The Best Authentic Recipes from Giada in Italy
From craveable pasta to refreshing cocktails, check out classically Italian eats and drinks from Giada De Laurentiis' homeland.
Related To:
Creamy Orzo with Prosciutto and Peas
A rich mixture of eggs and nutty Parmesan cheese turns into a silky sauce for this speedy pasta, balanced with salty prosciutto and sweet sauteed shallots.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Orzo with Prosciutto and Peas
Pan-Roasted Asparagus with a Crispy Fried Egg
No longer is asparagus just a side dish. When you top it with a fried egg, it can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or even a simple dinner!
Get the Recipe: Pan-Roasted Asparagus with a Crispy Fried Egg
Pizza Dough
If you've never made pizza dough from scratch, Giada's easy recipe is an ideal place to start. It's made with only five everyday ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Dough
Chocolate Ricotta Toast
Not just for topping your pasta, ricotta can be sweet too. Here Giada mixes the creamy cheese with cinnamon and sugar, then spreads it on toasted bread and finishes it with chocolate for an extra-special dessert.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Ricotta Toast
Burrata and Strawberry Bruschetta
Tomatoes and strawberries might seem like an unlikely match, but trust Giada when she says they work well together, especially when you get your hands on summer’s best sweet, juicy tomatoes.
Get the Recipe: Burrata and Strawberry Bruschetta
Sausage and Broccoli Pizza
Let the tomato sauce chill for a while so that the flavors have a chance to combine, which will ultimately give you a more delicious pizza.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Broccoli Pizza
Pound Cake with Limoncello Zabaglione
Zabaglione is a light Italian custard, and Giada spikes hers with limoncello, a sweet Italian liqueur. It’s the ideal way to finish a slice of rich pound cake.
Get the Recipe: Pound Cake with Limoncello Zabaglione
Avocado and White Bean Dip
This super-easy appetizer is best served with veggies and toasted bread for dipping. All it takes is 10 minutes and a food processor!
Get the Recipe: Avocado and White Bean Dip
Torrone 'Mess'
Similar to an Eton mess, which is a British dessert with strawberries and cream, Giada’s recipe celebrates the flavors of a Torrone, a popular Italian candy bar. There’s plenty of sweet marshmallow creme, crunchy almonds and dark chocolate.
Get the Recipe: Torrone 'Mess'
Spritzer Slushy
This summery citrus slushy is topped off with a little prosecco to give it a sparkling finish.
Get the Recipe: Spritzer Slushy
Pappa al Pomodoro
"The finished soup should be silky and thickened," Giada notes of this comforting recipe, which gets its hearty texture from a base of bread. As they cooks with the tomatoes and broth, the bread cubes absorb moisture and become deeply flavored.
Get the Recipe: Pappa al Pomodoro
Chocolate Almond Mousse Cannoli
It's all about the filling in these impressive cannoli. Chocolate whipped cream and amaretto-spiked ricotta come together to create the ultimate better-together mixture.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Almond Mousse Cannoli
Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
Sweet fruit-and-nut bread takes the place of the usual cookies in these four-ingredient treats. The slices are smeared with chocolate-hazelnut spread before sandwiching a filling of candy-studded ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
Asparagus with Grilled Melon Salad
Quickly grilling the melon boosts the natural sweetness of the fruit. Giada turns the cantaloupe into a savory salad by tossing it with fresh cherry tomatoes, mint and chile paste.
Get the Recipe: Asparagus with Grilled Melon Salad
Spaghetti with Chianti and Fava Beans
Not only does Giada's cheesy pasta sauce boast the earthy taste of Chianti wine, but the noodles themselves are flavored too. Giada boils the pasta in a wine-water mixture, which delivers both taste and color to the spaghetti.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti with Chianti and Fava Beans
Chianti Affogato
Traditional affogatos feature gelato or ice cream with a shot of espresso, but Giada skips the coffee in flavor of warm, cinnamon-spiced red wine, which pairs well with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Chianti Affogato
Avocado and White Bean Dip
Ready to eat in just 10 minutes, this cool dip is the ultimate in last-minute appetizers. Giada likes to serve it with raw veggies and crunchy bread for easy dunking.
Get the Recipe: Avocado and White Bean Dip
Crab Arancini
Laced with nutty Parmesan and flecked with fresh crab, these breaded rice balls are quickly fried until crispy on the outside and creamy inside.
Get the Recipe: Crab Arancini
Prosciutto Broth with Farro and Spinach
This is the soup recipe you didn't know you've been missing. The deeply savory prosciutto-based broth is simmered with fragrant thyme and a Parmesan rind, which imparts salty, nutty flavor as it cooks. In place of the usual noodles, there's chewy farro, an authentic Italian grain. Don't opt out of making the Parmesan crisps — those golden, crispy rounds that adorn each bowl — as they pack a serious punch of both texture and taste.
Get the Recipe: Prosciutto Broth with Farro and Spinach
Seared Mushrooms with Wilted Arugula
When you think there's no time to make a side dish, look to Giada's 15-minute mushrooms. These earthy beauties are quickly cooked then tossed with a few ready-to-go mix-ins: chewy dried cranberries, crunchy walnuts and peppery arugula.
Get the Recipe: Funghi alla Fiorentina (Seared Mushrooms with Wilted Arugula)
Italian Fruit Toast
Not just for savory bruschetta, toasted slices of bread can become dessert too. Giada sprinkles ciabatta with sugar before caramelizing the bread, and after that, it's all about the toppings. A smear of ricotta delivers creamy richness, while fresh berries provide a bright bite.
Get the Recipe: Italian Fruit Toast
Hazelnut Chicken
Get the Recipe: Hazelnut Chicken
Italian Tuna Salad
Get the Recipe: Italian Tuna Salad
Burrata and Kale Salsa Verde Bruschetta
Get the Recipe: Burrata and Kale Salsa Verde Bruschetta
Olive Oil Sorbetto with Berries and Balsamic
Get the Recipe: Olive Oil Sorbetto with Berries and Balsamic
Carbonara Cacio e Pepe
Get the Recipe: Carbonara Cacio e Pepe
Pork Chop Agrodolce
Get the Recipe: Pork Chop Agrodolce
Ziti Stufati
Get the Recipe: Ziti Stufati
Fennel Gratin Pizzette
Get the Recipe: Fennel Gratin Pizzette
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Fresh Citrus with Gelato and Almond Cookies
Get the Recipe: Fresh Citrus with Gelato and Almond Cookies
Artichoke and Fennel Crudo
Get the Recipe: Artichoke and Fennel Crudo
Marinated Bistecca Fiorentina
Get the Recipe: Marinated Bistecca Fiorentina
Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies
Fusilli with Fresh Pomodoro
Get the Recipe: Fusilli with Fresh Pomodoro
Pan-Seared Branzino with Tomato and Capers
Get the Recipe: Pan-Seared Branzino with Tomato and Capers
Double Chocolate Brownies
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Brownies
The Gentle Italian
Get the Recipe: The Gentle Italian
Sweet and Tangy Orzo Salad
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Tangy Orzo Salad
Artichoke Manhattan
Get the Recipe: Artichoke Manhattan
Linguini with Anchovy and Walnuts
Get the Recipe: Linguine with Anchovy and Walnuts
Want More Giada in Italy?
More: Giada in Italy