Make Your Favorite Italian Dinners Feel Restaurant Worthy with These Easy Wine Pairings
Updated: Mar. 30, 2023
Want to pretend you're dining out tonight? A sommelier explains which everyday wines go best with your favorite Italian dishes—from pizza to penne and from scampi to scaloppine!
As a sommelier, I quickly learned a little rule in the wine world: What grows together, goes together. You can look to a dish’s region of origin for wine pairing inspiration. But on your next pasta night, you don’t need to keep it in Italy to find a great wine to go with dinner! Wines from every corner of the world will work just fine, as long as you follow these simple guidelines for food and drink pairings.
Now on to our favorite wine pairings with some of the most popular ultra-classic Italian dinners.
Spaghetti Bolognese
With its rich tomato sauce and plentiful flavor, a linguine Bolognese makes a great mid-week dinner. A sangiovese (Italy’s most planted variety) is just the thing to take this dish to the next level. This red wine can be fruity or savory, and the grape’s naturally high acid and tannins complement bolognese sauce (and other meaty, tomato-y pasta dishes like linguine and meatballs or lasagna) beautifully.
Pizza Margherita
This simple dish allows you to branch out with your pairing possibilities. A fruity zinfandel (or primitivo if you want to keep your wines to the Boot) is a fantastic option. But white wine lovers can opt for a bright, zesty variety like pinot grigio (or Greco di Tufo if you want a local option). These wines’ high acid matches that found in the tomatoes to a T. Of course, you can also pick up a great rosé for your pizza margherita, too. (Here are five more things you should know about rosé.)
Shrimp Scampi
Let’s talk seafood for a minute—shrimp scampi in particular. This dish is heavy on garlic with a pop of lemon juice to help tie it together. Pairing wine with a garlicky dish can be a bit tricky, but don’t despair—it’s not as hard as you might think. As with the pizza, you want to keep it light and bright. Sauvignon blanc will treat your taste buds right in this situation. When it comes to seafood, you won’t go wrong if you stay away from any oak-influenced whites (think chardonnay).
Caponata
Caponata is an eggplant dish which comes to us all the way from Sicily. Heavy on the vegetables and with a generous dose of briny capers, caponata is one part savory, one part salty (and delish on crostini). When it comes to salty, most of us love a good dose of sweetness to wash it down. Go for something fruity, but not sweet. A superb local choice would be the frappato-nero d’avola blends of Cerasuolo di Vittoria, but since these wines aren’t readily available everywhere, a fruit-forward pinot noir makes an excellent substitute.
Arrabbiata Sauce
Translated to “angry” in English, arrabbiata earns its name from the generous helping of spicy chilies which star in the sauce (which is awesome in this stuffed shells recipe). Stay away from high-tannin wines like cabernet sauvignon and opt for soft, fruity styles instead. There are plenty of reds that’ll go with pasta all’arrabbiata, but personally, I think a rosé works best: grenache or a GSM (grenache-syrah-mourvédre) blend is a favorite.
Scaloppine
Chicken, veal, or pork—scaloppine comes in many forms and has a variety of sauces that can adorn your plate. Some are tomato-based while others feature loads of lemon and capers, or even mushrooms. All this means is that there are dozens upon dozens of potential wine pairings available to you. Chicken scaloppine with capers and lemons? Try an unoaked chardonnay from Chablis. Veal and mushrooms? Nebbiolo is perfect if you want to keep things Italian. Or for this pork scaloppine with red peppers and balsamic vinegar, serve a lambrusco (made in the same region as balsamic vinegar), a Valpolicella, or even a tempranillo from Spain’s Rioja region. Check out our essential guide to wine pairing with salmon.
There are plenty of great wine options for your favorite Italian dinners. What better way to treat yourself mid-week? Take your meal to another level and add our Italian appetizers, too.
Italian Recipes That Take You There
Once you've tried this tangy, yet delicate lemon chicken piccata, you won't hesitate to make it for company. Seasoned with parmesan and parsley, the chicken cooks up golden brown, then is drizzled with a light lemon sauce. —Susan Pursell, Fountain Valley, California
Check out these must-have Italian cookbooks for eating your way through Italy. 
