Sunday Dinner: The Best and Easiest Italian Recipes

Italian Breakfast Sandwich Recipe

Every Sunday my father would go into the kitchen and become Mr. Sandwich, toasting up good slices of bread and filling them with all sorts of combinations. Some were good, some horrendous. But it turned me into a sandwich junkie. When you're making a breakfast sandwich, there's no time to waste. Frying the salami, sopressata is ideal because it's generously larded, crisps up the meat and gives the sandwich body. But it's also efficient, because you can use that same pan to make a sunny-side-up egg, glazing it with the spiciness of the rendered fat. (You can also use this trick to cook onions, peppers, or greens for a flavor boost with no extra work)

There's a lot going on in this Italian sandwich, but it has great balance: The saltiness of the meat is offset by the sweetness of the basil and the creaminess of the egg and mozzarella. Soaking sliced red onion in ice water is something I learned from my mom. It takes the raw bite out of the onion and keeps it light and crunchy. This is a rich sandwich, but it's refreshing. And the beautiful thing is, it's not just for breakfast.

Click here to see the Italian Breakfast Sandwich Recipe

Italian-Inspired Spicy Turkey Sausage Chili with Fresh Mozzarella Recipe

This recipe almost developed itself as I tried to figure out how to incorporate my leftover ball of fresh mozzarella in chili. I decided to replace many of the ingredients in a traditional chili with the Italian counterpart. Spices like cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and garlic powder were replaced with red chile flakes, dried oregano, fresh basil, fresh rosemary and garlic. Cannellini beans stood in for black and kidney beans, while balsamic vinegar and lemon zest took over for beer and cider vinegar. Cheddar? Who needs it when you have freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and hunks of melting fresh mozzarella?

And, to top it off, I ate the leftovers with pasta - and it was fantastic.

Click here to see the Italian-Inspired Spicy Turkey Sausage Chili with Fresh Mozzarella Recipe

Italian Meatballs Burgers Recipe

If you're a sucker for the Italian specialty, you'll like Cooking Light's meatballs-in-a-burger recipe. They use light turkey meat flavored with basil, oregano, and fennel seeds to create patties and top them with classic provolone cheese, marinara sauce, and fresh basil. We've heard of meatballs subs, but we loved this burger recipe because it stayed true to the beauty of a burger while offering all of the delicious tastes of the Italian dish.

Click here to see the Italian Meatballs Burgers Recipe

Creamy Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

The creaminess in this recipe isn't as bad as you think. Only ½ cup of mayonnaise is added to the dressing, along with Italain dressing, mustard, and lemon juice, for a silky and flavorful dressing.

Click here to see the Creamy Italian Pasta Salad Recipe

Italian Pulled Pork Recipe

It's great because I can let it cook all day, shred the pork when it's done, and then keep it warm until I'm ready to serve it.

Pulled pork is a great Paleo Diet recipe and this one is unique with Italian ingredients. I like adding the hot sauce to give it a little extra kick.

Click here to see the Italian Pulled Pork Recipe

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (pictured above)

Hear the word "meatballs" and a few other words immediately come to mind. "Spaghetti," of course, "subs" and "sliders" too. But in the winter months, when I'm locked in a I-could-eat-soup-for-almost-every-meal frame of mind, I hear "meatballs" and instantly crave Italian Wedding Soup. Filling and wonderfully flavorful, it's impressively light and delicate for a meatball dish.

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs:

½ yellow onion, finely diced
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1 large egg
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 slice of bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
Black pepper

For the soup:

2 quarts chicken broth
1 bunch green chard, coarse chiffonade
2 eggs
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the meatballs:

Combine the onion, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, and bread in a medium-sized bowl.

Next add in the cheese, meat and black pepper, mixing together with your hands until all of the ingredients are fully integrated. Once ready, form the meatballs by taking a generous teaspoon of the mixture at a time and rolling it between the palms of your hands. Set aside on a dish or baking sheet and repeat until all of the mixture has been used.

For the soup:

Add the chicken stock to a large pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add in the chard and prepared meatballs, allowing them to cook for about six to eight minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Once the meatballs and greens have cooked, drizzle in the egg and cheese mixture, gently stirring the soup in a circular motion. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a little extra sprinkling of cheese.

Recipe Details
Servings: 4

Click here to see America's 20 Best Italian Restaurants

-The Daily Meal