Italian

A flavorful tomato sauce that’s a cinch to make and rock shrimp that come already peeled mean a weeknight dinner recipe has never been so easy—or delicious.

Other tender herbs such as cilantro, dill, and/or tarragon can be used instead for this salsa verde recipe. Though the breadcrumbs don’t stay crisp, they give body and subtle crunch to the sauce.

Broccoli would be just as good in this pasta with recipe, as would diced winter squash such as butternut or acorn.

This pesto pasta recipe is the solution for any leftover hardy green, lettuce, or herb you don’t know what to do with. Cleaning out your fridge has never been so rewarding!

Memorize how to make the addictively crunchy breadcrumbs in this dish; use them to top all your pasta recipes forevermore.

This all-star topper can gussy up anything: steak, roasted potatoes—even a citrus salad.

Adding fresh puréed tomato at the end of this long-simmered pork ragù lends this bowl of deliciousness acidic brightness along with depth. Unbeatable. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Don’t be tempted to disturb the gnocchi when browning—the hands-off approach is key to letting them develop a deep brown color on one side. 

Persimmons stand in for ripe tomato in this caprese-ish salad, and if you haven’t had them before, they’re worth trying. Before you buy, things to know: The squat fuyu persimmon lacks the tannins that define their pointy-bottomed counterpart, the hachiya variety. While fuyus can be eaten when slightly underripe (they’ll be crunchy), the hachiya needs to be dead ripe or else it will be insufferably bitter. This recipe is from Wildair, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

You can finish this carbonara with other seasonal vegetables, such as shredded brussels sprouts or Napa cabbage. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

The combination of salty water and salty Parmesan puts this pasta at risk of becoming oversalted. If that happens, throw in a knob of unsalted butter at the end to mellow it and add a smooth finish.

If you've got a can of tomatoes, a jar of spicy peperoncini, and a hunk of Parm in your fridge, you're halfway to a satisfying pasta dinner.

Once you get hooked on fresh chiles, you'll want to pack them into everything you cook—including your antipasto.

Budino is what Italians ask for when they want pudding. Sub in any stone fruit for the plums.

During summer months, find zucchini blossoms at specialty grocers or at farmers’ markets. Halved scallions can be used instead, and small shrimp can stand in for the squid.

This twist on the traditional Italian peperonata omits the tomatoes, but the bell peppers are hearty and colorful enough on their own. Serve as a side dish or pour over steak.

These traditional almond cookies hail from Tuscany; their texture is chewy, similar to macaroons.

Rib chops can be pricey. This same preparation works well on lamb loin chops, too.

How do you improve on a classic Caprese? Grill your tomatoes—and create a Charred Caprese Sandwich.

Using shrimp shells to make a quick stock adds an insane depth of flavor to an otherwise simple pasta.

Red sauce rules, plus an epic chicken Parm you can make at home.

At Pietro’s, the cooks deep fry the chicken cutlets in a large, wide skillet, which allows the oil to come up to temperature very quickly and stay there once the cutlet is added. Smart, but potentially messy (it’s a lot of oil!). If you have a Dutch oven with high sides, that will minimize splatter—we’d feel rotten if you got burned.

Step 1: Prep this simple soffritto and nutty pesto. Step 2: Make beautiful, clean soups on a whim.

Who knew that dessert could be as easy—and refreshing—as combining sugar and water?