16 Italian Dinners That Aren't Pasta

Thinking Italian tonight, but aren't in the mood for pasta? We've got you!

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published April 23, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Italian butter chicken (petti di pollo al burro) in a skillet at a table with a plate of lemon slices, a glass of water, and a table napkin

Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

When you think about Italian food, some of the first dishes that probably pop into your head are the pasta classics. From pasta pomodoro to pasta puttanesca, carbonara to cacio e pepe, there are so many delicious Italian pastas, but the cuisine has much more to offer.

These 16 recipes showcase some of the other Italian dishes we should all get acquainted with. Some of these dishes do pair well with pasta, naturally, but are equally great with creamy polenta, steamed rice, a big salad, or a generous hunk of crusty bread or focaccia. So dive right in to find some new Italian favorites and leave the pasta behind, if just for tonight.

  • Italian Meatballs

    Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce served in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "For this recipe, we've used equal amounts of ground beef and ground pork. You could also use a third each of ground beef, pork, and veal." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Easy Tuscan Ribollita Soup

    easy Tuscan ribolitta soup in a dutch oven at a table setting with a plate of bread and a kitchen towel

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    "Switch up the recipe by adding chickpeas, navy beans, or butter beans instead of cannellini; mixing in leftover shredded or cubed chicken; or adding crisped-up bacon, guanciale, or Italian sausage." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Italian Butter Chicken (Petti Di Pollo al Burro)

    Italian butter chicken (petti di pollo al burro) in a skillet at a table with a plate of lemon slices, a glass of water, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

    "The only part of this recipe that can get a little tricky is the brown butter. If you don’t watch it closely, it will burn. Make sure to put the chicken breasts in the skillet when the butter is just starting to foam. The milk solids won't be brown yet at that point, but they will brown as the chicken cooks." —Hannah Zimmerman, Recipe Developer

  • Eggplant Parmesan

    Baked eggplant parmesan in a casserole dish.

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "For this recipe, instead of frying the breaded eggplant slices, we bake them in the oven before assembling the casserole to be baked again." —Elise Bauer, Founder

    Continue to 5 of 16 below

  • Italian-Style Tuna Salad

    Overhead view of a plate of italian-style tuna salad on four lettuce leaves next to lemon slices

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "The trick for this salad is to refrain from draining the tuna. The olive oil in the can has tons of flavor and serves as half of the dressing for the salad. I add just a tablespoon of lemon juice to balance out the oil and the dressing is done." —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

  • Risi e Bisi (Italian Rice and Peas)

    Dish of risi e bisi ready to serve and eat

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Can’t find prosciutto? Use any ham. Virginia ham is an excellent substitute. Remember dry cured hams are salty, so the more you add, the saltier the dish will become." —Hank Shaw, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)

    Chicken Cacciatore

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "This recipe calls for added wine, which is traditional. It does add to the flavor. If you have a dietary restriction that prohibits wine, just omit." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Ravioli Gnudi (Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings)

    Closeup view of a plate of ravioli gnudi over marinara sauce with a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Squeeze the thawed frozen spinach thoroughly, or else it will haunt you! Using super dry spinach is the only way this recipe works. After thawing my spinach, I piled it all in the middle of a big piece of cheesecloth and squeezed the extra moisture out that way. It didn’t take long and the step was totally worth it." —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 9 of 16 below

  • Skillet Chicken Parmesan

    A skillet of chicken Parmesan

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "The only thing you need to make this recipe happen is a good oven-safe skillet for cooking everything. I use a cast iron skillet with high sides." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Acquacotta (Tuscan Soup)

    Overhead view of Tuscan Soup in a white bowl with a piece of bread to the side

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    "When fresh tomatoes are in season, they're a great substitute for the canned version." —Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer

  • Spinach Risotto

    Spinach Risotto

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "We are using baby spinach because of its convenience and tenderness. If you are using mature spinach, thoroughly rinse it first. You may want to blanch it first for a few seconds, before chopping and using in this recipe." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Osso Buco

    A dutch oven with osso buco inside, ready to be served

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "The gremolata (parsley, lemon zest, and garlic) is an important garnish for this dish, don't skip." —Elise Bauer, Founder

    Continue to 13 of 16 below

  • Zuppa Toscana

    Side angle view of two bowls with a cream based soup with beans, sausage, kale and potatoes, and two green water glasses

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "This Zuppa Toscana is especially delicious with crusty bread. You can serve some toasted, olive oil-drizzled bread for dunking, or you can make some quick homemade croutons for garnish." —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer

  • Chicken Piccata

    A helping of chicken piccata on a plate topped with sauce

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Capers aren't everyone's cup of tea, so feel free to leave them out even though they do add a briny bite to the dish. If you don't have capers but do have meaty green olives in the pantry, you can chop them small and add them to the dish." —Elise Bauer, Founder 

  • Italian Pot Roast

    A plate of sliced Italian pot roast

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or polenta." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Mushroom Risotto

    A bowl of mushroom risotto with a spoon scooping risotto out of the bowl.
    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "The recipe calls for risotto rice, Italian rice varieties that are high in a particular type of starch, with grains that are shorter and fatter than most other rices: Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano are the most famous varieties. The high starch content of these rices yields a creamy texture when cooked." —Elise Bauer, Founder

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