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Here is what you need to host an unforgettable Italian-themed dinner party: delicious, easy-to-make recipes for each course and Italian-themed decor. There are even Italian playlist suggestions to set the mood for our dinner party.
Everything you need to easily host an unforgettable evening your friends will talk about for weeks. Buon appetito!
Let’s Have An Italian Themed Dinner
Whether you’re planning an elaborate Taste of Italy or a simple family dinner for a special occasion, there are lots of options when it comes to planning the menu for your Italian feast.
Much of Italian food is made with simple ingredients that highlight the freshness of the foods.
When planning your own Italian-themed dinner party, consider setting the tables with traditional Italian decor, serving up your favorite Italian red or white wine, and add some Italian-themed music for the occasion.
Most importantly, choose a variety of recipes that showcase the foods commonly served in Italian cuisine.
Italian Dinner Vocabulary
Traditionally, Italian dinners consist of many courses, typically more than those commonly served in the United States.
Let’s start by learning some definitions of Italian dinner. Then, as you skim through the recipes below, you will find some Italian recipes that fit most of these different courses.
Aperitivo: Happy Hour – Aperitivo (or apéritif) is often described as being similar to the American happy hour or cocktail hour held before a dinner party. An aperitivo is more like a pre-meal drink specifically meant to whet your appetite.
Antipasto: Appetizer – It’s a little something to tease the taste buds before the main meal. When I was in Alasio, I was surprised to be served a small bowl of plain potato chips. It was clear that Italians love salty chips.
Primo: First course – Again, another surprise. In America, we serve pasta as a main dish; however, in Italy, I was given some amazing pasta as another type of appetizer. They also served risotto or soup. Secondo: The second course is the star of the show, often featuring a slice of delicious meat or seafood.
Contorno: Side dish – Typically cooked or fresh vegetables served as a side to the main course.
Insalata: Salad – A delightful mix of greens, veggies, and dressing is served as a side dish with the meal. During my visits to Italy, I learned that Italian salads are lightly dressed compared to American salads, with the vegetables being the stars of the dish.
Formaggi e frutta: Cheese and fruit – Served toward the end of a meal, a delightful assortment of cheeses and fresh fruits on a large tray to the table.
Dolce: Dessert – The sweet finale, a delightful treat to end the meal on a high note.
Digestivo con caffè: Digestive with coffee – A little after-dinner liqueur served with coffee to aid in digestion.
Free Italian Dinner Party Planer
I want to help make it easy for you to plan and host a great Italian dinner party. Be sure to grab a free copy of my Italian dinner party planner. I have a custom menu template, grocery list, and to-do list to help you not miss a detail and save you time.
OK, grab your free planner and a pen. Let’s start picking some recipes to create your Italian dinner party menu. If you see something you would like to try, tap the Get The Recipe button and print the recipe.
Then, after you decide on a menu, scroll down and browse through the Italian table and party decoration ideas. Oh, don’t forget to create your dinner party music Italian playlist with some of the suggestions I offer.
Aperitivo – Happy Hour
Aperitivo (or apéritif) is often described as being similar to the American happy hour or cocktail hour held before a dinner party. An aperitivo is more like a pre-meal drink specifically meant to whet your appetite.
Two Minute Espresso Martini with Baileys
Espresso martini with Bailey’s is a two minute Italian cocktail and the best cocktail party drink recipe for the holidays!
Make your own handcrafted infused fruit-forward spirits to create this delicious Ginger Pear Spirit Infused Cocktail Crafting your own spirits is easy and creates unique flavor combinations you cannot buy in a store.
Italians typically serve antipasto appetizers on individual plates or in bite-sized pieces on a plate passed around the table. Common types of antipasti include marinated olives, cured meats such as prosciutto or salami, bruschetta, caprese salad, and various types of cheese.
Green Marinated Sicilian Olives Recipe
Bring a little Sicily to your table with this delicious Green Marinated Sicilian Olives Recipe. The olives are infused with fresh herbs, garlic, dried oregano, a pinch of chili pepper for heat all smothered in extra virgin olive oil and white vinegar dressing.
Enticingly tangy and crunchy, this Italian pickle is surprisingly simple to make with our easy giardiniera recipe. Serve as a quick appetizer, or add punchiness to sandwiches, salads, and more.
