Quick Italian Recipes

Authentic Italian dishes on the table in 35 minutes or less.

Fast food, the Italian way

Some of Italy’s best dishes are also its quickest. Roman pastas such as carbonara and cacio e pepe are ready in the time it takes to boil the pasta, and a plate of bruschetta needs little more than ripe tomatoes and good olive oil.

Every recipe below takes 35 minutes or less from start to finish, uses ingredients you can find in a UK supermarket and explains the few details that make the difference.

Penne all’ArrabbiataVeganPasta · LazioPenne all’Arrabbiata25 mins · Easy · Serves 4Bruschetta al PomodoroVeganStarters · Central ItalyBruschetta al Pomodoro20 mins · Easy · Serves 4Spaghetti alle VongolePasta · CampaniaSpaghetti alle Vongole30 mins · Medium · Serves 4Spaghetti alla PuttanescaPasta · CampaniaSpaghetti alla Puttanesca30 mins · Easy · Serves 4Pasta alla GriciaPasta · LazioPasta alla Gricia25 mins · Medium · Serves 4Lemon and Parmesan RisottoMeat-freeRisotto · Northern ItalyLemon and Parmesan Risotto35 mins · Easy · Serves 4Pesto GenoveseMeat-freePasta · LiguriaPesto Genovese25 mins · Easy · Serves 4Authentic Spaghetti CarbonaraPasta · LazioAuthentic Spaghetti Carbonara30 mins · Easy · Serves 4Cacio e PepePasta · LazioCacio e Pepe25 mins · Medium · Serves 4Pasta all’AmatricianaPasta · LazioPasta all’Amatriciana35 mins · Easy · Serves 4
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Tips for quick Italian cooking

  • Keep a good pantry. Dried bronze-cut pasta, tinned tomatoes, olive oil, Pecorino and garlic cover most quick Italian dishes. Our Italian ingredients guide explains what to buy.
  • Start the water first. Put the pasta water on before you do anything else; most sauces are ready by the time it boils and cooks.
  • Finish the pasta in the sauce. A minute of tossing with a splash of starchy cooking water turns a quick sauce into a glossy, restaurant-style one.