Italian cuisine has taken on a life of its own in the U.S., creating a distinct culinary culture that blends traditional Italian roots with American adaptations. Researching Italian-American food history reveals that many dishes labeled as “Italian” in America are far removed from what you’d find on a menu if you hopped on a flight and went on a holiday in Italy.
These Americanized versions are often the product of Italian immigrants adapting recipes to suit the ingredients and tastes available in their new homeland. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a plate of garlic bread or some baked ziti. But understanding the difference between Italian and Italian-American cuisine adds depth to your appreciation of both.
Here are 14 “Italian” foods that you won’t find in Italy, even though they’ve become hugely popular in America.
1. Fettuccine Alfredo
If you’re craving a big, creamy bowl of fettuccine Alfredo in Italy, you’re going to be disappointed. Italians don’t drown their pasta in heavy cream the way it’s done in the U.S. Instead, the closest thing you’ll find is fettuccine al burro, a much simpler dish made very simply with butter and Parmesan cheese.
The creamy Alfredo sauce we know and love was an American creation that took on a life of its own. The story goes that Alfredo di Lelio, a Roman chef, made this dish for his pregnant wife in the early 20th century, but it was nowhere near as heavy as what you will get in American restaurants.
2. Spaghetti and Meatballs
If you’re picturing a quaint Italian family passing around a huge plate of spaghetti and meatballs, think again. Sure, Italians enjoy meatballs—or polpette—but they are not typically served with pasta. Instead, they’re typically eaten on their own as a second course after the pasta course has already been enjoyed.
The combination of the two is distinctly Italian-American, born out of the desire to create a heartier, more filling meal for families in the U.S.
3. Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Parmesan is a favorite in Italian-American kitchens with crispy breaded chicken, gooey melted cheese, and marinara sauce. But in Italy, you won’t find chicken Parmesan on the menu. The classic Italian dish, melanzane alla Parmigiana, is actually made with eggplant, not chicken. In fact, chicken is rarely used in this way in traditional Italian cooking.
This dish likely came about as Italian immigrants adapted their recipes to fit what was available in America. Chicken was cheaper and more accessible than eggplant in many regions of the U.S.
4. Garlic Bread
We’ve all had it (and loved it): a big basket of garlic bread on the side of our pasta. But in Italy, garlic bread isn’t a thing. Instead, Italians serve bruschetta, a simple toasted bread that’s rubbed with garlic and topped with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and basil. The buttery, garlic-laden bread we know in America is a distant cousin to Italy’s more refined version.
American-style garlic bread is all about the richness of butter, which isn’t used as commonly in Italian cooking. Italians are more likely to drizzle bread with high-quality olive oil than slather it in butter.
5. Pepperoni Pizza
Pepperoni is hands-down the most popular pizza topping in the U.S., but if you ask for a pepperoni pizza in Italy, you’ll be in for a surprise. In Italy, peperoni means bell peppers, so ordering a pepperoni pizza will get you a pizza loaded with roasted peppers (and probably some side-eye). The pepperoni we know and love in the U.S. simply doesn’t exist in Italy.
If you’re craving something similar, you can ask for pizza topped with salame piccante (spicy salami), which comes close to what we call pepperoni. But don’t expect Italians to embrace the American obsession with this particular pizza topping. For them, pizza is all about simplicity and balance.
6. Shrimp Scampi
In the U.S., shrimp scampi is a pasta dish made with garlic, butter, and shrimp. But in Italy, the word scampi actually refers to a type of small lobster, not shrimp. Italians don’t make a butter-heavy pasta dish like this. Instead, they tend to prepare seafood with olive oil, garlic, and herbs in much lighter dishes.
Shrimp scampi, as we know it, is another example of how Italian-American cuisine has taken inspiration from Italian ingredients but has adapted them to fit American tastes and ingredients. While you can certainly enjoy plenty of seafood in Italy, you won’t find this dish on any menus.
7. Caesar Salad
Even though it’s a staple on Italian-American menus, Caesar salad wasn’t actually invented in Italy. It was created in Mexico by an Italian-American chef, Caesar Cardini, in the 1920s. The creamy dressing, croutons, and parmesan cheese may seem Italian, but they’re more of a nod to Italian flavors than a true reflection of Italian cuisine.
