Italian Night is the perfect way to spend time with family and friends. Whether you’re an expert cook or not, it’s easy to make your own Italian Night themed dinner! This post will provide you with some of our favorite recipes for all types of dishes, as well as some creative ideas that will help make your next Italian night unforgettable.
Meal planning and menu creation reduce the hassles of meal times which will ultimately help save you time and money. Busy moms need easy-to-follow systems that don’t leave them feeling overwhelmed. Planning your weekly menu becomes a breeze with these simple themed dinner ideas.
Today I’m sharing some great ideas for your next Italian Night themed dinner. I hope you love this collection of Italian Night dinner ideas!
This list of budget-friendly Italian dinner ideas will help you save money at the grocery store and plan this week’s meals ahead of time! Planning your week’s worth of meals in this way makes it easy to order the groceries you need from the grocery store and whip up a delicious meals every day for your family
I like themed dinner ideas because they allow me to come up with dining recipes quickly. For example, when planning your meals for the week, you might think:
This Friday our themed dinner menu will be Italian Night. What can I make that fits this dinner theme?
Be sure to check out The Ultimate List of Themed Dinner Ideas here.
Italian Night Themed Dinners
How to plan your menu in 4 easy steps:
- Select your main dish.
- Choose 2 – 3 side dishes that compliment your main dish.
- Think about variety of food groups. Try to choose something from each of the main food groups.
- Focus on providing well rounded, nutritious meals.
Note: If you’re vegetarian and want some tips on how to convert recipes click here.
Italian Night Recipes | Italian Dinner Ideas
32 Italian Dinner Recipes | Main Dishes
Here are some delicious and easy sandwich dinner ideas for your next Italian Night themed dinner.
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
This is my easy recipe for the BEST Eggplant Parmesan ever. A family favorite and a regular recipe in my meal rotation.
Homemade Italian Spaghetti Sauce - Chicken Fried Kitchen
This spaghetti sauce, while not traditional, borrows the best of three sauces to make one! It’s perfectly sweet, spicy, and sticks to your pasta like no other.
Lasagna
Layers of lasagna noodles, mozzarella cheese, homemade meat sauce, and ricotta cheese make this family favorite THE ultimate comfort food with plenty for everyone!
Caprese Focaccia Bread
This crusty and fluffy Italian favourite is topped with melty mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato and basil. Serve it as a tasty appetizer, or an elegant side to a salad, this focaccia is sure to be enjoyed by all.
Mushroom Bolognese Recipe (Vegan)
This mushroom bolognese is made in under 30 minutes. It's the perfect meal for busy days when you want something delicious for dinner.
Bucatini Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti, Cheese, and Pepper)
This simple, yet delicious Italian Pasta recipe takes approximately 20 minutes to prepare. "Bucatini Cacio e Pepe" translates to "spaghetti, cheese, and pepper." I'll show you how to make this 3-ingredient classic Italian dish the traditional way and my way.
The Ultimate Homemade Lasagna Recipe
This is the ultimate lasagna recipe! Layers of noodles, hearty Bolognese sauce, creamy Bechamel, ricotta and a mixture of cheeses all baked until gooey and delicious.
Easy Fettuccine Alfredo & Video
This Slow Cooker Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Pasta Recipe is Just Like the Real Thing!
Instant Pot Spaghetti & Meatballs
The Easiest No Boil Lasagna
Healthy Baked Ziti w/Kale & Mushrooms
Italian Baked Chicken Pasta Freezer Meal
No Boil Chicken Parmesan Casserole | Lemons + Zest
Creamy Parmesan Instant Pot Pasta
This irresistibly Creamy Parmesan Instant Pot Pasta recipe is the easiest dinner to whip in well under 30 minutes. Add a few things to the instant pot and walk away. Stir in cream, parmesan and spinach after cooking and dinner is served! Such a quick and easy to get dinner on the table!
Baked Feta Pasta
With just a few steps, you can create this deliciously creamy and cheesy pasta the whole world is raving about!
Vegan Spinach Pesto Pasta
Plant based and full of greens, this vegan spinach pesto pasta recipe is the perfect meal for any night of the week. It is creamy, zesty, and delicious!
Spinach Ricotta Dumplings
The vibrant flavors of summer spinach, cheese and garlic come together in a soft, tender, comforting dumpling that pairs perfectly with your favorite marinara or Italian meat sauce.
Pasta Primavera Recipe
Pasta primavera is a fresh, bright and lemony, veggie-packed pasta dish.
