Italian Style Fall Dinner Meal Plan

This meal plan will last 2 weeks for under $80! These are a bunch of recipes that our family makes fairly often. Plenty of hearty meals to keep you full during long winter nights.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Frittata Florentine

Unstuffed Pepper Bake

Italian Subs

Caramelized Onion & Potato Frittata

Italian Goulash

Pizza Diavola

Scalloped Potato & Ham Chowder

Lasagna Soup


Grocery List:

Measurement	Item	Price
10 lb. bag	Potatoes	$2.98
1 bag	Spinach	$1.98
5 lb. bag	Yellow Onions	$2.48
2 heads	Garlic	$0.76
2	Carrots	$0.28
1 head	Celery	$0.98
4	Red Bell Peppers	$3.52
1	Green Bell Pepper	$0.68
12 oz	Ditalini Pasta	$1.47
16 oz	Spaghetti	$0.98
8 oz	Rigatoni	$0.47
1.5 cups	Panko Bread Crumbs	$1.98
1.5 cups	White Rice	$1.44
8 oz	Parmesan	$1.68
5 cups	Shredded Mozzarella	$5.00
1 bag (1 1/2c)	Shredded Swiss	$2.50
16 oz	Ricotta	$3.49
2 cups	Shredded Cheddar Cheese	$2.50
18 count	Eggs	$2.49
1 lb	Bacon	$2.74
3 lbs	Italian Sausage (hot/mild)	$7.96
1 bag	Pepperoni slices	$2.99
2 lbs	Ground Beef	$5.80
8 oz	Tomato Sauce	$0.27
15 oz	Tomato Sauce	$0.58
(2) 28 oz	Crushed Tomatoes	$1.96
(3) 6 oz	Tomato Paste	$1.23
28 oz	Italian Stewed Tomatoes	$0.98
15 oz	Diced Tomatoes	$0.58
(5) 14.5 oz	Chicken Broth	$3.30
15 oz	Cannellini Beans	$0.68
16 oz jar	Peperoncini Peppers	$3.89
5	Submarine Rolls	$2.40
1 bottle	Cooking Wine (White or Red)	$4.00
	Total:	$77.02

Pantry Items:

Milk
Olive Oil
Worcestershire Sauce
Vegetable Oil
Butter
Dry Mustard
Italian Seasoning
Red Pepper Flakes
3c Bread Flour
Salt
Active Dry Yeast
Sugar
Oregano
Basil
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper

Italian Subs

$5.77 total / $1.15 per sandwich

After doing all of the work of prepping the marinara and meatballs, this meal comes together like a dream on a busy week night. It is super quick and above all, it is loaded with flavor!

Nutritional Highlight: Peperoncini Peppers. These peppers range from mild to fairly hot. The capsaicin, what gives peppers heat, kills bacteria in the stomach that can lead to ulcers. It also boost immunity and decrease blood cholesterol. 

Italian Subs  (serves 5)

Leftover Marinara
Leftover Meatballs
5 Submarine Rolls
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1 cup Sliced Peperoncini Peppers
1 Onion, sliced in half moons
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Tbsp Olive oil

In a large pot, heat up leftover marinara and meatballs together over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute the bell pepper and onion until softened. Add in the peperoncini slices. Saute for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep rolls by slicing them in half and toasting them under the broiler if desired.

Plate by layering rolls with 3 meatballs with marinara sauce, top with the mixture of peppers and onions, and then mozzarella cheese.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per sandwich: 565 calories, 22.6g fat (9.4g saturated, 2.6g polyunsaturated, 10g monounsaturated), 59.7g carbohydrate, 32.1g protein. Extremely high in Calcium, Phosphorus, Selenium, and Thiamin. Very high in Iron. Also high in Vitamins B-12 and B-6, Magnesium, Niacin, and Riboflavin.

Lasagna Soup

$9.77 total / $1.22 per serving

This soup is a satisfying meal on cold fall/winter nights. It gives the flavor and comfort of lasagna without all of the fuss. My husband particularly loves the additional cheese topping; it is what really makes this soup taste like lasagna. Enough talk, let's get to it!

Nutritional Highlight: Red Pepper Flakes. Not only will this spice add some heat to warm you up on a cold winter night, the capsaicin will also help protect you from some types of cancer. Some research indicates, it may also help curb appetite to aid in weight loss.

Lasagna Soup (serves 8)
Adapted from A Farm Girl's Dabbles

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb. hot or mild Italian Sausage, per preference
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp tomato paste
28 oz can Italian stewed diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken stock
8 oz. rigatoni
2 tsp dried basil

Cheesy Yum:
8 oz ricotta
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella
pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. 

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients.

To serve, ladle soup in a bowl and top with a dollop of the cheesy yum! Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 403 calories, 20.7g fat (11.1g saturated, 3g polyunsaturated, 11.1g monounsaturated), 28.3g carbohydrate, 25.3g protein. Extremely high in Vitamins A, B-6, and C, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, and Thiamin. Very high in Vitamin B-12, Manganese, and Zinc. High in Vitamin E, Folate, and Pantothenic Acid. 