The complex, rich Caesar dressing is something you’ll find more in the U.S. than in any traditional Italian eatery. It’s delicious, no doubt, but it’s more American than Italian at its core.
8. Lobster Fra Diavolo
Lobster Fra Diavolo, with its spicy tomato sauce and chunks of lobster, might seem like something straight from an Italian seafood restaurant, but it’s an Italian-American creation through and through. In Italy, seafood is typically prepared with much lighter sauces, often just olive oil, lemon, and fresh herbs. You won’t find anything as fiery as Fra Diavolo in traditional Italian cooking.
The dish likely originated in Italian-American restaurants in New York, where chefs combined local seafood with bolder flavors to cater to American palates. Italians generally prefer to let the natural flavors of the seafood shine through, so a dish like Lobster Fra Diavolo would be considered too overpowering in Italy.
9. Veal Parmesan
Much like Chicken Parmesan, Veal Parmesan is a dish that you won’t find on Italian menus. While veal is certainly popular in Italy, it’s usually prepared in simpler ways—grilled or sautéed with a light lemon or wine-based sauce. The idea of taking veal, covering it in marinara, and smothering it with cheese is distinctly American.
This dish, like many others, came from Italian immigrants looking to make hearty, satisfying meals with what was available in America. Veal was more affordable in the U.S. than in Italy, and adding a rich layer of cheese and sauce turned it into a meal that quickly became a favorite in Italian-American households.
10. Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells are a common dish at Italian-American gatherings, usually filled with ricotta cheese and baked with marinara sauce. But in Italy, stuffed pasta tends to be more refined. You’re more likely to find smaller pasta like ravioli or tortellini filled with intricate mixtures of meats, vegetables, or cheese rather than the large, stuffed shells we see in the U.S.
In Italy, the focus is often on balance and subtlety, with pasta dishes designed to highlight the natural flavors of the ingredients. On the other hand, the stuffed shells we know in America are all about comfort food—rich, cheesy, and perfect for a big family meal.
11. Manicotti
Manicotti, with its large pasta tubes filled with ricotta and baked in marinara sauce, is another Italian-American favorite that doesn’t have a direct counterpart in Italy. Italians do have similar dishes, like cannelloni, but the fillings and preparations are often more delicate and regional.
Italian-American dishes like manicotti were born out of necessity, as immigrants had to stretch ingredients to feed their families. What resulted was a hearty, satisfying meal that’s become a beloved staple in the U.S.
12. Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala is another Italian-American classic that’s not commonly found in Italy. While Marsala wine is Italian, the dish itself, chicken cooked in a rich Marsala sauce, was developed in Italian-American kitchens. Italians do use Marsala in cooking, but it’s often reserved for more delicate preparations, like scaloppine or desserts.
The version we know in America is heavier, richer, and more indulgent, with the sauce often becoming the star of the dish. It’s a perfect example of how Italian immigrants adapted traditional ingredients to create new, Americanized dishes that became outrageously popular in their new home countries.
13. Eggplant Rollatini
In Italy, eggplant is a beloved vegetable, but it’s typically served in simpler preparations, like melanzane alla griglia (grilled eggplant) or melanzane alla Parmigiana (eggplant Parmesan). Eggplant Rollatini, where the eggplant is breaded, rolled with ricotta, and baked with marinara sauce, is an Italian-American invention.
While it may not be traditionally Italian, Eggplant Rollatini showcases the creativity of Italian immigrants who made the most of what they had, creating dishes that were hearty, flavorful, and comforting.
14. Pasta Primavera
Pasta Primavera, often hailed as a “light” Italian dish loaded with vegetables, was actually invented in the U.S. in the 1970s. It features a mix of sautéed vegetables tossed with pasta in a light sauce, but in Italy, pasta dishes tend to be much simpler, focusing on one or two ingredients to let their flavors shine.
In Italy, the idea of mixing so many different vegetables into a single pasta dish is rare. The Italian approach is more about balance and restraint, while Pasta Primavera reflects the American love of variety and abundance. It’s a dish that perfectly blends Italian inspiration with American creativity.
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With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.
