The 7 best Italian recipes on your plate at home. What will you cook first?

Perhaps everyone loves Mediterranean cuisine.

And that’s why we’ve prepared the best recipes from Italian cuisine for you.

Would you like homemade pizza, gnocchi or tiramisu?

You will find all this and much more in our article.

Enjoy it!

Lasagna with bechamel

Lasagna with bechamel, tomato marinara, sausage and beef is much better than the classic lasagna as you know it. Try them and see for yourself!

Ingredients

For lasagna:

• 12 slices of dry lasagna
• 450 g of grated mozzarella cheese
• 230 g of grated parmesan

On the marinara:

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 800 g crushed tomatoes (ideally San Marzano)
• 12 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

For the béchamel:

• 1/4 cup butter, oil, or other fat
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch of white pepper
• 3 cups of milk

For the meat mixture:

• 450 g of lean ground beef
• 450 g spicy Italian sausages, without casings
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons of red chili flakes
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1 marinara sauce (the entire batch of the above recipe)

Method

1. Prepare the marinara.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add the wine, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, salt and chilli, sauté for 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook until slightly reduced, about 20 minutes.
5. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the basil and stir.
6. Season the sauce with salt if necessary.
7. You can leave the sauce as it is or blend it until smooth.
8. Heat the milk for the béchamel.
9. Melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour.
10. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
11. Gradually pour in the warm milk and whisk until a smooth sauce is formed.
12. Cook for a few minutes, the sauce will thicken.
13. Add the oil to the pot, then the fennel seeds and chilli.
14. Sauté for 30 seconds and add the onion.
15. Saute until onion softens, 2 minutes.
16. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
17. Add the minced meat and sausage and fry, breaking the meat into pieces with a spoon.
18. After frying, pour off the excess fat and transfer to a food processor.
19. Pulse a few times until it breaks up and you have almost a mush.
20. Return the mixture to the pot and add the marinara.
21. Mix it up.
22. Cover and let the sauce simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
23. Place the dry lasagna in a 23×33 cm baking dish and cover with hot water.
24. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.
25. Drain.
26. Preheat the oven to 175°C.
27. Wipe out the baking dish.
28. Spread some of the meat sauce on the bottom of the dish.
29. Layer 3 or more lasagnas on top to cover the bottom.
30. Spread the lasagna with additional meat sauce, béchamel, mozzarella and parmesan, spreading everything to the edges.
31. Repeat this 3-4 times to use up everything and finally finish off the cheeses.
32. Bake for 30 minutes until the surface is golden brown.
33. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Homemade Margherita pizza

Enjoy this luxurious pizza made in a standard oven with common ingredients that you will want to make again and again.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 300 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon of active dry or instant yeast
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• 200 ml (40 °C to 46 °C) warm water
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• semolina and plain flour to sprinkle on the pizza

For the tomato base:

• 1 cup pureed or crushed canned San Marzano tomatoes
• 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
• 2-3 large pinches of salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the surface of the pizza:

• 2-3 tablespoons of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese plus more
• 200 g of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into approx. centimeter cubes
• 5-6 large fresh basil leaves plus extra for garnish
• dried red chili flakes (optional)

Method

1. Mix plain flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a bowl.
2. Add warm water and olive oil and stir.
3. Place the dough on a floured work surface and knead for three minutes.
4. Dust with flour as needed.
5. After about 3 minutes it should be smooth, slightly elastic and sticky.
6. Grease the bowl with olive oil and put the dough in the bowl.
7. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise in a warm, dry place for 2 hours.
8. Place the pizza stone on the second upper rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 285°C (or at least 260 degrees) for at least 1 hour.
9. Mix tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, pepper and salt in a bowl.
10. Divide the dough into two equal parts.
11. Place the dough on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
12. Sprinkle the pizza scoop with a spoonful of semolina and dust with plain flour.
13. Roll the ball of dough into a circle of about 25 cm.
14. If the dough jumps or is too springy, let it rest for another five minutes.
15. The edges of the dough can be a little thicker, but make sure the center of the dough is thin.
16. Transfer the dough to a scoop.
17. Drizzle the dough lightly with olive oil.
18. Add about ½ cup of tomato sauce to the dough, leaving a border on all sides.
19. Spread the sauce evenly.
20. Sprinkle a spoonful of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the sauce.
21. Add half of the diced mozzarella and spread it evenly over the entire pizza.
22. Tear a few basil leaves and sprinkle over the pizza.
23. Gently slide the pizza from the shovel onto the stone.
24. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until crust and edges are golden brown.
25. Take the pizza out of the oven with a shovel, transfer it to a wooden cutting board, drizzle the top with olive oil, sprinkle with a little cheese and fresh basil chiffonade.
26. Slice and serve immediately.

