5 Delicious Dishes to Make For Your Italian Dinner Party
Mangia! 88% of Americans say they like Italian cuisine, making it the most popular type of international food in the United States. If you have guests over and don’t know what to serve, you can’t go wrong with an Italian dinner party!
But don’t think you’re limited to pizza and pasta. Italian cuisine is extremely diverse, and you can serve your guests a range of incredible main and side dishes.
Not convinced? Here are five easy and delicious Italian dishes you can make today!
Table of Contents
1. Bistecca Fiorentina
Bistecca Fiorentina is one of the best entrees in Italian cuisine. Buy a rib-eye steak and rub it with smashed garlic gloves, then sprinkle a mixture of rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest on it. Drizzle the steak with olive oil, then rub the herbs into the meat with your fingertips.
Let your steak rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Put your grill at medium-high heat and preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Grill your steak for five minutes on each side, then roast it in the oven for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
2. Caprese Salad
Caprese salad contains only six ingredients. Slice a mound of buffalo mozzarella thinly, then slice some tomatoes. Layer the slices on a plate with basil leaves, then sprinkle olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Caprese salad can work as a side dish, appetizer, or entree. You can modify it however you want, adding pesto or balsamic vinegar as a topping.
3. Sandwiches
If you want simple dinner party ideas, you can serve a range of Italian sandwiches. You can enjoy an Italian sub with mortadella, prosciutto, and mozzarella on a hoagie roll.
Try Italian tuna salad, which contains artichoke hearts, capers, shallots, and olives. You can also take some leftover Caprese salad and place it between slices of focaccia.
4. Lasagna
When people think of Italian food, they often think of lasagna. Most lasagna recipes contain beef or sausage, but you can experiment with vegetable and lobster lasagna. To save time, prepare your dish and pop it in the oven when your guests arrive.
5. Ragù
If you want to go bold with your Italian dinner party, you should try making ragù. You can create sauces with horse meat, duck, and sausages. You can pour your ragù over any pasta, including unusual types like mafaldine.
What to Make For Your Italian Dinner Party
An Italian dinner party doesn’t have to be complicated. You can grill steaks Florentine-style, letting them sit with salt, herbs, and olive oil before cooking them. Steaks go well with Caprese salad and sandwiches with light meats like mortadella.
If you want to serve pasta, make a hearty lasagna with ground meats and chopped vegetables. You can also try ragù with exotic meats. For a truly authentic Italian experiment, make your own pasta!
Once you’ve tried these dishes out, experiment with others! Read more in-depth Italian cuisine guides by following our coverage.
Last Updated on April 19, 2023
