42 Essential Italian Main Dishes to Make at Home Celebrate Italian cuisine with handmade pasta, aged cheeses, cured meats, and classic cooking techniques. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 26, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Italian food is one of the most popular cuisines in America, while pizza and pasta rank among the world's favorite dishes. Though Italian cooking varies across the country's 20 regions and continues to evolve through Italian American traditions, the myriad combinations of iconic ingredients like garlic, olive oil, ripe tomatoes, fresh cheeses, pasta, and wine are endlessly compelling. Get inspired by the flavors of Italy with these delicious main dishes, from silky carbonara and porchetta to seafood risotto and Piedmontese agnolotti. Keep all of your recipes at your fingertips. With the MyRecipes app you can easily save and organize your favorites from anywhere, including Instagram and TikTok, in one convenient place. Get the free app. 01 of 42 Porchetta Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle For this savory Italian showstopper, tender pork shoulder is rolled around a filling of kale, fennel, garlic, and lemons. A fatty exterior crisps up beautifully in the oven. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 42 Spaghetti Carbonara Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster Table-ready in just half an hour, this is the best carbonara you’ll ever make. The classic sauce gets its silkiness from egg yolks, rendered guanciale fat, and cheese; here, we use a blend of sweet, nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano and sharp, salty pecorino for a balanced bite. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 42 Osso Buco with Red Wine Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali Created in Milan, this Italian classic features veal shanks braised in red wine and is typically served with risotto alla Milanese. To stick to the custom of the dish’s namesake, offer guests small spoons to scoop and enjoy the fatty marrow from the bones. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 42 Eggplant Parmesan Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Called Parmigiana di melanzane in Italy, this simplified version from chef Ethan Stowell skips breading the eggplant. Instead, the slices are pan-fried and layered with tomato sauce, basil, and a mix of fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan. The breadcrumb topping turns delightfully crisp in the oven. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 42 Lemon-Stuffed Grilled Branzino Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Branzino, a European sea bass, has a wonderful richness when cooked on the bone. In true Italian style, chef Barbara Lynch stuffs the fish with lemon and herbs, then grills it until the skin is golden and crispy for maximum flavor. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 42 Creamy Seafood Risotto Food & Wine / Photo by Carson Downing / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans Arborio rice simmered with onion, saffron, wine, and clam juice forms a fragrant, savory base for this seafood-rich dish, finished with tender shrimp and sweet crab. A spoonful of mascarpone adds an extra layer of lush, velvety creaminess. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 42 Balsamic and Rosemary-Marinated Florentine Steak © Marie Hennechart Chef Matt Molina prepares this dish by marinating porterhouse steak in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lots of fresh chopped rosemary overnight. It gets a char on the grill, then roasts in the oven to finish cooking. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 42 Braciole Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Braciole is an Italian-style roulade, a rolled and stuffed meat that’s a staple at Italian family gatherings. For this cozy version, fill rolled flank steaks with prosciutto, panko, pine nuts, and a blend of Parmesan and pecorino cheeses, then bake in a garlicky tomato sauce. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 42 Pasta alla Norma Justin Walker “Norma is the kiss of Sicilian summer,” says food writer and editor Jennifer V. Cole of this dish featuring fresh tomato sauce, fried eggplant, sweet onions, and aromatic basil. “It’s a composition that sings of seasonality, when tomatoes and eggplant are at their peak and balconies are overrun with potted basil.” Get the Recipe Save 10 of 42 Grandma’s Lasagna Cara Cormack In 2003, when the F&W Test Kitchen was running through lasagna recipes, senior editor Grace Parisi noted that the definitive lasagna had to have tomato sauce, chunks of meat, shredded mozzarella, and creamy ricotta cheese. A couple decades later, we’re sticking with that assessment. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 42 Chicken Scarpariello Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Shell Royster Scarpariello — chicken sautéed in a tangy lemon glaze with bell pepper — is traditionally made with a whole chicken cut into pieces, then cooked on the stove for hours. To speed things up, we opt for faster-cooking boneless thighs and skip the bell pepper in favor of jarred Peppadews, a sweet-spicy pickled pepper. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 42 Agnolotti del Plin Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Melissa Gray-Streett / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Agnolotti del Plin (meaning “with the pinch”) originated as a means of using up braised meat in Piedmont. At Casa di Langa’s Fàula Ristorante, the small pasta pockets are filled with a savory mixture of pork, chicken, veal, and vegetables, all held together with butter and cheese. