What's Cooking This Week: 7 Satisfying Italian Recipes

Want a comforting Italian dinner without filling up on pasta? We know the feeling. These seven delicious recipes will take you through the week, keeping you satisfied with all the vibrant flavors of the boot. 

Monday: Potato Frittata

Kick off the week with a meatless main from James Beard himself. Similar to the Spanish tortilla made with potatoes, this Italian version of an omelette can be made with any vegetable you like. Bonus: leftovers are great for breakfast or layered into a sandwich or on top of greens for lunch.

Tuesday: Chicken Cacciatore

This rustic, hunter-style dish from Sonoma wine country–based chef Tim Bodell is a deeply satisfying meal of bright ingredients and bold, layered flavors. Packed with cremini mushrooms, veggies, and red wine, we promise it'll hit the spot.

Wednesday: Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Bacon and White Anchovies

Get your greens on with this hearty twist on a Caesar salad uses kale instead of the traditional romaine. Garnished with white anchovies, garlic panko bread crumbs, and a powerful dressing, it’s not for the faint of heart.

Thursday: Fish Soup with Vegetables

JBF Award winner and Italian-cooking matriarch Lidia Bastianich created this Molisano version of brodo di pesce, with Swiss chard and peppers floating between chunks of seafood in a savory broth. Served with grilled bread or polenta, it is indeed a complete meal. 

Friday: Braised Sicilian Lamb Meatballs

You made it through the work week! Congratulate yourself with a plate of sophisticated yet simple lamb meatballs from JBF Award winner and restaurateur extraordinaire Michael White. When he prepared these at the Beard House, White gussied them up with garnishes of spring peas, marinated zucchini, and Pecorino crema—but believe us, they stand on their own.

Saturday: Warm Shrimp and Radicchio Salad with Pancetta and Mustard Vinaigrette

Entertaining guests this weekend? Wow them with JBF Award winner Mike Lata's elegant main-course salad. The briny crustacean flavors of the shrimp meet their match with warm, crisp, and slightly tart radicchio silvers and the salty bite of seared pancetta.

Sunday: White Bean and Sausage Stew

Nothing beats a cozy Sunday spent curled up on the couch with a hearty stew simmering away on the stove. If you can't find lacinato kale (which is also sold as cavolo nero or Tuscan kale), use curly kale in its place. Pro tip: double the recipe and bring leftovers to work for lunch all week long.

Hungry for more? View our entire recipe collection.

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Elena North-Kelly is senior editor at the James Beard Foundation. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.