450 italiano recipes

Light summer vegetable soup with green beans, yellow squash, and spinach. Garden-fresh vegetables in a Worcestershire-seasoned broth ready in 50 minutes.

Black Bean Chili with Toasted Spice Seasoning recipe

Spice-rubbed chicken baked crisp then simmered with okra, tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, and onions in a thick, aromatic Louisiana-style gumbo. Ladle it over rice and taste the bayou.

Vermicelli with a chunky vegetable tomato sauce loaded with red peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and fresh herbs. A hearty vegetarian pasta dinner that's low in fat and full of flavor.

Layered chicken nest platter with breaded chicken cutlets, sun-dried tomato rice, beans, and steamed asparagus, peppers, and snow peas over lettuce. A colorful all-in-one dinner.

Vegetarian baked pasta with mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes, layered with a cottage cheese filling and topped with savory tomato sauce. Lighter, lower-fat take on classic baked ziti.

Cornmeal and whole wheat pizza dough topped with caramelized Vidalia onion marmalade, dry-cured ham, Roma tomatoes, and melted Fontina cheese.

Veggie chili with chunky bell peppers, jalapenos, kidney beans, and Roma tomatoes simmered with chili powder and cumin. A hearty meatless chili topped with Monterey Jack and served with cornbread.

Lemony vegetable soup with chickpeas, vermicelli, and warm spices like turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne. Bright lemon juice and fresh mint finish this hearty vegan bowl.

Oaxaca tostada bites: tortilla chips topped with a mole-spiced black bean mash of cocoa, cumin, and cinnamon, cool avocado cream, pepper jack, and lettuce. A no-cook, party-ready Mexican appetizer.

Moroccan-style okra and chickpea tagine simmered with tomatoes, red bell pepper, cumin, ginger, and a swirl of harissa. A vegan North African stew where blanching keeps the okra tender, not slimy.

"There are many versions of this stew-soup in Central and South America. Scented with cumin, it makes a hearty supper on a chilly winter night."

First Alert Chili made with 4 pounds of ground beef, kidney beans, beer, and blended plum tomatoes. A big-batch chili loaded with cumin, paprika, and heat.

Vegetarian two-bean tofu chili with black beans, kidney beans, and tofu marinated in soy sauce, red wine, and Dijon mustard. A hearty, meaty-tasting plant-based chili that feeds a crowd.

A hearty sausage stew built on browned veal and Italian sausage, slow-simmered with potatoes, stewed tomatoes, peppers, green beans, herbs, and three melting cheeses.

This recipe uses ready-made taco shells, but soft tortillas are good too.