5 Italian Weeknight Dinner Ideas
Pizza and pasta and cheese, oh my! Live like an Italian all week long with these family-friendly weeknight dinner recipes.
Monday: Bacon-Arugula Sheet-Pan Pizza
Sheet-pan pizza is the way to go for quick weeknight dinners. Start the week off right by adding ricotta, rosemary, and arugula to a pie.
Recipe: Try our Bacon-Arugula Sheet-Pan Pizza
Tuesday: Pasta Pinwheels
Tuesday is for this cute and tasty twist on lasagna!
Recipe: Try our Pasta Pinwheels
Wednesday: Spicy Italian Grilled Cheese
Hot soppressata on a sandwich? Yes please! Especially when cheese and broccoli are involved!
Recipe: Try our Spicy Italian Grilled Cheese
Thursday: Crisp Gnocchi Pesto with Tomatoes & Goat Cheese
Ever try pesto with gnocchi? This classic Italian sauce works just as well with the tiny potato dumplings as it does with pasta.
Recipe: Try our Crisp Gnocchi Pesto with Tomatoes & Goat Cheese
Friday: Pasta e Fagioli with Sausage
This Italian soup-pasta hybrid will send your Italian Week celebration out with a bang!
Recipe: Try our Pasta e Fagioli with Sausage
Shopping list:
For the bacon-arugula sheet-pan pizza:
- 14 ounces pizza dough
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 6 bocconcini
- 3 slices bacon
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 cup baby arugula
For the pasta pinwheels:
- EVOO
- 8 dried lasagna noodles
- 1 5 ounce bag baby spinach
- 1 15 ounce container ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 4 sticks string cheese
For the spicy Italian grilled cheese:
- 8 oz. chopped broccoli rabe
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 8 slices rustic bread
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
- 8 oz. shredded Italian cheese blend
- 3 oz. sliced hot soppressata
For the crisp gnocchi pesto with tomatoes & goat cheese:
- 4 cups (about half a 5-oz. pkg.) baby spinach
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp. EVOO
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 1 package (16 oz.) gnocchi
- 1/2 pint grape tomatoes
- 1 package (3.5 oz.) goat cheese
For the pasta e fagioli with sausage:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet or hot bulk Italian sausage or links
- 1 large carrot
- 2 - 3 ribs celery from the heart
- 1 onion
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 3 - 4 sprigs thyme
- Salt and pepper
- 1 32 ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth
- 1 18 ounce can cannellini beans
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- Grated pecorino-romano or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- Crusty bread