14 Italian Recipes That Will Make Your Family Cheer

By Jenn Segal

From lasagna to spaghetti and meatballs, these Italian recipes will have your family cheering delizioso!

Julia Turshen’s “A Nice Lasagna”

This lasagna from Julie Turshen’s cookbook, Small Victories, is not only the simplest lasagna I’ve ever made, it’s also the lightest and most elegant.
Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e fagioli — literally “pasta and beans” — is a heartwarming Italian soup, perfect for a chilly night. Guaranteed to warm you up and make you happy!
Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli

This flavorful pasta dish is quick and easy to make — and the whole family will eat it up, broccoli and all.
Cioppino (Fisherman’s Stew)

Brimming with fresh seafood in a tomato and wine broth that tastes like the sea, cioppino is a rustic Italian-American fish stew. Serve it with garlic bread for sopping up the broth.
Baked Ziti with Sausage

Loaded with Italian sausage, which packs a ton of flavor, this baked pasta dish is similar to meat lasagna but without the fuss. It makes a great family dinner or great potluck dish.
Double Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone Cream & Raspberries

This gorgeous (but incredibly easy) chocolate pavlova is a cake-shaped meringue with a soft, marshmallowy center and crisp outer shell.
Turkey, Spinach & Cheese Meatballs

Turkey sausage makes these meatballs tender and also adds great flavor. Bonus: the meatballs are browned under the broiler instead of in a frying pan, so less mess!
Roasted Green Beans with Garlic, Lemon, Pine Nuts & Parmesan

These green beans, with their delicious combination of flavors and textures, look impressive and are easy to prepare ahead.
Pasta Bolognese

Pasta in a meltingly tender and richly flavored meat sauce is one of my favorite Sunday night family dinners. The sauce simmers on the stove for several hours, making the house smell delicious and inviting.
Focaccia

Classic focaccia topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary is wonderful warm out of the oven or sliced for sandwiches the next day.
Big Italian Salad

This is my go-to salad for Italian comfort food dishes. The homemade vinaigrette is what makes it so good — think of it as a much, much improved version of that bottled Italian dressing sitting in your fridge door.
Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Simple comfort food at its best– smashed baby red potatoes with butter and Parmesan cheese. Unlike most mashed potato recipes, you make these ahead.
Almond Biscotti

These Italian-style cookies are everything you want biscotti to be: buttery, lightly sweet and crunchy — and delicious any time of day!
Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries

The Italian-style cheesecake looks like it belongs in a fancy pastry shop window — and yet it’s easy to make!