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 42 Pork Chop Milanese Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox In Milan, a breaded cutlet is known as cotoletta and is often veal. Here, rib-cut pork chops are encrusted with herbs, Parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs, making for a tender yet crispy main. It's ideal with a lemony arugula salad. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 42 Pasta Cacio e Pepe Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Traditionally made with only Pecorino Romano cheese and cracked pepper plus starchy pasta water, our modern version includes a generous pat of butter to ensure the otherwise difficult-to-execute sauce comes together cleanly — while adding a rich, velvety finish. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 42 Gnocchi alla Sorrentina Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle A Neapolitan favorite, this easy baked skillet dish leans on refrigerated gnocchi and jarred tomato sauce, enhanced with extra garlic and fresh basil. A blanket of mozzarella and Parmesan turns golden and bubbly in the oven. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 42 Cioppino (Seafood Stew) Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle This iconic Italian American dish, created in San Francisco by Ligurian immigrant fishermen, is typically made with a variety of seafood depending on what's freshest; Bobby Flay's version uses generous portions of shrimp, littleneck clams, and snapper. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 42 Skirt Steak Saltimbocca Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Justin Chapple’s take on saltimbocca replaces the traditional veal with thinly pounded skirt steak for a delicious variation of the classic Italian dish. Crispy, salty prosciutto is an excellent complement to the tender, juicy steak; fried sage leaves provide an earthy crunch to contrast with the creamy white wine sauce. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 42 Spaghetti with Mussels Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen In this lemony 30-minute pasta dish from Italian restaurateurs and brothers Andrea and Daniele Zazzeri, fresh mint and white wine help lift the briny flavors of mussels. It's at once easy and elegant. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 42 Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Brown butter, sage, and butternut squash make one of sweater season's most familiar combinations: warm, comforting, and a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Tangy goat cheese balances the squash in the homemade ravioli's filling, while chopped walnuts bring out the nuttiness of the brown butter sauce. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 42 Chicken Vesuvio Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless For this essential Italian American dish, created at the Vesuvio restaurant in Chicago, crispy bone-in chicken thighs, peas, and potatoes are braised in a lemony garlic-wine sauce. Here, F&W recipe developer Craig Ruff freshens up the standby with bright herbs like oregano and thyme. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 42 Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas) Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This classic Italian vegetarian dish comes together in just 30 minutes (in one pot, to boot) with pantry staples like canned chickpeas, ditalini pasta, tomato paste, and vegetable broth. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 42 Italian Bone-In Pork Loin Victor Protasio Finish the pork on a slow roast to ensure it’s thoroughly cooked but still juicy, yielding tender, gently caramelized fennel, onion, and shallots. Serve it with polenta for a magnificent meal. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 42 Italian Baked Rice and Clams Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Thom Driver In this traditional casserole from Puglia, layers of thinly sliced potatoes, steamed clams, cherry tomatoes, a salty blend of Parmesan and pecorino, fish broth, and arborio rice are baked until the rice is tender and creamy. If you have a mandoline, you’ll want to use it for the most consistent, evenly cooked potato slices. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 42 Bolognese Meat Sauce Julia Gartland Marcella Hazan’s take on this classic long-simmered ragù calls for richly marbled ground beef chuck. Salt the meat as it sautés to extract its juices, then simmer it in milk to protect it from the acidic bite of the tomatoes and wine that get added to the pot next. Serve this sauce over fettuccine or your pasta of choice. Get the Recipe Save 25 of 42 Soppressata Pizza with Calabrian Chiles and Hot Honey Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Top homemade pizza with Italian cured meat and fiery chiles, which add heat and a distinctly fruity flavor that's balanced by the sweetness of hot honey. Get the Recipe Save 26 of 42 Rigatoni Amatriciana Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver A favorite of Roman trattorias, our recipe calls for pancetta rather than the traditional guanciale for easier sourcing. Simmer it with onion, crushed tomatoes, and red pepper flakes for a swift, savory sauce, then finish with pecorino, butter, and starchy pasta water to bring it all together. Get the Recipe Save 27 of 42 Ricotta and Parmesan Gnudi Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Cook Varner These savory, cheesy, herb-flecked Italian dumplings are a terrific use for homemade ricotta. Mix the