7 Italian Recipes Only Nonnas Still Make

Italian Sunday dinners are not just meals. They are rituals. And while some Italian dishes are easy to find in cookbooks or online, others stay quietly protected in family kitchens—passed down through memory, repetition, and love.

Here are 7 beloved Sunday recipes Italian grandmothers rarely share. Not because they are secret in theory, but because they are sacred in practice.

1. Lasagna al Forno (Emilian-Style Lasagna)

Ingredients:

For the pasta dough:

• 2 cups (250g) 00 flour
• 2 large eggs
• A pinch of salt

For the ragù:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 250g ground beef
• 250g ground pork
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 400ml passata
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Splash of red wine

For the besciamella (béchamel):

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Salt to taste

To finish:

• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Make the ragù: Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in oil. Add meats and brown well. Add tomato paste, passata, and wine. Simmer gently for 1.5–2 hours.
2. Prepare pasta dough: Mix flour, eggs, and salt. Knead until smooth. Let rest 30 minutes.
3. Roll the pasta: Into thin sheets and cut to fit your baking dish.
4. Make besciamella: Melt butter, stir in flour to make a roux. Slowly add warm milk while whisking. Season and cook until thickened.
5. Assemble: Layer ragù, pasta sheets, béchamel, and cheese. Repeat for 4–5 layers.
6. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30–40 minutes until golden.

Serving:

Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with red wine and a green salad.

Read here how to make Lasagna

2. Agnello al Forno (Roast Lamb with Rosemary and Potatoes)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg lamb shoulder or leg, bone-in
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Optional: white wine (100 ml)

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Rub lamb with salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary.
3. Arrange potatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle everything with olive oil and lemon juice.
4. Place lamb on top. Roast for 1 hour.
5. Add wine or a little water if pan gets dry.
6. Roast another 30–45 minutes, basting occasionally.

Serving:

Serve directly from the pan. Pairs perfectly with rustic bread and red wine.

3. Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Traditional Eggplant Parmesan)

Ingredients:

• 2–3 large eggplants, sliced ½ cm thick
• Salt
• Olive oil for frying
• 500 ml passata
• 1 garlic clove
• Fresh basil leaves
• 200g mozzarella, shredded
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Salt eggplant slices. Let rest 30 minutes. Pat dry.
2. Fry in olive oil until golden. Drain on paper towels.
3. Cook garlic in a little oil, add passata and basil. Simmer 15–20 minutes.
4. In a baking dish, layer sauce, eggplant, mozzarella, and Parmigiano.
5. Repeat for 3–4 layers. End with sauce and cheese.
6. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30–35 minutes.

Serving:

Serve warm or at room temperature. Pairs with bread or green salad.

Read here how to make Eggplant Parmesan

4. Coniglio in Umido (Braised Rabbit in Wine and Herbs)

Ingredients:

• 1 whole rabbit, cut into pieces
• Olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• A handful of olives (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• 200 ml dry white wine

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Season rabbit pieces. Brown in olive oil.
2. Add garlic, onion, rosemary. Cook until fragrant.
3. Pour in wine, reduce slightly. Add olives if using.
4. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours.

Serving:

Serve with polenta or crusty bread. Best enjoyed with dry white wine.

5. Tortellini in Brodo (Tortellini in Capon Broth)

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 100g ground pork
• 100g mortadella, finely chopped
• 100g Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 egg
• Nutmeg, salt

For the pasta:

• 200g 00 flour
• 2 eggs

For the broth:

• 1 capon or chicken
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stalk
• Salt

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Simmer capon and vegetables in 2.5 L water for 3–4 hours. Strain.
2. Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl.
3. Make pasta dough, rest, and roll into thin sheets.
4. Cut into small squares. Place filling in center. Fold and shape tortellini.
5. Boil tortellini in broth for 2–3 minutes.

Serving:

Ladle into shallow bowls. Top with Parmigiano. Serve hot.

Read here how to make Tortellini in Brodo

6. Polpette al Sugo (Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)

Ingredients:

• 400g ground beef and pork
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp grated Parmigiano
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 slice day-old bread soaked in milk
• Salt and pepper
• 700 ml passata
• 1 small onion, diced
• Olive oil

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Mix meatball ingredients and shape into balls.
2. Brown lightly in olive oil. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté onion, add passata. Simmer 10 minutes.
4. Return meatballs to sauce. Simmer gently for 30–40 minutes.

Serving:

Serve alone with bread, or over mashed potatoes or polenta. Always with Parmigiano on the table.

7. Torta della Nonna (Custard Tart with Pine Nuts)

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 250g flour
• 125g butter, cold and cubed
• 100g sugar
• 1 egg + 1 yolk
• Zest of 1 lemon

For the custard:

• 500 ml milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 100g sugar
• 40g cornstarch
• Zest of 1 lemon

To finish:

• Pine nuts (about 50g)
• Powdered sugar

Preparation & Cooking:

1. Make pastry dough. Chill 30 minutes.
2. Heat milk with lemon zest. In another bowl, whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
3. Combine slowly, cook until thick. Cool.
4. Roll pastry. Line tart tin. Fill with custard. Top with pine nuts.
5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35–40 minutes.

Serving:

Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with espresso or dessert wine.

Read here how to make Torta della Nona

Serving Suggestions

Sunday dinner is always served family-style. Platters of pasta, roasts, and vegetable sides are placed in the center of the table for everyone to share, encouraging conversation and connection. The abundance is as important as the flavors it’s a symbol of generosity and togetherness.

Each course is meant to be savored. The meal often begins with antipasti, followed by a pasta dish, then a hearty meat or fish, and finally, dessert. Wine flows freely, chosen carefully to complement the flavors of each dish. Coffee and homemade liqueurs often close the meal, drawing it out for as long as possible.

To recreate the experience at home, focus not only on the food but also on the atmosphere. Serve in multiple courses, set the table with care, and encourage guests to linger rather than rush. The spirit of Sunday dinner lies as much in the slow enjoyment as in the recipes themselves.

Final Thoughts

These are not recipes you cook on a whim. They are reserved for Sundays because they deserve your time and attention. They ask you to slow down. To cook with your senses. To feed more than hunger.

If you ever get the chance to learn one of these from a grandmother, take it. And if not, try one at home with patience, reverence, and a full table.

The recipes Italian grandmothers keep guarded are more than just instructions for cooking they’re embodiments of family pride, history, and cultural identity. Their secrecy makes them even more special, a reminder that some traditions are meant to be preserved within families.

The long preparation time underscores the value Italians place on food as an act of love and patience. In a fast-paced world, Sunday dinner stands as a ritual that forces everyone to slow down and connect.

Ultimately, these hidden recipes remind us that the best meals aren’t always found in restaurants or cookbooks. They live in family kitchens, passed on with care, whispered with trust, and served with love around tables that bring people together week after week.