We all get a little sick of our weeknight dinner rotation sometimes. If you need some fresh ideas to pull you out of your rut, these Italian sauces are a great place to start. They’re delicious with your family’s favorite protein or served over pasta. And there’s nothing quite like the scent of a homemade sauce simmering on the stovetop to inspire you about dinner again.

Puttanesca

Did the puttane (Italian ladies of the night), short on time and money, really create this sauce? No one know for sure, but Puttanesca is a great weeknight sauce: quick, cheap, and a little spicy.

serves 4

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 28 oz cans diced San Marzano tomatoes, drained of juice

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup chopped oil-cured olives (or substitue your favorite type)

1/4 cup capers, drained of brine

1 tablespoon anchovy paste

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped, plus additional for garnish

Grated Parmesan, if desired

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add garlic. Stir frequently over about 1 minute, then add tomatoes. Garlic burns easily, so be sure to add the tomatoes immediately after garlic turns a bit golden brown.

Bring to a boil as you add the rest of the ingredients to the skillet.

Reduce heat slightly and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta, or over chicken, fish, or shellfish.

Piccata

I love this lemony, buttery sauce. It is most oftenly prepared with chicken, but my favorite version with a nice piece of fish.

4 servings

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Kosher salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 Tbsp. capers, drained and coarsely chopped

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Chopped parsley and lemon wedges (for serving)

Slice 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts in half crosswise into 4 cutlets and lightly pound each piece between sheets of plastic wrap until an even thickness (about ½" thick or less). Season lightly with kosher salt. Place ½ cup all-purpose flour in a medium shallow bowl. Working one at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, turning to coat. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a plate.

Warm 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, pan-fry the chicken cutlets, without moving them, until deeply browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook chicken on the other side just until nearly cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a clean plate.

Add 4 garlic cloves, smashed, and remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and cook, stirring often and reducing heat if needed to keep garlic from scorching, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add ⅓ cup dry white wine and 1 Tbsp. capers, drained and coarsely chopped; cook, swirling pan and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of skillet, until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add ½ cup water, followed by the 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces. Swirl pan vigorously while butter melts to help it form an emulsion with water, about 1 minute.

Return chicken to skillet and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice into sauce; taste and season with kosher salt. Transfer chicken and sauce to a platter and top with chopped parsley; serve with lemon wedges.

Agio e Oio

My grandmother would always make this for a crowd, and add lightly toasted walnut pieces tossed into the pasta. Economically and tasty.

serves 4-6

1 pound spaghetti

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

crushed red pepper, to taste

kosher salt, to taste

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions in heavily salted water.

While the pasta Is cooking, put the olive oil, garlic, and and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-low, and stir frequently until fragrant. Be careful—garlic burns easily! If it turns brown, start over.

Toss the cooked drained spaghetti with the contents of the saucepan, tossing very well to ensure an even coating of the pasta strands. Taste and add salt and additional crushed red pepper, if desired. Add parsley and serve immediately.

Bolognese

This meat-centric dish really varies depending on the cook., but with a few general things in common. Always start with a mirepoix (a mix of chopped onion, celery and carrot). Always include at least one type of ground meat, and usually add either chopped pancetta, bacon or proscuitto. And always add a little vino to the sauce.

serves 6

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 large finely diced onion

2 finely diced carrots

2 finely diced large celery ribs

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 pound of ground lamb
1 pound of ground pork
4 oz pancetta, diced
6 oz can of tomato paste
1 1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of whole milk
i tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and carrots first, then the garlic. Cook a few minutes, then add all of the meats. Allow the meat to cook until it browns, about 5-8 minutes,using a wooden spoon to break it up. Now add the tomato paste, wine, and herbs. Bring the mixture to a boil, then allow to simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Be sure to give it a stir every one in a while.

Season the ragu to taste, and add feel free to add a little (lot) of crushed red pepper. Top each dish with a large spoonful of ricotta cheese while the sauce is still nice and hot. Serve over the pasta of your choice- I love bucatini here, the sauce gets into the hollows of the pasta strands. If you've got a bit of Parmesan on hand, put that on the table as well.

Salsa Verde

Don’t confuse this classic Italian sauce with the tasty Mexican one of the same name. Salsa verde is amazing with grilled fish, steak, or chicken. The ingredients can be trown into a food processor if you are short on time, but the sauce has a better texture if prepared by hand. It is delicious, and will last for a week in the refriderator.

8 whole cornichons

1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped

1 tsp Dijon mustard

3 anchovies, mashed well until they form a paste

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small shallot, minced

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 fresh basil, chapped

1 hard boiled egg

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp sugar

Combine the cornichons, capers, mustard, anchovies, garlic, shallot, olive oil, herbs in a medium bowl.

Use a small fine sieve to “grate” the hard-boil egg into the same bowl. Smash as much of the egg through the sieve as you can—this is the hardest part of making the sauce! You want to be sure you don’t have any big pieces of egg, but very small, even pieces.

Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Mix well to combine. Serve at room temperature with your favorite protein.

Tomato Basil

enough sauce for about 1 pound of pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons fresh basil

2 14 oz cans of good quality crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano variety*

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 1 tablespoon sugar

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, and saute until lightly golden and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add oregano, basil, canned tomatoes, and salt and pepper, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, then use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. You can also use a regular blender, or even a food processor. Taste and add sugar if needed to cut the acidity.

Unused sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Pesto

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

2 1/2 cups baby kale
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pulse walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add kale, salt, and garlic. Pulse until all ingredients are well combined.

Scrape down the sides of the processor and slowly add in the olive oil while the motor is running. Finally, add the Parmesan and pulse a few more times.

7 Italian Sauces for your Weeknight Meal Rut