Giada De Laurentiis is every American's favorite Italian chef due to her fun nature and her zest for teaching about her heritage. Giada prides herself in making Italian-style comfort food accessible to anyone with any level of culinary training. I have personally enjoyed watching Giada recreate recipes on Food Network since I was a teenager.
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I enjoy everything from her recipes to her stories, like the first time she brought her husband to meet her family and he cut up his spaghetti with a knife and fork--without Giada, we might all still be making this American faux pas.
We have comprised a list of our favorite recipes from Giada, so you can channel this Italian Chef while cooking your next meal. Scavare trincee!
1. Roman-Style Chicken
Plump and juicy pan-seared chicken, slow-roasted on your stovetop in colorful bell peppers, prosciutto, garlic, pops of capers, and Italian spices, this is easily one of Giada's best recipes to simmer up on a Sunday.
2. Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina
This easy recipe can be whipped up in 15 minutes and left to bake for about 30 minutes, leaving you with plenty of time to deal with more important things.
Gooey cheese, hearty pasta, tender chicken breast cubes, garlic, and Italian herbs make this pasta bake irresistible to anyone with a craving for a Giada-inspired Italian dish.
3. Espresso Caramel Bars
The best way to end any meal with a brava, this recipe combines the rich smoothness of semisweet chocolate with an espresso kick we all crave and the burnt sugar finish of creamy caramel.
The flavors of the chocolate are brought out by the espresso and the sea salt hits a savory note while enriching the overall sweetness.
4. Meatballs a la Pizzaiola
These succulent meatballs are stuffed with melty mozzarella and are sure to be a crowd-pleasing favorite when served at the start of any meal.
This recipe combines fresh basil, cheese three ways, and zesty red pepper flakes to get your tummy grumbling for more than one serving.
5. Chicken Piccata
This classic Italiano recipe smothers butterflied chicken in a zesty lemon sauce infused with pops of brine-y capers and finished with fresh parsley, for a meal that will show off your culinary skills without too much effort.
6. Osso Buco
This Italian comfort food recipe will cure your hunger pangs while gearing you up to take over the week ahead.
This hearty meal combines veal shanks, fresh rosemary and thyme, and assorted veggies to create the perfect dish to have simmering on your stovetop this Sunday.
7. Ricotta Orange Pound Cake with Strawberries
This sticky-sweet dessert features a moist pound cake infused with the richness of ricotta and orange zest, topped with the sticky sweetness of strawberries steeped in sugar.
This is the most delizioso way to finish any Italian feast.
8. Butternut Squash Lasagna
This lasagna comes together in about 30 minutes and can be left to cook to bubbly perfection in the oven, while you toss up a side salad.
This recipe will feed a crowd and puts a delicious spin on this classic Italian dish.
9. Hazelnut Chicken
While traveling throughout Italy, Giada decided to share this authentic dish with her viewers, so that they could have a little taste of the flavors of this culinary country.
This recipe features chicken stewed in hazelnuts, dried figs, olives, fresh oregano, and assorted vegetables, for a simmering stovetop meal sure to please any palate.
10. Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola
This hearty stovetop creation combines bone-in pork chops with herbs de Provence, zesty red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and canned tomatoes.
I like to serve this recipe over rice to sop all of that saucy goodness, but it also goes well with a light salad.
11. Limoncello
Limoncello makes a great gift for any occasion and can be sipped by itself or added to club soda for a sparkling treat.
This recipe is as easy as it gets and packs a pucker with 10 lemons balanced by sweet sugar.
12. Grilled Lamb Chops
Lamb chops get marinated in a zesty combination of pungent garlic, fresh Italian herbs, salt, and cayenne for about an hour before being fire-grilled over high heat on a grill or a grill pan.
The thing that makes this dish an ultimate Giada treat is the caramelization that is formed on the outside of the meat from being seared on such high heat.
Giada's Best-Rated Cookbooks
1. Giada's Italy: My Recipes for La Dolce Vita
If you're looking for a cookbook with recipes to Italian dishes served with tomato sauce then look no further! In Giada's Italy, Giada takes spaghetti to the next level with chianti and fava beans. Not only is the cookbook filled with authentic Italian recipes, but Giada gives advice on how to cook stress-free. Asparagus has made a huge comeback as a healthy side dish, and Giada De Laurentiis has the perfect asparagus with a grilled melon salad recipe.
Some recipes included are grilled swordfish with candied lemon salad and fennel upside-down cake. Filled with stories and pictures of Italy, Giada makes sure to give you a passport to Italy through her cookbook.
2. Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes
Does the name sound familiar? Everyday Italian is also the name of her hit TV show on the Food Network. Just like the show, this cookbook features healthy Italian dishes that are easy and fun to make. You'll learn how to make several variations of pesto, and how to make leftovers a mouth-watering pasta dish. No need to set aside a Saturday afternoon of grocery shopping and prepping. Many of these comfort food recipes consist of food that's already in your pantry. These quick dishes are perfect for cooking on weeknights.
3. Giada's Feel Good Food: My Healthy Recipes and Secrets
Many of us cook to avoid eating fast food. I think we can all attest that fast food makes us feel tired and sluggish. In this cookbook, Giada shares recipes that will fill you up with the energy you need. Many of the recipes are gluten-free and vegan. If you're new to cooking and want to be conscious of what you're eating, this is a great starter cookbook.
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