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    Home » Recipes » Every Day Dinners

    Great Chicago Italian Recipes

    Published: Jul 17, 2022 · Modified: Aug 1, 2022 by Amanda · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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    hand dipping italian beef, deep dish pizza, chicken vesuvio and baked mostaccioli

    Looking for great Chicago Italian recipes? Here you find the BEST compilation of both classic and americanized Italian recipes that come from the great city of Chicago. From mostaccioli to Italian beef and deep dish pizza, these recipes are sure to bring all the love and comfort Italian food has to offer.

    deep dish pizza, hand dipping italian beef sandwich into au jus, chicken vesuvio and baked mostaccioli. this recipe!

    Italian immigrants started to come to Chicago between the late 1800s and early 1900s in search of work. By 1970, Italian Americans accounted for nearly 3% of the population in the city.

    Chicago has some of the best Italian restaurants around and is still known today for its delicious Italian cuisine today. Chicago Italian dishes are not only comforting but ones that have become staples for family gatherings and celebrations.

    Deep Dish Pizza

    Chicago deep dish pizza is probably one of the most iconic of all of the Chicago Italian recipes. Originating from two Italian descendants in 1943, this hearty pizza recipe is actually more like a pie than a slice a pizza.

    This inverted style of pizza is baked in a round steel pan similar to a cake or pie pan. This creates a deep bed for thick layers of cheese and meat that are topped with tomato sauce.

    Here are some best Chicago Italian recipes for deep dish pizza that you can make right in your very own kitchen.

    Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
    Make authentic-tasting Chicago deep dish pizza, complete with the buttery crust, slightly sweet tomato sauce, and a thick layer of cheese. 
    See the Recipe
    Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
    The Best Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
    This classic deep dish pizza is perfect, beautiful, and oh-so-delicious. Learn how to make the best Chicago Deep Dish Pizza in this authentic, step-by-step recipe.
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    The Best Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
    Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
    Loaded with pepperoni, sausage, peppers, cheese and topped with tomato sauce, this Chicago-style deep dish pizza will convince you you’re at Lou Malnati’s.
    See the Recipe
    Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe

    Italian Beef

    The Chicago Italian beef sandwich dates back to the early 1900s. Immigrants would slow roast tougher cuts of beef and cut it in thin slices on a meat slicer to be placed on loaves of Italian bread for sandwiches.

    Italian beef sandwiches can be served with pepperoncini peppers, sweet peppers, hot giardiniera or just simply au jus.

    While everyone will argue what the best Italian beef sandwiches are, here are some of the best and easy recipes to serve for dinner or to feed a crowd.

    Italian Beef Sandwiches
    You can make Chicago style Italian beef sandwiches at home, using your crock pot to make this tender, slow cooked, flavorful beef.
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    Italian Beef Sandwiches
    Slow Cooker Italian Beef
    These warm and hearty Italian beef sandwiches are made in the slow cooker and are perfect for sharing!
    See the Recipe
    Slow Cooker Italian Beef
    Instant Pot Italian Beef
    This instant pot Italian beef is a flavorful shredded beef for classic Italian beef sandwiches.
    See the Recipe
    Instant Pot Italian Beef
    Slow Cooker Hot Beef Sandwiches
    These are the BEST slow cooker hot beef sandwiches made with pepperoncini peppers and onions. Cooked low and slow, these shredded beef sandwiches are super tender and topped with homemade horseradish sauce.
    See the Recipe
    shredded beef with a whole pepperoncini on a hoagie roll with horseradish sauce

    Italian Sausage

    Italian sausage is another dish that Chicagoans are obsessed with. Whether it is served on french rolls with sweet peppers as a whole sandwich, in red sauce for Sunday dinner, or on your favorite deep dish pizza, this ingredient is at the heart of some of Chicago's great recipes.

    Here are a few recipes for Italian sausage that you can add to your Chicago Italian recipes repertoire.

    Italian Sausage and Potatoes
    Try this tasty Italian sausage and potatoes for an easy weeknight meal. Sweet Italian sausage, baby yellow potatoes, sweet bell peppers and red onions are cooked all together on a sheet pan for easy prep and easy clean up.
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    browned sausage on a sheet pan with halved potatoes and sliced peppers and onions
    Italian Sausage Sandwich
    Spicy peppers and sausage mingle with savory Italian spices and sweet balsamic vinegar for the best lunch or quick dinner.
    See the Recipe
    Italian Sausage Sandwich
    Instant Pot Italian Sausage & Peppers
    Instant Pot Italian sausage and peppers is a quick & easy recipe that are great for sandwiches or just on their own.
    See the Recipe
    Instant Pot Italian Sausage & Peppers
    Easy Sausage and Peppers in the Oven
    These easy sausage and peppers are roasted in the oven on a sheet pan for the best sausage and peppers ready in under an hour.
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    Easy Sausage and Peppers in the Oven

    Hearty Pasta Dishes

    Hearty pasta dishes are another staple in Italian-American cuisine. Things like mostaccioli, baked lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs are some of the most beloved Italian dishes.

    Try these hearty Chicago Italian recipes that are sure to bring warmth to your soul and a smile on your face.

