Italian dishes have become an integral part of American cuisine. Many favorite family dinners are centered around Italian, and Italian-inspired, recipes. Pasta in its many shapes is always a hit with kids and has the added convenience of cooking quickly and having an almost infinite shelf life. So dig in here and choose from dozens of our best recipes for quick Italian meals, all of which can be made in 60 minutes or less.

With its layers of spinach, ricotta, tomato sauce, prosciutto, and mozzarella cheese, this lasagna tastes like it took a long time to make. However, using frozen spinach, jarred sauce, and no-boil lasagna noodles makes it fast enough for a weeknight dinner.

Proving that simplicity can be beautiful, this version of the family favorite begins with homemade meatballs comprised of flavorful ground beef chuck seasoned with fresh parsley, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. The spaghetti and meatballs are bathed in a sauce comprised simply of canned crushed tomatoes in puree.

In this easy version of chicken cacciatore, chicken breasts are simmered in a rich tomato, garlic, and mushroom sauce. Serve over rice, noodles, or with Italian bread to mop up the sauce.

Shiitake mushrooms in an easy garlic-Parmesan sauce add satisfying flavor to this vegetarian dinner. Frozen cheese tortellini is the secret to getting this meal on the table in no time.

In this lighter, simpler version of classic chicken parmesan, chicken breast tenders are coated in a Parmesan cheese and breadcrumb mixture, and then broiled, not fried. An easy side dish of penne pasta and broccoli makes this a complete meal that the whole family will love.

Canned diced tomatoes and fresh cherry tomatoes make a richly flavored sauce for linguine. Sweet shrimp and lots of fresh basil add brightness to this easy main dish.

Canned plum tomatoes and fresh garlic make an easy, flavorful marinara sauce. Baking the lasagna in the same skillet used to simmer the tomato sauce makes this lasagna extra quick to make.

The breadcrumb-and-Parmesan-coated eggplant slices are baked, not fried, in this lighter version of the Italian American favorite. A bechamel sauce made with skim milk is mixed with homemade or store-bought marinara sauce to make a lightly creamy, garlicky pink sauce.

Homemade roasted bell peppers are easy to make and add an exquisitely smoky-sweet flavor to this pasta dish. Sweet Italian sausage and Parmesan cheese make this meal satisfying and savory.

Chopped fresh spinach and frozen peas bring their bright-green color and mild flavor to this risotto. The secret to creamy, perfectly tender risotto is to add the broth gradually.

This spicy Sicilian pasta dish combines onion, garlic, eggplant, tomatoes, basil, and ricotta cheese. Penne rigate (rigate means "ridged") is the perfect pasta shape to hold this chunky vegetarian sauce.

The amounts of butter and cream have been reduced to create a lighter version of the classic chicken Marsala, but you'll never know there's anything missing. Mushrooms, sage, shallots, and, of course, Marsala wine contribute lots of rich flavor to the chicken.

This classic Italian dish is traditionally made with pancetta, but any kind of bacon will serve perfectly well. Beaten eggs, half-and-half, and Parmesan cheese form a creamy sauce when stirred into the hot cooked spaghetti.

Tender pork loin is seasoned simply with olive oil and oregano. Sliced fresh fennel bulbs and whole garlic cloves roast alongside the pork, becoming caramelized and sweet.

Thanks to no-boil noodles, this vegetarian lasagna takes just 15 minutes to assemble. A creamy, slightly tangy mixture of reduced-fat cream cheese and ricotta cheese is spread between layers of oregano-seasoned zucchini.

Purchased ravioli is at the base of this easy baked pasta dinner that kids will love. Vary the kind of ravioli you use, from cheese to beef to pumpkin, to introduce endless variety to the dish.

With the intense flavors of garlic, sauteed cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and Parmesan cheese, you won't even notice that this dish is meatless. Amp up the flavor even further by adding capers and chopped anchovies.

Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheeses blend with half-and-half to make an easy, rich sauce for fettuccine or any other pasta shape you choose. Add vegetables and shrimp, scallops, or chicken to make this a complete meal.

A mixture of ricotta cheese, minced garlic, and frozen chopped spinach is stuffed between the meat and skin of large, bone-in chicken breasts. Plum tomatoes are roasted alongside the chicken for an easy, flavorful side dish.

Salty prosciutto, sweet green peas, and zingy lemon zest complement one another in a Parmesan-cream sauce. Hint: Prosciutto is easiest to slice when cold.

Onion, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese flavor great big meatballs made from lean ground beef. The easy tomato sauce gets a hint of sweetness from grated carrot.

As a timesaving measure, chunks of fresh butternut squash cook right along with the rice in this easy risotto. For easy preparation of the squash, make sure your peeler and your knife are nice and sharp.

In this super-quick pasta dish, fresh spinach cooks with the penne. Toasted pine nuts and a dollop of ricotta cheese make a sophisticated finish.

We cut the fat and kept the flavor in this recipe for the Italian classic, pork cutlets Parmesan. Serve the breadcrumb-coated, pan-fried cutlets with sauteed greens and pasta in a simple tomato sauce.

A soul-satisfying dinner of three-cheese baked ziti, garlic bread, and green salad with red-wine vinaigrette only takes 40 minutes, start to finish. Feel free to add browned sausage or thawed frozen spinach to the ziti mixture.