Parsley PestoHomemade pesto always makes a thoughtful hostess gift. Mix things up with this parsley pesto variation. It's delicious served with pasta or in one of these recipes using pesto. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Almond Chocolate BiscottiThese white chocolate-drizzled cookies are a cinch to make, so I’m always happy to whip up a batch. This is good because my neighbors always look forward to them! —Ginger Chatfield, Muscatine, Iowa
Bruschetta ChickenWe enjoy serving this tasty chicken bruschetta to both family and to company. It just might become your new favorite way to use up summer tomatoes and basil. —Carolin Cattoi-Demkiw, Lethbridge, Alberta
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Poppy Seed DressingMy Italian-style grilled veggies have a wonderful sweet and sour dressing. Best of all, I pick the fresh veggies and herbs from my garden. —Laura Mast, Defiance, Ohio
Garlic Tomato BruschettaI drew inspiration from my grandma’s recipe for this garden-fresh bruschetta. The crisp bread and tomato goodness make a great party appetizer, but the dish also works alongside your favorite Italian entree. —Jean Franzoni, Rutland, Vermont
Homemade Canned Spaghetti SauceDIY canning spaghetti sauce recipes are a tomato grower's dream come true! Use up your garden bounty and enjoy it later in the year. —Tonya Branham, Mt. Olive, Alabama
Slow-Cooker Pizza CasseroleA comforting casserole with mass appeal is just what you need when cooking for a crowd. For added convenience, it stays warm in a slow cooker. —Virginia Krites, Cridersville, Ohio
Four-Cheese Chicken FettuccineAs a cattle rancher, my husband's a big fan of beef. For him to comment on a poultry dish is rare. But he always tells me, "I love this casserole!" I first tasted it at a potluck; now, I fix it for my family (we have a 3-year-old daughter) once or twice a month, and I'm asked to take it to most every get-together. —Rochelle Brownlee, Big Timber, Montana
Contest-Winning Easy MinestroneThis minestrone soup recipe is special to me because it’s one of the few dinners my entire family loves. And I can feel good about serving it because it’s full of nutrition and low in fat. —Lauren Brennan, Hood River, Oregon
Homemade Alfredo SauceWhen I found out I had celiac disease and could no longer have fettuccine Alfredo, I was determined to figure out a way to re-create it. This has now become one of my most-requested dishes. I use gluten-free multigrain pasta, but you can use any style of pasta. —Jackie Charlesworth Stiff, Frederick, Colorado
Sausage Bean SoupYou’re moments away from a flavor-packed soup that keeps you warm on even the chilliest nights. It's just the kind of recipe we Minnesotans love. —Marlene Muckenhirn, Delano, Minnesota
Lasagna DipMy lasagna noodle chips turned out great and are out-of-this-world crispy. And the dip truly tastes like rich, cheesy Italian-American lasagna. —Linda Cifuentes, Mahomet, Illinois
Grilled Pears with Mascarpone CheeseFor a light dessert after a big barbecue, we stuff pears with mascarpone cheese and gingersnap cookies. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce for a sweet touch. —Faith Cromwell, San Francisco, California
Grilled Garden Veggie FlatbreadsGrilled flatbread is a tasty way to put fresh garden vegetables to use. It's so versatile: Simply change the vegetables and cheese to suit your family's taste. It also works well cooked indoors, on a grill pan with a lid. —Carly Curtin, Ellicott City, Maryland
Marinated Almond-Stuffed OlivesMarinated stuffed olives go over so well with company that I try to keep a batch of them in the fridge at all times. —Larissa Delk, Columbia, Tennessee
Sweet Almond TwistsThese delicate almond pastries make lovely light-as-air accompaniments for coffee, tea or cocoa. Your guests will never guess the recipe calls for packaged frozen dough. When I give them as a fresh-baked gift, I tuck in a note saying that they're best served warmed—and right away! —Gloria Devendittis, Waterford, Connecticut
Farmers Market Orzo SaladOrzo is a tiny pasta shaped like rice. We use it as a base for veggies, lemony vinaigrette and cheeses such as mozzarella, feta or smoked Gouda. —Heather Dezzutto, Raleigh, North Carolina
Asparagus Shrimp LinguineMy family really enjoys asparagus and shrimp. We often have this on busy weeknights because its healthy and cooks quickly. —Ehnes Wannetta, Eagle Bend, Minnesota
White Bean Arugula SaladMy red, white and green salad is inspired by the Italian flag. Top it with shaved Parmesan. —Malia Estes, Allston, Massachusetts
Hot Chocolate TiramisuInstead of using coffee and rum, I let cinnamon shine in this tiramisu. It's best if eaten within two days—if it even lasts that long! —Cathy Geniti, Saratoga Springs, New York
Limoncello Cream PieAfter a big Christmas dinner, we love the cool refreshment of a frozen lemon pie. Limoncello brings a little sophistication to each smooth, creamy slice. —Jessie Grearson-Sapat, Falmouth, Maine
Sausage & Mushroom Pizza FrittataI love this frittata because the combination of fresh flavors makes it special. It's the perfect sunny South Florida breakfast.—Wolfgang Hanau, West Palm Beach, Florida
Crunchy BreadsticksThese thin, crisp breadsticks created in our Test Kitchen add a bit of elegance to a holiday dinner. Each bite is perfectly seasoned with thyme and coarse salt.
Spaghetti Meatball SupperIt was such a joy to come home and find my mom making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. This recipe has always been dear to my heart. —Debbie Heggie, Laramie, Wyoming
Brownie Affogato SundaesWe can’t resist brownie sundaes. I combined an affogato (coffee-based beverage) idea with a brownie to get this decadent sundae that mixes it all in there: warm, cold, sweet and salty. —Julie Merriman, Seattle, Washington
My Best Spaghetti & MeatballsOne of my favorite childhood memories is going to the Old Spaghetti Factory with my family and ordering a big plate of cheesy spaghetti, meatballs and garlic bread. My homemade recipe reminds me of those fun times and satisfies everyone's craving for good Italian food. —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, Arizona
Almond-Ricotta TwistsA very dear friend gave me this recipe so I make these to remind me of our time together. I like to drizzle melted white chocolate or chocolate chips on the baked cookies.—Paula Prechtl, Brockport, Pennsylvania
Chicken Cacciatore with PolentaThe microwave makes quick work of homemade polenta, and the rest is done in one skillet. Save a little Parmesan for sprinkling on top before serving. —Yvonne Starlin, Hermitage, Tennessee
Herbed VinegarThis herb vinegar would be a great addition to your favorite salad dressing or could be used in place of vinegar in any recipe. The terrific flavors of tarragon and basil really shine through. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata SauceThis Italian classic takes on a distinctive Latin American flourish with the addition of chorizo. The sausage adds an extra kick and awesome flavor to a dish that's already a favorite. —Crystal McDuffy, Fairfax, Virginia.
Originally Published: April 04, 2018