    Baked Mostaccioli con Ricotta
    This easy baked mostaccioli con ricotta recipe is one of the best pastas for Sunday dinner or the weeknight. This cheesy layered pasta is made with Italian sausage, red sauce and three different kinds of cheese!
    See the Recipe
    Easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti
    Make this easy classic comfort food in your Crock Pot! Crock Pot Baked Ziti is cheesy, gooey and delicious in every bite.
    See the Recipe
    Easy Crock Pot Baked Ziti
    Classic Italian Lasagna with Ricotta Cheese
    This classic italian lasagna with ricotta cheese is layered with oven ready noodles, a hearty meat sauce and two different kinds of cheese. A tasty comfort food classic, this homemade lasagna is perfect for a cold winter night or Sunday dinner with the family.
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    piece of layered meat lasagna with ricotta on a white plate in front of a white dish
    The Best Italian Meatballs
    The best Italian meatballs with two types of meat and the perfect amount of herbs and spices. Tender and juicy meatballs every time!
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    The Best Italian Meatballs

    Chicken Vesuvio

    Chicken Vesuvio is another one of the delicious Italian recipes Chicago gave birth to. While the origination is unknown, the dish is thought to be popularized by the Vesuvio Restaurant in the 1930's.

    This dish is made from bone in chicken with wedges of potato baked until crispy in a sauce made from olive oil, white wine, garlic and lemon juice and thought to be named after Mount Vesuvias volcano near Naples.

    Chicken Vesuvio
    This chicken vesuvio is tender chicken thighs and potato wedges that are roasted until golden brown, then served in a white wine sauce.
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    Chicken Vesuvio
    Classic Chicago Chicken Vesuvio
    This classic Chicago chicken vesuvio recipe is a lovely dish that is bright and zesty while still rich and succulent.
    See the Recipe
    Classic Chicago Chicken Vesuvio
    Chicken Vesuvio Recipe
    Chicken Vesuvio is a roast chicken and potato dish in white wine sauce named after Mount Vesuvius born in a well-known Chicago restaurant in the 1930's.
    See the Recipe
    Chicken Vesuvio Recipe
    One Pot Italian Chicken Vesuvio
    A succulent and garlicky ONE PAN roasted Italian chicken recipe with white wine, fresh herbs and sinfully delicious potatoes to mop up the sauce with!
    See the Recipe
    One Pot Italian Chicken Vesuvio

    Authentic Italian Pasta Dishes

    Authentic Italian pasta recipes are also widely seen in dining room at Italian restaurants in Chicago. Many of these dishes are simple, but delicious. They are a great way for home cooks to bring the Italian tradition right into their very own kitchen.

    Dishes like cacio e pepe, carbonara and aglio e olio are well known in Italian cooking. They lean on the use of classic Italian ingredients to bring together delicious flavors with simple ingredients.

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
    With only 5 ingredients, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio may sound too good to be true, but it’s an Italian classic bursting with simple flavors.
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    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
    Bucatini Cacio e Pepe Recipe
    Bucatini cacio e pepe is the best light Italian pasta dish. Made with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese and cracked black pepper, this easy pasta recipe is made in just 15 minutes!
    See the Recipe
    Authentic Italian Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Recipe
    Authentic Italian Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Recipe takes only 20 minutes to prepare. It is rich in flavor with little effort.
    See the Recipe
    Authentic Italian Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Recipe
    Tortellini en Brodo Recipe
    This comforting dish of stuffed pasta in a hearty broth is a holiday tradition in northern Italy. It’s often served as a first course, followed by a pork or veal roast and lots of winter vegetables.
    See the Recipe
    Tortellini en Brodo Recipe
    Simple Carbonara
    Humble ingredients—eggs, noodles, cheese, and pork—combine to create glossy, glorious pasta carbonara.
    See the Recipe
    Simple Carbonara

    Classic Chicago Food

    From the Chicago hot dog to sandwiches made with whole pork chops, here are some quintessential Chicago food that is iconic to the windy city. While not all of these are Italian, they are all definitely worthy of bringing the spirit of Chicago right into your very own kitchen.

    Chicago Dogs
    Now you don't have to make a trip to the Windy City to enjoy Chicago-Style Dogs smothered in classic condiments.
    See the Recipe
    Chicago Dogs
    Pepper and Egg Sandwich
    Sautéed peppers and fluffy eggs are cooked in olive oil and combined with Italian cheeses in this quick, no-frills pepper and egg sandwich.
    See the Recipe
    Pepper and Egg Sandwich
    Italian Chopped Salad
    This classic Italian chopped salad uses romaine lettuce, ditalini pasta, chicken, bacon, blue cheese, honey mustard and more!
    See the Recipe
    Italian Chopped Salad
    The BEST Chicken Parmesan
    The BEST Chicken Parmesan. Tender pan fried chicken breasts coated in panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. A quick and easy 30 minute meal!
    See the Recipe
    The BEST Chicken Parmesan
    Pork Chop Sandwich
    An easy and delicious recipe for a mouthwatering Chicago Style Pork Chop Sandwich that can be made in under 30 minutes!
    See the Recipe
    Pork Chop Sandwich

    I hope you enjoyed this list of some of the most classic and iconic Chicago Italian food recipes. Make sure to check out all of my Italian recipes for more delicious inspiration!

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