10 Italian Fall Dinner Recipe Ideas— Straight from Italy!

Cool weather calls for serious comfort food! Discover 10 Italian Fall dinner recipe ideas you can make at home, inspired by what is in season in Italy. Let’s go!


#1 Italian Whole Roasted Chicken

This recipe for Rosemary Chicken with Potatoes is quite common in the Umbria and Tuscan regions of Italy. Flavored with rosemary, lemon, fresh garlic, olives and olive oil—this is the perfect one-pot meal for fall.

Rosemary Chicken with Potatoes – Italian Whole Roasted Chicken
This recipe for Rosemary Chicken with Potatoes is quite common in the Umbria and Tuscan regions of Italy. This whole roasted chicken recipe is flavored with rosemary, lemon, fresh garlic, olives and olive oil!
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#2 Ragù Bolognese Sauce—for Pasta or Lasagna!

Make a big batch of Ragù Bolognese and freeze it in portions for quick Italian dinner recipes. This rich and delicious sauce is inspired and can be used many different ways, for instance with some tagliatelle or in a lasagna. It is in fact the main ingredient in the traditional Bolognese Lasagna recipe! In Italy, a ragù like this is commonly served at family gatherings or holidays.

Authentic Ragu Bolognese Sauce Recipe
This Ragù Bolognese Sauce recipe is the traditional recipe that originated in Bologna, Italy. It is used in many beloved Italian dishes such as a Tagliatelle Bolognese, Spaghetti Bolognese, as a sauce for polenta and as an ingredient in the Sunday classic: Lasagna Bolognese. 
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Bolognese Lasagna Recipe
The traditional Italian Bolognese Lasagna recipe— from the traditional Ragu Bolognese sauce, to the creamy béchamel and the classic spinach pasta. This is the original Italian recipe promoted in the Italian city of Bologna.
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#3 Mushroom Pasta Sauce—with Button (Champignon) Mushrooms

Champignon Mushroom Tagliatelle the way they do it in Italy—with a touch of butter, plenty of olive oil and lots of fresh parsley. A delicate, earthy vegetarian dish that is sure to please.

Mushroom Pasta Sauce Recipe with White Button Mushrooms
Champignon Mushroom Tagliatelle the way they do it in Italy—with a touch of butter, plenty of olive oil and lots of fresh parsley.
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#4 Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto will become one of your favorite go-to fall dinner recipes once you learn how to make it the foolproof PIATTO way! Pumpkins and squashes are in season in Italy in the autumn, and that means it’s time for a Butternut Squash Risotto recipe! We’ll give you several ways to finish this dish off, from a pat of butter to Parmigiano cheese to a decadent sweet gorgonzola. Whatever you fancy, you won’t be able to resist this masterpiece!

Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
Creamy, decadent butternut squash risotto finished with fine sweet Italian gorgonzola cheese (aka: 'Gorgonzola Dolce'). The secret to this perfect risotto is to 'sfumato' the toasted rice with white wine to infuse it with flavor. Don't like gorgonzola? You can also finish it off with butter and/or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
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#5 Truffle Pasta with Ricotta, Sausage and Truffle (Pasta alla Norcina)!

The city of Norcia in the Umbrian region of Italy is famous for its meat products (sausages) and truffles! That’s why one of the most famous dishes of the region is the Pasta alla Norcina recipe. You can use heavy cream instead of making the sauce with fresh ricotta, but it won’t be nearly as tasty or nutritious!

Pasta alla Norcina Recipe (Truffle Pasta with Sausage and Ricotta)
A traditional truffle pasta recipe from Norcia in Italy! 'Pasta alla Norcina' has truffle, sausage, onions and a creamy ricotta cheese sauce.
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#6 The Real Zuppa ToscanaTuscan Bean Soup Recipe

Fall means many things in Italy: mushrooms, pumpkins, chestnuts… and flavorful kale and cabbage! This is an authentic Tuscan Bean Soup recipe for Ribollita! Ribollita literally means ‘re-boiled’ because it is even better the second day, twice boiled! It’s packed with flavor and nutrition, coming from kale, savoy cabbage and white cannellini beans.