Minestrone soup

Enjoy this recipe for authentic Italian Minestrone soup that is quick and healthy. Made with carrots, celery stalks, tomatoes, beans and pasta, this sumptuous dish is hearty and full of flavour. It even tastes better the next day!

Ingredients

• 110 g of chopped pancetta
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 and 1/2 cups green beans (trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 6 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
• 5 spoons of tomato puree
• 1 can (800 ml) chopped tomatoes
• 1 can (800 ml) crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups of chicken bone broth
• 4 cups beef bone broth
• 1 can (425g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (425 g) cannellini beans
• 1 and 1/2 cups pasta (use pasta)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Method

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, fry the pancetta until crispy, about 6 minutes.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a small plate and set aside.
3. Leave all the pancetta fat in the pan.
4. Add olive oil and onion and sauté until onion is translucent; about 5 minutes.
5. Add the celery stalks, carrots, and green beans and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the Italian seasoning and tomato paste.
8. Add all the tomatoes, chicken and beef stock, stir well to combine and bring to a boil.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
10. Stir in both beans and pasta and cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
11. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
12. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and lemon juice.
13. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
14. Pour into bowls, sprinkle with pancetta pieces and Parmesan and serve warm.

Authentic Italian spaghetti

Enjoy this delicious spaghetti with meat, tomatoes, basil, onions and carrots that your whole family will love and will want nothing else for dinner. Plus, it’s so incredibly easy!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 500 g of ground beef
• 250 g minced pork (optional)
• 700 g tomatoes (fresh peeled and chopped tomatoes or canned San Marzano tomatoes)
• 6 chopped fresh basil leaves (or 1-2 teaspoons dried basil)
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• beef broth (if needed, to taste)
• 500 g of spaghetti

Method

1. In a large deep frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add onion, carrot and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
3. Add ground beef and pork and continue to sauté.
4. When the meat is browned and the onions are soft, add the tomatoes.
5. When the tomatoes soften and start to release their juices (about 4-5 minutes), add the basil, sugar, salt and pepper (if you used whole tomatoes, mash them with a potato masher to release all the juices).
6. Cook for at least 3 hours (up to 6 hours), stirring occasionally.
7. The longer you cook, the better.
8. Important: the tomatoes burn easily, so keep an eye on them and add beef stock a little at a time if necessary.
9. In a large pot, cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente, drain and return to the pot.
10. Add the spaghetti sauce and toss until the spaghetti is completely coated with the sauce.
11. Serve immediately.

Tiramisu

Italian tiramisu is a no-bake dessert with an espresso flavor. This Italian recipe is authentic, quick and easy. In addition, you only need 6 ingredients to prepare it!

Ingredients

• 3 large egg yolks, cold
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 and ¼ cups mascarpone, cold
• 27-36 Italian pastry sponges
• ½ cup chilled brewed espresso or strong coffee
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

Method

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until creamy and the sugar is completely dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the mascarpone and mix on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
3. Quickly dip both sides of the biscuits in the coffee, 1 to 2 seconds on each side, and place 9 to 12 biscuits in the bottom of a 23 x 18 x 8 cm or 20 x 20 x 8 cm baking dish.
4. The amount of pastry sponges needed will depend on their size and also on the size of the baking dish.
5. The amount of coffee needed depends on how long you soak the biscuits and how much they soak.
6. We do not recommend soaking the sponge cake for too long, otherwise the tiramisu will be very watery.
7. Spread about one third of the mascarpone cream on the sponge cake.
8. Repeat two more times so that the tiramisu is assembled like this from bottom to top: sponges + cream, sponges + cream, sponges + cream.
9. Wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap so that air and odors from the refrigerator do not get inside the tiramisu.
10. Refrigerate overnight for about 8-12 hours.
11. Lightly dust the top with cocoa before serving.
12. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Homemade Italian gnocchi

Make homemade Italian gnocchi yourself and pretty much from scratch. They are beautifully fluffy and combined with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, it is an incredible delicacy!