Based on traditional Italian amatriciana sauce, this short-cut version combines crisped pancetta with sauteed onion and garlic to make a simple, flavorful tomato sauce. If bucatini -- a long, hollow pasta shape -- isn't available, use spaghetti or penne.

Thin chicken breast cutlets coated in a Parmesan-breadcrumb mixture are pan-fried in olive oil just until crisp and juicy. The cutlets are arranged on a bed of tomato sauce, topped with fresh mozzarella, and broiled briefly to make the cheese melted and bubbly.

Gemelli is a short, spiral-shaped pasta that's satisfyingly chewy. It stands up well in this hearty sauce of Italian sausage, Swiss chard, raisins, and pine nuts.

Cauliflower, anchovies, parsley, and red-pepper flakes are a classic Southern Italian pairing with pasta. Dial up the flavor even more by roasting the cauliflower, or adding raisins and toasted pine nuts to the mixture.

Similar to rolled-up pizzas, these stromboli are stuffed with broccoli, salami, and mozzarella cheese. Using purchased pizza dough and marinara sauce makes this kid-pleasing dinner quick to prepare.

Pasta puttanesca is an excellent quick pantry meal, because it's possible to keep the ingredients on hand at all times. Garlic, red-pepper flakes, anchovies, capers, kalamata olives, and a can of tomatoes make a richly flavored and satisfying sauce.

This easy version of the Italian dish known as Saltimbocca alla Romana replaces the traditional veal with chicken breasts. A sage leaf and a slice of prosciutto wrap each chicken breast, which is then drizzled with a quick white wine sauce.

If anchovies aren't in your regular repertoire, this pasta dish is a great way to try them out. Mingled with garlic and lemon zest, they create a rich, savory sauce for linguine.

Pan-seared eye of round steaks are topped just like pizzas, with diced tomato, garlic, oregano, and fresh mozzarella cheese. Serve this quick dish with a simple side of pasta tossed in good extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Garlic, red-pepper flakes, chopped anchovy fillets, and a little lemon juice provide an excellent complement to hearty, slightly bitter broccoli rabe. If orecchiette isn't available, use any other short pasta shape, such as penne or rotelle.

Ground chicken breast and ricotta cheese make light, delicate meatballs. Lemon zest and thyme flavor the accompanying chicken broth, making a flavorful, soothing soup.

An oven-baked version of eggplant Parmesan tops crusty Italian bread to make a satsifying vegetarian sandwich. For an extra treat, brush the halved loaf of bread with garlic butter and brown under the broiler before adding the layers of tomato sauce, eggplant, and mozzarella.

Ricotta and Parmesan cheeses make this frittata extra rich, while bacon, potatoes, and spinach add substance. This frittata is equally good for brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Fresh breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese form the crispy coating on chicken breast cutlets. A quick lemon and Dijon mustard sauce is drizzled over the chicken just before serving.

This penne pasta toss gets its nuanced flavor from ripe cherry tomatoes and savory sun-dried tomatoes. Kids and adults alike will love the melting pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese in this quick, meatless pasta dinner.

Purchased pizza dough makes quick work of this meatless main dish. Ricotta cheese, marinated artichoke hearts, and sweet red onion are easy, flavorful toppings.

This creamy rice dish gets a dose of bright green from diced zucchini and frozen peas. If you like, stir in chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, parsley, or chives, at the very end of cooking.

Spicy Italian sausage and broccoli rabe make perfect partners in this baked pasta dish. Fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses form a bubbly topping.

There's no cream in this creamy white sauce -- just generous amounts of butter and Parmesan cheese. Serve this simple, rich pasta dish with grilled steak or chicken and a green salad.

These breaded chicken breast cutlets are baked to a crisp golden-brown. The fresh flavors of arugula, red onion, and lemon juice provide the perfect balance for the rich taste of the chicken.

Ricotta cheese and milk make an easy, creamy sauce for pasta, prosciutto, and frozen chopped spinach. It only takes 10 minutes to assemble this crowd-pleasing main dish.

A fiery dose of crushed red-pepper flakes gives this pasta dish its name, which means "angry" in Italian. A simple and flavorful tomato, garlic, and white-wine sauce provides a base for the spicy seasoning.

Chicken thighs become rich and tender when braised in a flavorful tomato and white-wine sauce. Mushrooms, garlic, and green olives round out the flavors of this main dish, which becomes a complete meal when spooned over slices of crisp broiled polenta.

Fresh parsley, chives, lemon juice, and a spicy zap of red-pepper flakes make a simple and elegant sauce for purchased ravioli. The versatile sauce pairs well with any ravioli, such as three-cheese, sausage, pumpkin, or even lobster.

Replace the usual red sauce with something rich and meaty. Ground lamb or beef chuck is sauteed with onion and garlic, and then simmered with tomato paste and a bit of cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Lean chicken sausage and a high vegetable-to-pasta ratio cut down on calories but not flavor in this easy one-pot dinner. This recipe is a great base formula that can be easily adapted for any kind of green vegetable, such as kale or Swiss chard, and any kind of pasta, such as whole-wheat penne.

Fresh cherry tomatoes, canned tomatoes, and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes form a rich, complex pasta sauce. All that's needed to round out the meal is a simple green salad or sauteed spinach.