-round. It’s perfect for an outdoor meal or a family dinner.

Pizza Pasta Salad

Blend the beloved flavors of pizza with the cool freshness of a pasta salad. Pizza Pasta Salad is as fun to eat as it sounds. This dish is perfect for picnics and potlucks, where it’s sure to be a crowd favorite. It’s an easy, go-to recipe for when you need something quick, delicious, and a little different. Get the Recipe: Pizza Pasta Salad

Gnocchi with Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

For those who adore the pillowy texture of gnocchi, this dish adds a refreshing twist with a light lemony sauce. Gnocchi with Lemon-Parmesan Sauce is delicate yet flavorful, providing a nice balance to the richness of the gnocchi. It’s sophisticated enough for a dinner party yet easy enough for a weekday meal. A refreshing change from heavier, tomato-based pasta dishes.

Copycat Il Fornaio Rigatoni Alla Vodka

Bringing home the flavors of a beloved Italian restaurant dish, this pasta is all about creamy, tomato-rich goodness. Copycat Il Fornaio Rigatoni Alla Vodka offers a smooth, velvety texture that clings beautifully to the pasta. It’s perfect for a night when you want to impress without much fuss. A lovely blend of simple yet bold flavors.

[aquila48]

Yum!

[tumblindice]

Chef Jim?

[LouAvul]

.

[DeplorablePaul]

Years ago I got a Soprano’s Family Cookbook for Christmas. It was supposed to be the recipes for the dishes seen on the show. It has many of the recipes listed here. It was surprisingly good.

[Liz]

Grilled Chicken-Caprese-Sandwich
Succulent chicken, toasted Italian bread, Italian gremolata drizzled w/ olive oil, easy and delicious.

Ing Gremolata Spread 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh basil finely chopped 1 teaspoon lemon zest ½ teaspoon garlic paste 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Chicken Olive oil 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded thinly 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 slices Italian bread 1 fresh ripe tomato sliced 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese packed in water and sliced A handful of fresh basil leaves K/salt and pepper

Instructions Gremolata, mix fine-chopped basil and parsley, lemon zest, garlic paste, and ol/oil. Set aside. Make Caprese Chicken. Pour olive oil into pan on med-high heat. Season both sides with italian seasoning and k/salt. Cook in hot pan 3-4 min til golden, then flip and cook 2-3 min. Set on plate to rest before serving. Add drizzle of olive oil to pan, then toast bread, flip to toast other side. Top w/ fresh mozzarella; melt slightly 2-3 min.

Set toasted bread on server. Add sliced chicken atop mozzarella, then tomato.
S/p lightly, then add basil, gremolata, more cheese. Add bread slice. Serve.

[Liz]

An exquisite side dish for your gourmet Italian meal is a square of cooked polenta
lavished w/ a dollop of rich mascarpone cheese, then garnished w/ Italian herbs.

[Dan Zachary]

Love Italian food. Thanks for sharing!

[RandallFlagg]

Bookmarking

[Jonty30]

I like looking at restaurant menus for ideas on homemade versions of what they make.

[Adder]

Excellent choices...except for the al fredo ones...I blame Olive Garden for those. No nonna worthy of the name does those. :]

Quick Sausage and Mushrooms:
4 Italian Sausage links, skinned and crumbled into the pan.
5 Large white or bella mushrooms sliced
1 24oz jar pasatta or crushed tomatoes
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
Garlic cloves to taste, minced plus one...I usually mince 2
1 Tbsp Tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
Generous pinches of S&P, Oregano and basil

In a large 12” skillet or dutch oven, add a drizzle of olive oil and a clove of garlic.Brown the sausage and mushrooms. Make a spot in the pan and fry the paste for a minute or so. Add the red wine and cook out the alcohol. Add the garlic.Fry for about a minute.
Add the pasatta and tomatoes along with your herbs. Simmer for around an hour. Add pasta water if it gets too dry.
Cook your favorite pasta..I like springs [fusilli].
Lift it into the pan with the sauce. Mix and enjoy.

You can also stir in a 1/4 cup of romano or parm into the sauce for a nice flavor.

[MayflowerMadam]

Those look so good. Too bad I’ve cut WAY back on carbs. 🫤

[coincheck]

I just screen shotted your receipe.

Here is another easy one

Spaghetti Scapparelli. (Thanks to Pasta Grammer)

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half.
1-2 cloves of garlic slightly crushed
Some olive oil
Parmesan cheese (not the kraft type, the shredded stuff)
Salt and pepper.
Spaghetti noodles (for one or two servings)

Cook the spaghetti in a pot and save the water, you’ll need a little. The pasta water should taste like the sea.
Get a deep skillet and put the olive oil and garlic in. Heat until you smell the garlic.
Add the tomatoes, stir them around a bit and cover the skillet till the skin starts to wrinkle, add the Parmesan cheese and stir vigorously, Add the pasta and continue to stir.
Add about an ounce of the pasta water to make the sauce creamy. You might have to add a little more.
Add salt and pepper, remove the garlic.
Serve.
This is a quick and easy meal.

[Adder]

Thanks

I make that one too!

[sauropod]

bkmk

[21twelve]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSITlMwLgPU

I had to look it up - “Nonna” is grandmother in Italian.

The above youtube (8 minutes) is close enough. Steve Harvey with some gal giving an answer to “Another term for Mother” on Family Feud.

[Liz]

Italian Pot Roast
"Stracotto di Manzo" is a glorified budget cut rump roast, simple and delicious,
a standard pot roast w/ a soffritto base, tomatoes, and a whole bottle of Italian red wine.

Ing 3 1/2-4 lb rump or chuck roast s/p, 1/4 cup evo 1 ea large carrot, rib celery, both diced 1 med red onion, diced 2 minced gar/cl, 2 tbl chp fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 bay leaf 1 tbl fine-chp fresh sage 3 c Italian red wine (a Barbera is nice) 28-oz can Italian plum tomatoes (food mill to remove seeds)

Method Sear roast: Trim some fat from meat. P/t dry. S/p generously. Heat the oil on med-high. When oil is shimmering but not smoking, add the roast and sear, turning, til nicely browned on all sides, 10-12 min. Set meat aside, Reduce heat to med. Add carrots, celery, and onions. Cook/stir golden brown, 10-12 min. Add garlic, parsley, and sage, stir til herbs are lightly colored and fragrant, about 1 min.

Deglaze the pan: Add 1 cup of the wine and stir quickly, lifting up the richly browned caramelized vegetables that stick to the pan. When the wine is almost all evaporated and thickly coats vegetables, return the meat to the pan and turn it over a few times to coat it w/ base. Raise the heat to high, adding rest wine, the bay leaf, and the tomatoes, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, turning and basting every half hour or so, until the meat is very tender and flakes away when pierced with a fork, 3-4 hours. Turn off the heat and let the roast sit in its juices for an hour. (You can also put the covered pot in 300 deg oven 3-4 hours and turn the roast every hour.)

Remove the meat to cutting board, cover loosely w/ foil. If the sauce is too thin, bring it to a fast boil and reduce it until it has a medium-thick consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cut the meat into thick slices: (will fall apart), and place on warm serving dishes. Spoon the sauce over and serve hot with sides of rice, mashed potatoes, or polenta.

[Vaquero]

My Nonna was called nanny. She was very Calabrese. Her food was the best.

[lizma2]

Just finished breakfast and now I’m hungry again!!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Yeah...I miss pasta something awful.