dough, pipe it into logs, and use scissors to snip into individual dumplings a day in advance, so they have time to firm up and develop a thin skin in the fridge before you boil and serve them. Get the Recipe Save 28 of 42 Tuna Steaks with Lemon Caper Sauce Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans In this 20-minute dish, an Italian-inflected combo of lemon and capers makes for an easy vinaigrette that balances the rich meatiness of simply seasoned grilled tuna steaks. Get the Recipe Save 29 of 42 Gnocchi Asparagi e Pancetta (Tuscan Gnocchi) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster The key to good gnocchi is good potatoes, and in Tuscany, that means ones from the Bolgheri area. In a celebration of the region’s trademark simplicity, we use Yukon Gold potatoes, tossed with delicate springtime asparagus and a savory pancetta-flavored pan sauce. Get the Recipe Save 30 of 42 Pasta ’Ncasciata (Sicilian Baked Pasta) Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This classic Sicilian baked pasta has many variations; here, 2016 F&W Best New Chef Michael Gulotta layers tender eggplant, buttery caciocavallo cheese, and crushed tomatoes with al dente rigatoni for an especially hearty, satisfying dish. Get the Recipe Save 31 of 42 Zucchini Risotto with Shrimp Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster To make this velvety risotto, arborio rice cooks slowly in a flavorful shrimp shell-infused broth. It’s combined with tender zucchini and nutty Parmesan, then topped with lightly sautéed shrimp for a stunning dish. Get the Recipe Save 32 of 42 Veal Piccata Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Make a silky pan sauce with garlic, lemon juice, capers, and parsley to serve with veal, pork, or chicken cutlets for a buttery, tangy main. Get the Recipe Save 33 of 42 Pasta Aglio e Olio Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali This simple, garlicky pasta from chef Roy Choi uses pantry ingredients — its beauty comes from building out the flavor profile in the olive oil. Even better, the whole thing comes together in the time it takes for the water to boil, making it the perfect back-pocket pasta for your weeknight rotation. Get the Recipe Save 34 of 42 Tuscan White Bean Soup Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Thickened with cannellini beans and cream, this vegetable-packed soup is made irresistible by garlic confit and crispy pancetta. Serve it with grated Pecorino Romano cheese and toasted bread to complete the experience. Get the Recipe Save 35 of 42 Penne All’Arrabbiata Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen All’Arrabbiata means “in an angry style” in Italian, but since this fiery dish takes just 15 minutes to make, it’s sure to quickly mitigate any hangry bellies. Plus, it comes together largely from pantry staples. Get the Recipe Save 36 of 42 Tuscan Grilled Trout Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Baste trout fillets with a simple garlic-and-herb-infused oil combined with wine vinegar before grilling; the trout skin protects the flesh as it cooks, turning an appealing golden brown. To finish, pour the remaining oil mixture over the hot fish as a sauce. Get the Recipe Save 37 of 42 Pappardelle with White Bolognese Antonis Achilleos This cozy, meaty pasta is full of savory goodness from the blend of pork, beef, and veal, as well as cremini mushrooms and Parmesan. Give yourself the full hour and a half to reduce the white wine and the stock; it’s worth it for the super-tender meat and incredible depth of flavor. Get the Recipe Save 38 of 42 Venetian Shrimp with Polenta Victor Protasio Inspired by his travels in Italy, David McCann's simple yet sophisticated recipe comes together in less than an hour, starting with creamy polenta followed by buttery shrimp simmered in chicken stock and white wine. Get the Recipe Save 39 of 42 Bomba di Riso (Stuffed Rice Cake) with Shredded Duck Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Here, a "bomb" of molded baked carnaroli rice is filled with a combo of shredded duck and earthy porcini mushrooms that have been cooked with a soffritto, dry red wine, and a touch of tomato paste for a flavorful homage to the mid-19th-century delicacy. Get the Recipe Save 40 of 42 Swordfish Sicilian-Style Greg DuPree A lemony, oregano-infused sauce imparts bright flavor to hot-off-the-grill steaks, permeating pricked holes in this recipe from legendary cookbook author and Italian cooking teacher Marcella Hazan. It was named one of Food & Wine's 40 best in 2018. Get the Recipe Save 41 of 42 Stracotto di Fassona Piemontese (Piedmont Braised Beef) Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Melissa Gray-Streett / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Chef Otto Lucà, of Langotto Ristorante in Novello, deems this rustic top blade roast the most essential main course of traditional Piedmontese cuisine. The beef is marinated overnight and slow-braised in red wine until it’s falling-apart tender. Get the Recipe Save 42 of 42 Sunday Sauce Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Lauren Mcanelly / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali Long-simmered Sunday sauce is a beloved Italian American tradition. This version from butcher Pat LaFrieda gets its richness from beef short ribs; cook it over the course of the afternoon, then serve with classic spaghetti or a wide shape like fettuccine to complete the dish. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Food World Cuisines European Cuisines Italian Cuisine Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! 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