A Culinary Trip to the Land of Olives, Pasta and Sunshine!

Ten of our favorite, make-ahead Italian recipes. These cozy and comforting meals are perfect for cold winter days!

What's your ultimate comfort food? We're all about Italian over here! There's something so cozy and delicious about classic Italian flavors and a big bowl of pasta.

These are some of our family's favorite recipes. They're just as perfect for cold winter days or for special occasion celebration meals. Make them ahead of time, making dinner time super easy. Whenever Italian is on the menu, everyone in our house cheers! Put one of these recipes on your meal plan, we think your family will feel the same way! 🙌🙌🙌

 

With less than 10-minutes of hands-on time and no-kneading, the name Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread says it all! Almost. It’s also ridiculously delicious!

 

This Italian Sausage Puttanesca is a delicious entree for a dinner party, but it’s also great for a weeknight meal. It can be made ahead, freezes well and is a big hit with young and old alike!

 

This make-ahead Italian Chicken Sausage Ravioli Lasagna is bursting with fabulous Italian flavor and tastes like you labored for hours! No one has to know the delicious little secret.

 

In addition to tender chunks of beef and carrots and a deeply flavored sauce, this Slow Braised Italian Beef Stew also features fire-roasted tomatoes, briny olives, pearl onions and lots of fresh rosemary for a delicious taste of Italy!

 

This Eggplant and Italian Sausage Gratin is bursting with fabulous Italian flavor. A delicious, make-ahead, dinner party worthy meal!

 

This Instant Pot (or oven) Italian Vegetable Beef Soup is bursting with vibrant Italian flavor, tender beef and an array of fresh veggies!

 

This make-ahead, Homemade Manicotti is beyond delicious with an Italian sausage marinara and tender melt-in-your-mouth pasta.

 

These Italian Chicken Meatballs are made from boneless, skinless chicken breasts, not ground chicken. They’re lean, light, tender, juicy and full of flavor!

 

A combination of cake and cheesecake, this delicious Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake is a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe you can throw together in minutes!

 

This impressive, but easy Chocolate Budino is a creamy Italian-inspired dessert that takes pudding to a whole new level. You’ll fall in love with the first silky smooth bite!

Thought for the day:

What good is it for someone
to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Mark 8:36

What we're listening to for inspiration:

My Worth Is Not In What I Own

If you enjoy any of these recipes, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations. Thanks!