Italian-American 30-Minute Meals
Rach says: "There's Italian and there's Italian American. The recipes here reflect both: They're spins on my family's favorite dishes or other specialties I have loved at first bite!"
Venetian-Style Spaghetti all'Arrabbiata
Venice was a famed spice port, so ingredients like saffron make their way into traditional dishes of the region. Arrabbiata ("angry") indicates a spicy, garlicky sauce prepared in a hurry.
Rach says: "This pasta is delicious as is, but bump up the protein with grilled shrimp or calamari, especially if you're entertaining."
Smoky Skillet Cacciatore
Rach says: "Serve this chicken with crusty bread or quick-cooking polenta made with butter and percorino-romano."
Dirty Martini Mussels
Your favorite cocktail ingredients make their way into a rich Italian-American seafood dish.
Beef & Watercress-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Watercress is similar to arugula with its peppery and tangy flavor. In this recipe it provides great contrast to the meaty mushrooms and savory ground beef!
Fat Spaghetti with Bacon & Cherry Tomato Sauce
Rach says: "This is an American take on pasta all'amatriciana, a tomato sauce made with bacon. As kids, my brother, sister and I called this classic Roman dish "pasta America" because it was easier to pronounce!"
Zucchini & Penne with Hot Pepper Pesto
A hot pesto sauce adds a blast of flavor to zucchini and penne. Use this pesto for other fast fresh veggie and pasta dinners.
Sliced Steak with Pepper-Onion Sauce
You'll want to use this fast, peppery herb sauce on everything!
Deviled Crab Linguine
While the sauce is light and flavorful, a hint of butter adds richness and a little bit of shine.
Three-Cheese Bread Pizza with Kale & Sausage
Rach says: "Our garden is overgrown with kale in late August, so we make Caesar salad out of it, stir it into soups, broil it into crispy chips, fry it up with anchovies and egg, and add it to everything -- including this easy bread pizza."
Aglio e Olio with Farro Spaghetti, Kale & Hazelnut Breadcrumbs
Rach says: "Aglio e olio, a classic Italian sauce from the Abruzzo region, means 'garlic and oil.'"
More 30-Minute Meals
