3 Best Italian American Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas

Here are the 3 best Italian American Thanksgiving dinner ideas you have to try!

There are no food shortages when the Italians are cooking, right? From appetizers, sides, dessert, you name it, everything you can think of, you can find it here.

Thanksgiving is one of the favorite family gatherings in the USA, the day when the family gets together, and cooks incredibly generous meals with an array of delicious components, all the while joking and reminiscing about the past. Take a look at this article to get the 3 best Italian American Thanksgiving dinner ideas.

3 Best Italian American Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas

1. Garlic Bread

Ingredients

•       4 cloves of garlic
•       A few larger Sages leaves (preferably fresh)
•       1 stick of unsalted butter
•       2 tablespoons of olive oil
•       1 teaspoon of garlic powder
•       1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
•       1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
•       A pinch of salt (preferably kosher)
•       1 baguette or rustic crusty loaf

Instructions

1. Turn on the oven to preheat, and then, line a baking sheet with baking paper or aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Mince garlic cloves and finely chop sage leaves.
3. Soften the butter in the microwave but don’t let it melt.
4. Add butter, garlic and sage, olive oil, garlic powder, sugar, smoked paprika, and salt to a bowl and mash until combined.
5. Cut the bread in half (horizontally) and place it on a baking sheet. If it is too big for you and doesn’t fit on the baking sheet, feel free to cut the halves crosswise once more.
6. Spread the fragrant mix evenly over the cut sides of the bread and bake until nice, crispy, and golden on top. When it’s done, cut it crosswise, put it in a bread basket, and serve it to your loved ones.

2. Cheese Manicotti  

Ingredients

•       15 ounces of ricotta cheese (you can also use reduced-fat one)
•       1 small onion
•       1 egg
•       2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
•       1/2 teaspoon of pepper
•       A pinch of salt
•       1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
•       1 cup grated parmesan cheese
•       4 cups marinara sauce
•       1/2 cup water
•       8 ounces of manicotti shells
•       Additional parsley for decoration

Italian American Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas: Instructions

1. First, preheat the oven and spray the baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. In one bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients from the list, then stir in half of the total amount of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. In a separate bowl, mix the marinara sauce and water and spread half the amount nicely on the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the ricotta mixture and place them on the baking sheet, and top with the remaining half of the sauce.
4. Bake covered until tender, then sprinkle with the remaining half of the cheese and bake again, but uncovered, until the cheese melts. If desired, add a little bit of parsley.

3. Turkey Rollatini

Ingredients

•       1/2 stick of unsalted butter
•       1 cup of diced yellow onion
•       1 cup of diced carrot
•       1 cup of diced celery
•       1 lb sweet Italian sausage
•       2 tablespoons of chopped fresh sage
•       1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
•       10 oz plain stuffing mix
•       ½ cup of chicken stock
•       3 lb skin-on turkey breast
•       2 tablespoons of dijon mustard
•       1 tablespoon of melted butter
•       Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat the oven.
   2. Cook onion, carrots, and celery in melted butter until soft, then add sausage and cook until browned. Season with sage and thyme.
   3. Add the stuffing mix and chicken stock and cook until it stops being dry, then set aside.
   4. Pound the turkey breast with a meat mallet to about ½-inch thick.
   5. Spread the Dijon mustard and stuffing mixture on the turkey, and then roll it into a log with the skin on the outside. Don’t forget to tuck in loose bits.
   6. Be sure to tie the turkey crosswise and lengthwise to seal the ends with kitchen string.
   7. Transfer it to a baking dish you have previously covered with baking paper, spread it liberally with butter, and season as desired. Bake the Turkey Rollatini for up to 60 minutes. 

P.S. if you had extra stuffing, feel free to bake it separately for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Read also: Gluten-free souffle pancakes

To Conclude

What do you think of these 3 best Italian American Thanksgiving dinner ideas? Will you give them a chance? If you have any other ideas that you think would work well for your next family gathering, please let us know in the section below.

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5 from 1 vote

Cheese Manicotti

This classic Italian-inspired dish features manicotti shells stuffed with a creamy mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, blended with fresh herbs and a hint of seasoning. The stuffed shells are then baked in a rich marinara sauce until tender and topped with more cheese for a deliciously melty finish. Perfect for a comforting family dinner

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Baked Pasta, Cheese Manicotti, Italian Cuisine, Manicotti, Stuffed Pasta

Servings: 6

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Ania Cooking Recipes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 15 oz ricotta cheese you can also use reduced-fat one
• 1 small onion
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• A pinch of salt
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 4 cups marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 oz manicotti shells
• Additional parsley for decoration 

Instructions

• First, preheat the oven and spray the baking dish with non-stick spray.
• In one bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients from the list, then stir in half of the total amount of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. In a separate bowl, mix the marinara sauce and water and spread half the amount nicely on the bottom of the baking dish.
• Fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the ricotta mixture and place them on the baking sheet, and top with the remaining half of the sauce.
• Bake covered until tender, then sprinkle with the remaining half of the cheese and bake again, but uncovered, until the cheese melts. If desired, add a little bit of parsley. 

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 7.3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4.5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 309mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 2.4g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Read more about Old Fashioned Turkey Hash Recipes: How To

Ania

My name is Ania, and I am very glad to see you here. I have always loved cooking; even some of my earliest memories are flipping through a cookbook and making pudding standing on a stool because I was too small to reach the stove.

You should know that I am not a professionally trained chef, just a big food lover who grew up in a family obsessed with cooking and focused on what we eat.