Tuscan Beans Recipe with Sage, White Beans and Borlotti Beans
This authentic Tuscan Beans recipe is faithful to the Tuscan tradition. Creamy and delicious, you can use either olive oil and they become vegetarian. Or, use the famous healthy Tuscan lard as we did!
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#7 Semolina Gnocchi alla Romana

If you like porridge, polenta or even cream of wheat, you’ll love Roman Style Gnocchi! These semolina dumplings are so easy to make! When baked in the oven with some butter and sage (or fine Italian cheeses) they are transformed into the ultimate comfort food for fall dinner.

Semolina Gnocchi Recipe
The ultimate comfort food, Gnocchi alla Romana bears almost no resemblance to the more well-known potato gnocchi. However, Gnocchi Alla Romana is a traditional Italian recipe that is incredibly satisfying as a lunch, dinner or even as an appetizer. If you like grits, polenta or porridge, you’ll love this dish!
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#8 Tuscan Beans Recipe

A traditional Tuscan beans recipe (Fagioli all’Uccelletto) with sage, white beans (cannellini) and borlotti beans—use pinto if you can’t find these beans. The next day, you can combine any leftovers with ditalini pasta to make a “Pasta e Fagioli” (Pasta and Beans).

Tuscan Beans Recipe with Sage, White Beans and Borlotti Beans
This authentic Tuscan Beans recipe is faithful to the Tuscan tradition. Creamy and delicious, you can use either olive oil and they become vegetarian. Or, use the famous healthy Tuscan lard as we did!
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#9 Focaccia Genovese Recipe

When it’s cool enough to fire up that oven, it’s the perfect time to make a classic Focaccia Genovese! While not a meal in and of itself, you can use this as sandwich bread with mortadella and pecorino. Or, fill it with delicious Italian Sautéed Cabbage and Onion!

Authentic Focaccia Genovese Recipe
Soft with those lovely fingerprints… It's the authentic Focaccia Genovese recipe from Genoa in the Liguria region of Italy.
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Italian Sautéed Cabbage and Onions
This savoy cabbage recipe starts with boiling the cabbage. Make a classic Italian 'soffritto' (olive oil infused with garlic and onions). Then, add bite-size pieces of boiled cabbage to the sauteed onions. Flavor with a good quality dry white wine, coarse salt and red pepper flakes. It's that easy! 
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#10: Four Cheese Pasta (or Gnocchi)

Rich and decadent! Four cheese pasta sauce can be made with a variety of cheeses, but this combination is particularly satisfying: creamy gorgonzola ‘dolce’ (sweet gorgonzola), taleggio cheese, fontina cheese and gruyere cheese. Serve it with penne or rigatoni or potato gnocchi. Pop those gnocchi into the oven to make it ‘al forno’ (au gratin).

Four Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe
Rich and decadent! Four cheese pasta sauce can be made with a variety of cheeses, but this combination is particularly satisfying: creamy gorgonzola 'dolce' (sweet gorgonzola), taleggio cheese, pecorino cheese and gruyere cheese. In Italy, rigatoni or penne are popular pasta choices for this cheesy sauce because it allows the sauce to cling to the pasta both inside and out. 
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#11 Bonus: Roasted Chestnuts

The iconic way to complete a fall dinner in Italy is to roast some chestnuts over the fire (or in an oven)! Italy has some of the best chestnuts in the world, and we’ll show you exactly how to roast chestnuts three ways in this PIATTO™ guide!

How to Roast Chestnuts 3 Ways: Oven, Pan, Fire!
Learn how to roast chestnuts 3 ways: in the oven, in pan or on the open fire!
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So, there you have it! These Italian fall dinner recipe ideas are sure to fill stomachs and feed the soul this autumn. Which one will you try first?

About the author

Classic recipes from Italy and beyond. Traditional Italian Cooking and Mediterranean Diet recipes!

PIATTO™ Recipes bring traditional Italian food recipes to your table with our tested, step-by-step recipes and videos. You'll find the best Italian recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Always tested, always delicious.

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