Caramelized Onion & Potato Frittata

$1.56 total / $0.39 per serving

This meal utilizes several staple foods to make something out of nothing. It came about just like that. I didn't think we had anything to eat and the weather wasn't too great to run to the store, so I had to improvise. I'm glad I did because this super simple frittata is delicious and easy to make.

Nutritional Highlight: Eggs. Eggs often get a bad rap for their cholesterol content. Truth is, research indicates that eating eggs does not lead to heart disease. In fact, one Harvard study shows eating eggs may help reduce your risk for heart disease due to the protein content among other nutrients like Vitamins D and B-12, folate and riboflavin. So don't be afraid to eat the entire egg; yolks carry most of the additional nutrient content beyond protein. However, if you are someone already diagnosed with heart disease, it is smart to avoid any food with a substantial amount of cholesterol.

Caramelized Onion & Potato Frittata  (serves 4)

1/4 cup 1% milk
6 large eggs
1/4 cup parmesan
1 yellow onion, sliced into half moons
2 small potatoes, peeled and sliced into coins
vegetable oil

Spray a small saucepan with cooking spray. Caramelize onions in the small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low once onions start to brown and let them cook until they are a richer color of brown.

Meanwhile, pour approximately 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Line with cut potatoes in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes on medium-high heat until golden. Flip and repeat. Once golden on both sides, transfer potatoes to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Whisk together the first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Line pan again with cooked potatoes, top with caramelized onions. Add egg mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes until the egg mixture thickens. Finish off in the oven for approximately 15 minutes until eggs are set. 

****Don’t forget the pan has been in the oven; keep the handle towards the back of the stove once removed****

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 223 calories, 9.6g fat (3.8g saturated, 1.2g polyunsaturated, 3.6g monounsaturated), 19.6g carbohydrate, 15.1g protein. Extremely high in Vitamins B-12 and B-6, Calcium, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, and Selenium. Very high in Vitamins A and C, Folate, Iron, and Pantothenic Acid. Also high in Vitamin D, Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Thiamin and Zinc.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

$11.80 total / $1.69 per serving

I absolutely love making my own marinara. It is so much more flavorful than anything canned or jarred and I know exactly what is in it! While making your own marinara takes time, it is not all active. The majority of the time it is simmering on the stove and all you have to do is stir it once in a while. This recipe can also be doubled so you can freeze half of the sauce and meatballs in freezer bags for future meals. Easy peasy!

Nutritional Highlight: Basil. Filled with anti-bacterial and anti-inflamatory effects, basil is a great herb to have in recipes. Fresh is always better to reap any health benefit, however, dried basil will still benefit you by adding flavor to a dish without any added fat. 

Spaghetti & Meatballs (serves 5-7)

Marinara
1 lb spaghetti
1lb mild or hot italian sausage
1lb ground beef
2 eggs, beaten with ½ cup milk
1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste

Start marinara sauce at least 2 hours before dinner.

Mix all ingredients (except spaghetti and marinara) together with your hands in a large bowl. Form into golf ball sized meatballs. Line meatballs on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

**Once cooked, you can freeze them after they have cooled completely. Place the entire sheet pan in the freezer until meatballs are frozen. Then remove meatballs from the pan and place in a ziplock freezer bag.

Meanwhile, boil water in a large stockpot. Boil spaghetti until al dente. Drain. 

Serve spaghetti with marinara sauce and 3 meatballs. **Save extra meatballs and sauce for Italian Subs later in the week.**

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving (3 meatballs, 1 cup marinara, 4 oz cooked pasta): 620 calories, 17.2g fat (7g saturated, 2.4 polyunsaturated, 7.2g monounsaturated), 79.6g carbohydrate, 30.8g protein. Extremely high in Vitamins A, B-6, C, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Phosphorus, Selenium, and Thiamin. High in Vitamin B-12, Calcium, Magnesium, Niacin, Riboflavin, and Zinc.

Italian Goulash

$6.68 total / $0.84 per serving

Nothing beats a hearty meal on the first chilly nights of fall. I love this recipe because it is so heart-warming and easily fills up the man of the house. This recipe is originally a soup, less pasta, but I'm a sucker for goulash. The more noodles the better, I say!

Nutritional Highlight: Carrots. Beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to Vitamin A during digestion, is one of the main nutritional highlights of this root vegetable. Carrots also contain some Vitamin C as well. Carrots can be juiced to expel all of the valuable carotenoids in large quantities to help stave off cancer and keep vision intact. 

Italian Goulash  (serves 6-8)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled & chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 lb hot ground Italian sausage

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 -2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1 can cannellini beans

1 1/2 cups ditalini (or other small pasta)

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it just begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the sausage to the pot, crumbling as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper. Stir in tomatoes and stock.

Stir in the beans and ditalini.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per Serving: 434 calories, 15.7g fat (7g saturated, 2.8g polyunsaturated, 10.1g monounsaturated), 54.5g carbohydrate, 21.1g protein. Extremely high in Vitamins A, B-6, C, Folate, Iron, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, and Thiamin. Very high in Calcium and Copper, Also good source of Vitamin B-12, Magnesium, and Manganese.