Crazy good and addictive this Italian Cheesy Pull Apart Bread is sure to be a crowd pleaser. The loaf is filled with a buttery garlic, pesto and Italian herb mixture then generously stuffed with mozzarella cheese to create each perfect bite for this pull apart Italian bread.
This delicious pizza Bianca is topped with potato rounds, pancetta, mozzarella, and smoked Gouda and is flavored with rosemary. Give this authentic pizza recipe from the north of Italy a try. Trentino region.
This first course traditionally includes pasta, soup, rice, or creamy risotto. While in the US, we often associate pasta as a main meal, in Italy, it’s the start of the meal.
Keep the portions small and make it self-serve. Let your guests know there is more coming, so they don’t fill up!
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce With Fresh Tomatoes
Treat your guest by serving a homemade tomato sauce dish. The rich, delicious flavor of this traditionalmarinara sauceis amazing. It is like stepping into a sweet Italian grandma’s kitchen. The aroma of tomatoes and garlic roasting creates the anticipation for the delicious bowl of spaghetti you soon will be eating.
This classic Italian turkey bolognese recipe makes a hearty sauce to serve up with your favorite pasta. Tomatoes are slow cooked with onions, garlic, celery, carrots and lots of fresh herbs for a pasta dinner eveyone will love!
Tuscan minestrone with orzo pasta has fresh seasonal veggies and greens, beans and pasta. A delicious and nutritious authentic Italian recipe. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for a bit more flavor!
Testaroli is a unique, tasty, & traditional Italian pasta that you should be trying. Make a from-scratch pasta that some believe to be the first pasta ever made. Give it a try!
From Sorrento a costal town between the Amalfi coast & Naples (Campania region). Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is an incredible Italian comfort food dish made with soft and light potato gnocchi baked in a rich and delicious tomato sauce with bubbling mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
Rustic and Creamy Zuppa Toscana Soup (Instant Pot)
The famous copycat recipe for Zuppa Toscana Soup (Instant Pot) is loaded with creamy potatoes, spicy Italian sausage, and fresh kale. This Zuppa recipe makes a quick, hearty dinner the whole family will enjoy. The recipe gets its inspiration from the famous Zuppa soup served at Olive Garden restaurants. Easy and quick using your Instant Pot.
The main course, or secondo, often features a delicious meat or seafood dish. It is usually served in smaller portions compared to meals in the United States. Common options include roasted meats, fish, or poultry, often accompanied by a side of vegetables or salad.
Beer Roasted Pork Roast
A traditional, slow-cooked roast that gives you time to invest in something else, maybe to knead bread or to make a batch of ricotta tortelli
Peposo – Tuscan Red Wine Beef Stew – Inside The Rustic Kitchen
Peposo is a traditional Tuscan Beef Stew originating from Florence. It truly is the simplest stew you’ll ever make yet it has so much flavour. Made with garlic, lots of black pepper and a whole bottle of red wine, super delicious and perfect served with creamy polenta.
Here it is a traditional Tuscan menu for Christmas, which includes crostini, lasagne, roast pork loin with pears and the typical Medieval Sienese sweets.
This Cheesy Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs recipe is a delightful twist on the classic dish. These flavorful meatballs combine ground chicken, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings, all nestled in a rich marinara sauce topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a family meal or when entertaining guests. These classic parm meatballs are sure to become a family favorite.
Common side dishes served with the main course in Italian cuisine include a variety of cooked or fresh vegetables, such as roasted potatoes, sautéed spinach, grilled zucchini,
Quick Italian Couscous
this easy hot and hearty Italian couscous. Makes a great side with a protein and can be tweaked with the bounty from any season.
You’ll love the combination of savory, sweet, and sour flavors in this creamy eggplant caponata with onions, tomato and olives. Great over crusty bread!
Stuffed artichokes with parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley and crispy breadcrumbs. Make this easy stuffed artichoke recipe for a show-stopping vegetarian main or as a restaurant-worthy side dish.
Insalata, or salad, is a side dish for an Italian dinner. It features a delightful mix of greens, vegetables, and dressing. Italian salads are lightly dressed compared to American salads, with the vegetables being the stars of the dish. Common types of salads include Caprese salad, mixed green salads, or salads featuring seasonal vegetables.
Antipasto Salad
This easy antipasto salad recipe with salami, pepperoni, olives, mozzarella, provolone, giardiniera, marinated artichoke hearts, and Dijon vinaigrette. An Italian salad everyone will love!
