This is The Only Chicken Parmesan Recipe You'll Ever Need (2024)

Italian Sprinkle CookiesOf all the Italian cookie recipes I make, this is my favorite. These sprinkle cookies take some time, but, believe me, they are well worth it! My husband and I used to operate an Italian American restaurant, and this recipe goes back generations. —Gloria Cracchiolo, Newburgh, New York

Creamy Beef LasagnaThis creamy beef lasagna is a stick-to-your-ribs entree, thanks to its Stroganoff-like filling. My family loves the delicious taste, and I appreciate that it's inexpensive to fix. —Jane Frawley, Charles Town, West Virginia

Pear and Gorgonzola SaladThis pear and gorgonzola salad is quick and easy. When I have leftover cooked chicken, I often add it to the recipe to make a main dish salad. —Candace McMenamin, Lexington, South Carolina

Soft Garlic BreadsticksI rely on a bread machine to mix the dough for this buttery garlic breadsticks recipe that is mildly seasoned with garlic and basil. I like to use this dough when making pizza, too. —Charles Smith, Baltic, Connecticut

Vegetable-Stuffed Flank SteakThis colorful beef dish was always a favorite request for birthday dinners while I was growing up. Savory, special and stuffed full of vegetables, it's as tender as the memories it still brings back every time I make it. —Julie Etzel, Tualatin, Oregon

Quick and Easy TiramisuNo one can resist this classic cool and creamy dessert. It's quick to prepare but can be made ahead for added mealtime convenience.

Portobello Risotto with MascarponePortobello mushrooms add a beefy flavor to this creamy classic. Each serving is topped with soft, buttery mascarpone cheese, which makes it extra special. —Carmella Ryan, Rockville Centre, New York

Italian Cream Cheese CakeButtermilk makes every bite of this awesome Italian cream cheese cake recipe moist and flavorful. I rely on this recipe year-round.—Joyce Lutz, Centerview, Missouri

The Best Ever LasagnaMy brother, Joe, created this lasagna based on our mom’s recipe. It’s a family favorite at Christmas, thanks to the special ingredients that make it magnifico. —Stephanie Marchese, Taste of Home Visual Production Director

Anise PizzelleThese lovely, golden brown anise pizzelle cookies have a crisp texture and delicate anise flavor. I create them using a pizzelle iron. —Barbara Colucci, Rockledge, Florida

Gnocchi with Spinach and Chicken SausageDinner is easy when I can use ingredients typically found in my fridge and pantry. —Laura Miller, Lake Ann, Michigan

Italian Appetizer MeatballsStore-bought spaghetti sauce speeds up the preparation of these homemade meatball appetizers. Leftovers make terrific sub sandwiches.—Rene McCrory, Indianapolis, Indiana

Nana's Italian RouladeMy great-aunt from Sicily taught my mother how to stuff and bake a steak in a jelly-roll style. It’s unique and really special in our family. —Roseanne McDonald, Days Creek, Oregon

Garlic KnotsThese novel garlic knots are handy because they can be made ahead of time and reheated when needed. —Jane Paschke, University Park, Florida

Cranberry Ricotta Gnocchi with Brown Butter SauceTo make light and airy gnocchi, work quickly and handle the dough as little as possible. You'll be pleased with the resulting pillowy dumplings. —Sally Sibthorpe, Shelby Township, Michigan

Tuscan Grapes and SausagesThis recipe is one of my go-tos when entertaining. It's simple, elegant and you can entertain your guests instead of spending the entire time in the kitchen. The whole pieces of garlic in this dish become so sweet, a lovely complement to the sweet grapes and spicy sausage. —Melissa Zienter, Las Vegas, Nevada

Gingerbread Amaretti CookiesThe classic Italian cookie gets a new gingerbread twist! Don’t overbake—they should be slightly chewy. —Tina Zaccardi, Eastchester, New York

Chicken Pesto MeatballsThese tender, pesto-stuffed meatballs get gobbled up in our house. They're short on ingredients, but packed with flavor. I always make a double batch, freezing the other half for a busy night. —Ally Billhorn, Wilton, Iowa

Over-the-Rainbow MinestroneThis colorful soup is vegetarian-friendly and full of fresh flavors from a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

Amaretto Ricotta CheesecakeThere's a good reason why a relative handed this cherished recipe down to me. It's a keeper! The amaretto and ricotta make for a truly unique dessert. —Isabel Neuman, Surprise, Arizona

Flounder with Shrimp StuffingThe delicious shrimp-herb stuffing makes this fish recipe special enough for company. But it really isn’t hard to make, and since our family enjoys fish, we eat it often. —Marie Forte, Raritan, New Jersey

Italian Herb-Crusted Pork LoinI like to change things up during the holidays with pork loin recipes that incorporate my favorite herbs and veggies. This showpiece dish really dazzles my family. —Kim Palmer, Kingston, Georgia

Italian Chocolate Spice CookiesI recently found this old family recipe in my mom’s kitchen. I made a few adjustments to streamline the process, and the cookies turned out wonderfully. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida

Hearty Ragu BologneseMy robust ragu combines ground beef, sausage and chicken. Serve it over any type of pasta, or baked or fried polenta. It's even good on its own with a slice of hot buttered garlic bread. —Caroline Brody, Forest Hills, New York

Cherry Tomato SaladThis recipe evolved from a need to use the bumper crops of delicious cherry tomatoes we grow. It's one of my favorite cherry tomato recipes, especially at cookouts. —Sally Sibley, St. Augustine, Florida

We love to make meals into celebrations, and antipasto always kicks off the party for Italian dinners. This one is almost too pretty to eat, especially when sprinkled with pimientos, fresh basil and parsley. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania

Spinach Chicken ManicottiPepper and nutmeg spice up the rich sauce in this hearty chicken and spinach manicotti. I made this for my boyfriend on our first Valentine’s Day. It was a big success—now we're married! —Amy Luce, Dallas, Texas

When I had 80 pounds of tomatoes, I got creative incorporating them into meals. Sometimes I slice this loaf into squares to make sandwiches with fresh mozzarella cheese and deli meats. —Katie Ferrier, Houston, Texas

Italian Pasta BakeI love to make this pasta bake whenever I need to bring a dish to pass. Fresh tomatoes add a nice touch that's missing from most other meat, pasta and tomato casseroles.—Karla Johnson, East Helena, Montana

Spicy Seafood StewThe hardest part of this quick and easy recipe is peeling and dicing the potatoes—and you can even do that the night before. Just place the potatoes in water and store them in the refrigerator overnight to speed up assembly the next day. —Bonnie Marlow, Ottoville, Ohio

Olive FocacciaWhen I add my own special touches to a basic focaccia recipe—including sun-dried tomatoes, olives and roasted sweet red peppers—the results were simply delectable. The flavorful, chewy loaf makes a wonderful accompaniment to nearly any meal. —Dee Froemel, Hayward, Wisconsin

Cheesy Spinach-Stuffed ShellsThis is my own personal recipe. I'm very proud of it because I am still a beginner cook and it was the first recipe I created. You can adjust it to your liking by doubling the spinach or adding some meat. —Laci Hooten, McKinney, Texas

Herbed Bread TwistsA blend of herbs and a special shape dress up ordinary frozen bread dough in this unbelievably easy recipe. —Deb Stapert, Comstock Park, Michigan

In our family, holiday cookies—like these nutty fig ones—are a big deal. I'm so proud to be passing on this Italian tradition to my two boys. —Angela Lemoine, Howell, New Jersey

White Bean Soup with EscarolePantry staples make this healthy soup oh, so simple to prepare. When I can't find escarole, I use fresh spinach. Just add to the soup pot moments before serving. —Gina Samokar, North Haven, Connecticut

Penne alla VodkaThis easy and impressive pasta is always on the menu when my husband and I invite first-time guests over for dinner. Many friends have asked me to make the recipe again years after they first tried it. —Cara Langer, Overland Park, Kansas

Holiday BiscottiA twice-baked Italian cookie, biscotti makes a wonderful "dunker." A pretty way to present a batch is on a seasonal plate arranged in a wagon-wheel fashion. —Libia Foglesong, San Bruno, California

Pasta fa*gioli al FornoThe name of this Italian-inspired dish means "baked pasta with beans." But my busy family translates it as "super satisfying dinner." —Cindy Preller, Grayslake, Illinois

Italian Christmas CookiesA single batch of these ricotta cheese cookies is never enough. I usually make one to give away and two more to keep at home. The ricotta cheese makes the morsels extra moist. —Doris Marshall, Strasburg, Pennsylvania

Stamp-of-Approval Spaghetti SauceMy father is very opinionated, especially about food. This recipe received his almost unreachable stamp of approval. I have yet to hear a disagreement from anyone who has tried it! —Melissa Taylor, Higley, Arizona

Perfect Four-Cheese LasagnaLasagna is one of my favorites, and this is the recipe I’ve been making since I was a teenager. It’s a tantalizing combo of pasta, meat sauce, cheese and more cheese that really lives up to its name! —Lauren Delaney-Wallace, Glen Carbon, Illinois

PizzelleThis recipe was adapted from one that my Italian-born mother and grandmother followed. They used old irons on a gas stove, but now we have the convenience of electric pizzelle irons. These delectable cookies are still a traditional treat in our family. —Elizabeth Schwartz, Trevorton, Pennsylvania

Italian Chocolate-Hazelnut Cheesecake PieI first prepared an Italian-style cheese pie years ago. When I added a chocolate-hazelnut topping, it proved so popular that I had to give out copies of the recipe.—Steve Meredith, Streamwood, Illinois

Cranberry Walnut BiscottiA chocolate drizzle lends a little extra sweetness to biscotti.—Joan Duckworth, Lee's Summit, Missouri

The Best Eggplant ParmesanTruly delicious! I love eggplant and have many recipes, but this one's my favorite. The cheeses and seasonings make this dish unforgettable. —Dottie Kilpatrick, Wilmington, North Carolina

Bread Machine PanettoneThis bread machine panettone is easy to make. Every tender, moist slice is filled with candied fruit and raisins. —Josephine Bianchi, Bristol, New Hampshire

Citrus Almond CookiesThese frosted goodies were a "must" every Christmas in my mother's family. I think the blend of milk chocolate, toasted almonds, lemon and orange is cookie perfection.

I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and this dish is still one that guests request frequently. It is my No. 1 standby recipe and also makes amazing meatball sandwiches. The sauce works for any type of pasta. —Jane Whittaker, Pensacola, Florida

Sweet Italian Holiday BreadThis is authentic ciambellotto, a sweet loaf my great-grandmother used to bake in Italy. I still use her traditional recipe—the only update I made was for using modern appliances. —Denise Perrin, Vancouver, Washington

MostaccioliEven though we're not Italian, this rich, cheesy pasta dish is a "family tradition" for holidays and special occasions. I was delighted the first time I tried this mostaccioli recipe—it has all the flavor of lasagna without the work of layering the ingredients. Try it…I'm sure it'll become one of your family's favorites, too! —Nancy Mundhenke, Kinsley, Kansas