10 Delicious Italian Dishes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving doesn't always have to be just turkey, stuffing, rolls, and vegetables. Many Italian American families make many Italian dishes for Thanksgiving, from stuffed shells to chicken parmesan, meatballs to sausage and peppers (in addition to the turkey!). Looking to give your Thanksgiving dinner a distinctly Italian appeal this year? Try out one of these ten delicious Italian dishes for Thanksgiving!

1. Sausage Lasagna Recipe. Not just your run of the mill lasagna, this one contains a full pound of Italian sausage to spice it up.

2. Chicken Cacciatore. This is a classic Italian dish that's especially good in the colder weather. Need step by step foolproof directions? This video will walk you through it!

3. Zuppa Inglese Recipe. Who knows how its name came into being, but it's delicious for dessert, and certainly something that will wow your guests!

4. Italian Carrot Chicken. Sometimes known as "Venetian Chicken," the pasta in this recipe is coated in a rich carrot sauce. Truly unique!

5. Crockpot Meatballs. Any space you can make by cooking something outside of the oven will help on Thanksgiving Day! That's why this easy slow cooker meatball recipe is an easy go-to plan for Turkey Day.

6. Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup. Like the meatballs listed above, you'll be thankful (as you should be!) on Thanksgiving for having the extra room in your oven with this minestrone soup recipe.


7. Italian Stuffed Shells. You've probably had ricotta stuffed shells before, but have you tried them with spinach? They add a lot of flavor, as well as nutrition. Not to mention they won't fill you before the turkey since they're mostly vegetables.

8. Balsamic Fennel. Fennel comes into its peak season during the fall and winter months, so you should find it easy to come across fresh fennel bulbs in your supermarket. A great light starter to your meal!

9. Italian Sausage and Peppers. It's the mother of all Italian foods, authentic sausage and peppers! Delicious anytime of year, so why not on Thanksgiving?


10. Tiramisu. It's one of the most decadent, fluffy, rich, creamy, and luscious dessert recipes made by the Italians...it's tiramisu! You're in luck, too, because the website linked is dedicated exclusively to tiramisu recipes!