An easy Italian appetizer made with with crusty bread, cherry tomatoes, green olives, capers, fresh basil, then lightly tossed with a dressing of fresh garlic, olive oil, anchovies, and red wine vinegar.
Crunchy, golden brown eggplant that isn’t greasy, sandwiched between tomato and mozzarella, then topped with syrupy balsamic vinegar and bit of olive oil! It’s a tasty spin on the classic fresh tomato salad!
This easy Italian style cheese board is filled with burrata, mozzarella, Tuscan melon, cantaloupe, prosciutto (aka Parma ham), cherries, nuts, and crackers!
An Italian dinner party should definitely end with an amazing dessert! Here you will find several faves from super easy to more elaborate creations.
When I was in Italy, I spent some time with Giulia Scarpaleggia of Jul’s Kitchen. She is a charming chef with a heart for teaching the world how to cook authentic Italian food. Her stories and recipes are a delight.
She also taught me while I was in Italy an authentic Italian recipe for this slightly sweet biscotti with hints of orange, almonds, and honey.
Italian Almond Biscotti
Julia, from Jul's Kitchen, the famous Italian chef, teaches you everything you need to know to make Authentic Italian Almond Biscotti with this recipe. It's a classic Italian biscotti with a hint of citrus and almond flavor in a sweet, crisp cookie-like stick that turns out perfect every time.
A buttery shortcrust shell filled with an elderflower pastry cream filling and plenty of ripe strawberries, simply dressed with lemon juice and sugar it is a dessert that is sure to wow your guest.
She has a wonderful Italian cookbook full of beautiful stories, pictures, and great recipes. I highly recommend adding I Love Toscana to your collections.
Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli)
Siena Tuscany. The easiest Italian Almond Cookies also know as Ricciarelli will transport you straight to the rustic streets of Siena. Soft and slightly chewy bursting with almond and orange and dusted with powdered sugar. You won’t believe how low prep they are and how easy they are to whip up!
Create a playlist on Amazon Music or Spotify. Common Italian dinner music stars to create a list with could include Dean Martin, Rosemary Clooney, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, and Eros Ramazzotti, among others. These artists have a wide array of songs that provide the perfect soundtrack for an Italian-themed dinner party.
This Vicarious Life sets the mood with a rustic Italian dinner theme. Natural elements such as wood placemats, dried leaf garlands on a simple white table cloth makes this an easy look to emulate. Use long thin breadsticks in a clear glass, sparkling natural mineral water and Moscow mule mugs for decorations. Fresh rosemary tied with twin
Inspired by This shows how to create a table centerpiece using the vegetables you will be serving in your menu. This tablescape is created with cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, artichokes, fresh herbs, and Italian bread. They are all placed on a large piece of wood. Fresh flowers are then placed sporadically about and in empty wine bottles used as vases. Very simple to do but elegant.
Style Me Pretty has a beautiful picture teaching us how to set up an olive bar for our party. A variety of olive oils, bottles of vinegar, olives, and fresh cubes of bread give your guest delicious choices to fill their plates with.
Add a little pizzazz to your family’s Friday Pizza Night with tips for simple tablescape decor, drink pairings for adults and kids, and a table activity!
Amy, The image is an Italian Affogato recipe. I think what happened, the post is no longer on the internet. I did some research and found another link to a recipe you might like to try. It’s a really easy dessert and the couple that has the recipe on their site lived in Italy for a while so I am sure it’s authentic. If you try the recipe I would enjoy hearing your opinion.
I would love to know where to get the elevated board tiu have the olive bar display
I just linked in the post a few that are similar to the original poster, Style Me Pretty.
Where did you do your word search cards. Which website?
Try this site for a make your own word search. Just choose Italian words you would like to use and then it will fill in letters and scramble it for you. Just download and print. https://www.education.com/worksheet-generator/reading/word-search/?gclid=CjwKCAjwn8SLBhAyEiwAHNTJbVL1E3ODEA66mWG83QheqV1jTtFxI5PlRBe61fjG45Eg088EWmO8KhoCe0MQAvD_BwE
on the very first photo, what is pictured in the left bottom picture?
Amy, The image is an Italian Affogato recipe. I think what happened, the post is no longer on the internet. I did some research and found another link to a recipe you might like to try. It’s a really easy dessert and the couple that has the recipe on their site lived in Italy for a while so I am sure it’s authentic. If you try the recipe I would enjoy hearing your opinion.
Thank you so much!