Easy Pesto Pasta Recipe
This pesto pasta recipe is a delicious quick and easy summer recipe! It can be served as a main dish or side dish, and you can enjoy it warm or cold!
Tuscan Butter Salmon Recipe - An Italian Delish Done in Simple Steps
This Tuscan butter salmon is a 30-minute dish that delivers deep, hearty flavors. Season and sear filets before simmering in a creamy tomato and spinach sauce and serve immediately!
Creamy Chicken Marsala {So Easy} Modernmealmakeover.com
Creamy Chicken Marsala is a restaurant-quality recipe that you can make at home. It is a classic Italian-American dish that starts with tender and juicy pan-fried chicken breasts. That is topped with flavorful mushrooms and a creamy Marsala sauce.
Easy Cheesy Pasta Bake | Marley's Menu
One pan vegetarian eggplant lasagna
Crispy Chicken Parmesan
This Crispy Chicken Parmesan is an oh so juicy chicken breast wrapped in a truly crispy, beautifully golden crust then smothered in marinara and mozzarella.
Easy Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles
Easy Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles is a perfect dish that you can make in one pot in just 20 minutes!
Eggplant Linguine with Sun Dried Tomato
This delicious vegetarian eggplant linguine recipe combines fresh ingredients with tomatoes to make a dish that your family will love!
Cannelloni With Spinach and Ricotta
This is a lighter and healthier version of a classic Italian Sunday meal, easy to make and delicious!
Vegan Bolognese Sauce
Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Make your next pasta night extra special with these Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells! They’re packed with baby spinach, plenty of cheese and smothered in marinara sauce. This meal is always a hit and may be made completely in advance!
Baked Meatballs
These Italian Meatballs are baked in marinara sauce and topped with melted Mozzarella cheese. These are perfect to serve with spaghetti, in subs, or as a side dish for a potluck or holiday! This is an easy dish to make ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for later.
Zucchini Boats (2 Ways!)
Our Stuffed Keto Zucchini Boats are quick, easy and delicious! We’ll show you how to make Italian low carb flavor or pizza zucchini boats with one recipe!
More Italian night dinner side dish ideas:
- steamed frozen vegetables (corn, broccoli, etc.)
- beans or peas
- fruit salad or sliced fruit
- garden salad
- bread, rolls, or toast
6 Easy Spaghetti Dinner Dessert Ideas
Every Italian dinner needs a sweet treat at the end to round the meal off. These quick and easy Italian inspired desserts hit the spot every time.
Cannoli Cookies
Italian Ricotta Cookies
These super-soft Italian Ricotta Cookies are topped with a delicious almond glaze and sprinkles! They are the perfect ending for an Italian meal!
Grandma’s Italian Butterball Cookies Recipe
Raspberry Dulce De Leche Icebox Cake
This easy No Bake Raspberry Dulce de Leche Icebox Cake uses frozen raspberries and can be thrown together in 15 minutes! It's light and perfect for feeding your family, a crowd or taking along to a potluck !
Chocolate Caramel Affogato (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
No Bake Black Forest Tiramisu: A Potluck Dessert
This black forest tiramisu is a combination of my family's favorite black forest trifle and tiramisu. It is a scrumptious and easy tiramisu dessert with no baking!
Theme Day Menus: Spaghetti Sunday
Let’s put it all together. I’ll show you how I would create menus based on the Italian Night themed dinner ideas (Italian dinner ideas) I’ve shared above.
Wish someone would do all your menu planning for you? Good news! Eat at Home Meal Planning service is a simple solution for busy women just like you.
8 Spaghetti Dinner Menu Plans
These simple Italian dinner meal plans will help you figure out what to cook this week!
Themed Dinner Idea #1
- Baked Eggplant Paremesan
- spaghetti noodles
- garden salad
Themed Dinner Idea #2
- Lasagna
- Garden Salad
- Garlic Toast
Themed Dinner Idea #3
- Caprese Focaccia Bread
- Fruit Salad
Themed Dinner Idea #4
- Healthy Baked Ziti with Kale and Mushrooms
- steamed broccoli
- garlic toast
Themed Dinner Idea #5
- Baked Feta Pasta
- tossed salad with Italian dressing
- Italian bread
Themed Dinner Idea #6
- Spinach Ricotta Dumplings
- garden salad
Themed Dinner Idea #7
- Pasta Primavera Recipe
- fried mozzerlla sticks and marinara sauce
- garden salad
Themed Dinner Idea #8
- Easy Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles
- steamed frozen peas
- garlic toast
I hope you enjoyed these Italian themed dinner night recipes and ideas as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below if there are any other favorite dishes or flavors that should be added to this list.
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