12 Healthy Italian Dishes
We go beyond grilled vegetables and pasta to find simple recipes with fresh produce, classic Italian herbs and just enough cheese.
By Lynn Andriani
Chicken, Mushroom, and Radicchio Lasagna
Nutritionist-turned-chef-turned-greenmarket-champion Laura Pensiero incorporates mushrooms, fresh herbs and two full heads of radicchio into this lasagna.
Get the recipe: Chicken, Mushroom, and Radicchio Lasagna
White Bean and Rosemary Soup with Roasted Garlic Croutons
A meal in a bowl, this soup's crowning glory is its croutons, made with whole wheat bread and caramelized garlic.
Get the recipe: White Bean and Rosemary Soup with Roasted Garlic Croutons
Italian Meatloaf
Grated Parmesan, seasoned bread crumbs and tomato sauce give this meatloaf an Italian flavor. Skim milk, lean ground turkey and turkey bacon keep it healthy.
Get the recipe: Italian Meatloaf
Mock Italian Sausage
When you're working hard to cut calories but you're craving some spicy Italian sausage, this quick chicken version is a tasty alternative. Made with chicken tenders, onion, garlic, fennel seed and red pepper flakes, it's a worthy pizza topping.
Get the recipe: Mock Italian Sausage
Vegetarian Bruschetta Platter
This recipe updates the Italian classic by adding chickpeas and Japanese eggplant. The veggie-topped toasts make a light lunch with minestrone or Italian wedding soup.
Get the recipe: Vegetarian Bruschetta Platter
Pan-Roasted Chicory and Pear Salad
Mario Batali's sweet and savory salad tastes best when you prepare it just before serving so the thinly sliced brussels sprouts are still warm and the chicory wilts just a bit.
Get the recipe: Pan-Roasted Chicory and Pear Salad
Vegetable Frittata
Inspired by the harvest at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Westchester County, New York, chef Dan Barber came up with this fresh, organic frittata made from eggs, broccoli, potatoes and goat cheese.
Get the recipe: Vegetable Frittata
Oregano Pork Chops
Chef Michel Nischan recommends using a George Foreman Grill to cook onions and tomatoes with minimal fat. Then he adds pork chops seasoned with oregano.
Get the recipe: Oregano Pork Chops
Tomato Fennel Soup
This Italian spin on tomato soup couldn't be simpler: Just sauté chopped onion, celery, garlic and fennel in olive oil, then add canned tomatoes and chicken stock. Cook for 10 minutes and puree in a blender.
Get the recipe: Tomato Fennel Soup
Turkey Meatballs
It's easy to understand why Oprah loves these meatballs from Trattoria Mollie in Santa Barbara, California: They're made with spicy Italian turkey sausage and get a little sweetness from the addition of a handful of black raisins.
Get the recipe: Turkey Meatballs
Pork Scaloppine
A classic of Italian-American cuisine often made with veal, this stove-top pork version, made with lemon and capers, is super-easy to prepare and ready to eat in 15 minutes.
Get the recipe: Pork Scaloppine
Polenta with Bagna d'Infern
This recipe's name means "the devil's own sauce," thanks to spicy cayenne pepper. Add as much as you'd like; the rest of the ingredients are mild and savory: onion, carrot, celery, garlic, anchovy fillets, tomato sauce and cornmeal.
Get the recipe: Polenta with Bagna d'Infern
Next: The 13 fastest dinners on the planet
Published 01/11/2012