Ingredients

For the gnocchi:

• 4 old medium potatoes (about 500 g)
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon salt plus 1 tablespoon for cooking the gnocchi

For the cherry tomato sauce:

• 3 cups cherry tomatoes
• 3 basil leaves, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 6 spoons of grated parmesan

Method

1. Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes.
2. Pierce them with a knife to check they are done and drain.
3. Peel and mash the potatoes while they are still warm.
4. Set aside and let cool COMPLETELY
5. Stirring constantly, fry 2 cloves of garlic in olive oil.
6. Remove the garlic from the pan.
7. Add the chopped cherry tomatoes.
8. Add the basil leaves and salt.
9. Leave to simmer covered, turning occasionally.
10. Once the potatoes have cooled, mix them with flour and salt.
11. Mix the dough by hand until smooth.
12. Take a small amount of dough that will fill your palm.
13. Roll up to form a long, thick string.
14. Cut into the shape of gnocchi.
15. Repeat until all the dough is formed into gnocchi.
16. You can use a gnocchi board or the back of a fork to offset bulky gnocchi.
17. Press the gnocchi down slightly with a fork.
18. Place the gnocchi on a floured tray.
19. Keep them separate or they will stick together.
20. Dust with more flour.
21. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, just as you would when cooking pasta.
22. Drop a few gnocchi into the boiling water, not too many (just enough to cover the bottom of the pot).
23. As soon as the gnocchi start to float, remove them with a slotted spoon, place them directly in the pan with the sauce, where you have the gnocchi sauce and mix gently..
24. Once you have all the gnocchi in the sauce, add another batch of gnocchi and continue until they are all cooked.
25. Serve the gnocchi while still warm with plenty of Parmesan cheese.

Mushroom risotto

A delicious creamy Italian risotto with mushrooms, white wine, peas and Parmesan cheese is the bomb! And yet it is so incredibly easy to prepare.

Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 500 g of mushrooms, cut into slices
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Reduce the flame to low.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
4. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add 1 tablespoon butter, garlic, mushrooms, bay leaf and thyme.
6. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and golden, about 4 more minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Remove the mixture from the pot.
8. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and, stirring quickly, add the arborio rice.
9. Cook until the grains are well coated in butter, about 2 minutes.
10. Add the wine and cook until the wine is mostly absorbed.
11. Ladle in about 1 cup of hot broth.
12. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has mostly absorbed the liquid.
13. Add the remaining stock about 1 cup at a time, continuing to let the rice absorb each added stock before adding more.
14. Stir frequently and cook until the risotto is al dente and creamy, not mushy. (You may not need all the broth.)
15. Add the mushroom mixture back to the rice.
16. Stir in Parmesan and peas and garnish with parsley.
17. Serve warm.

The specifics of Italian cuisine

• Italian cuisine belongs to the so-called Mediterranean cuisine , which is characterized by the use of plenty of vegetables and less fatty meat.
• As in other coastal states, the menu includes sea fish, crustaceans and other marine species.
• And we must not forget the famous pasta, pizza and some sweet pastries .
• Italy wouldn’t be Italy without pasta.
• A huge number of them are produced and there are no fewer Italian recipes for their modification.
• They are served on all kinds of occasions and have thus acquired the already uniform name of pasta , which always represents a dish with pasta.
• In Italy, cooked pasta is served with cheese, meat or vegetable sauces .
• They are often topped with grated cheese or even just served with cheese.
• Often, pre-cooked pasta is baked with a variety of other foods, among which lean meats, vegetables and cheeses and various flavored baking sauces play a major role.

And what Italian food is your FAVORITE? Write to us in the comments!