29 Impeccable Paleo Italian Recipes

From crunchy bruschetta to creamy pasta, who doesn’t love Italian food? But how can you enjoy those flavors of Rome, Sicily, or Naples on a Paleo diet? Not to worry! We’ve put together a delicious list of 29 Paleo-friendly Italian recipes that will have you saying mamma mia!

Whether it’s smoky bruschetta with grilled eggplant or a dainty fennel vanilla panna cotta, you’ll be under the Tuscan sun in no time with these fantastic recipes. In the mood for pasta? No problem! This list also features more than five pasta recipes, including everything from a traditional Bolognese sauce to a delicate creamy pasta with salmon.

Here are just a few of the Paleo Italian Recipes we’ve included:

• 5-Min Prosciutto Avocado Fat Bomb
• Easy Paleo Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
• 3-Ingredient Creamy Keto Salmon “Pasta” Recipe (Dairy-Free)
• Paleo/Keto Spaghetti Squash Bolognese [low carb]
• Baby Italian Quiche
• Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
• Pan-Fried Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
• Italian Paleo Hazelnut Cake [Dairy-Free]

If you click or tap any of the links above, it will instantly take you to the recipe below. Or download the entire list by clicking on the green button below.

Paleo Italian Recipes – Appetizers

5-Min Prosciutto Avocado Fat Bomb

– Keto Summit

Ingredients: avocado, lime, prosciutto (or deli ham or turkey slices).

In this Paleo and Keto recipe you get the fat bomb experience but without any effort as you are using only three ingredients. These make great snacks when you need something to keep you going, but you can also use them as an appetizer or as party food. Don’t skip on the lime juice though, because it keeps the avocado from turning brown and gives these bombs a real zing!

Italian Pâté with fried anchovies, capers & lemon

– Meatified

Photo Credit: Rach from Meatified

Ingredients: chicken livers, lard or avocado oil, shallots, garlic, flat anchovy fillets, capers, ground sage, fresh lemon zest, lemon juice.

If you have been trying for ages to get more organ meats into your family, paté could be the answer to your problems! This Paleo paté is made with chicken livers, which are milder in flavor than other liver, so can be more palatable for all the family members. This delicious dish has the umami flavor we all love thanks to the anchovies and lemon and can be served with Paleo crackers or toast.

Antipasto Salad with Easy Italian Dressing

– Cook Eat Paleo

Photo Credit: Lisa from Cook Eat Paleo

Ingredients: romaine, prosciutto, salami or pepperoni, artichoke hearts, olives mix of black and green, hot or sweet peppers pickled or roasted, Italian dressing.

This gluten and dairy-free salad makes the perfect versatile meal when you don’t have time to cook, as you can use whatever meats and vegetables you have to create a filling salad. If you are using Italian meats, just check the labels to avoid any unwanted ingredients. The easy dressing adds a zesty flavor to the salad and you can make it look really tasteful and appealing.

Vitello Tonnato

– The Nourished Caveman

Photo Credit: Vivica from The Nourished Caveman

Ingredients: veal round, carrot, onion, celery, fresh herbs of your choice, marrow bone or two, organic pastured eggs, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, mustard, canned tuna in olive oil, anchovy filets, capers in vinegar, juice of organic lemon.

Now you may wonder about the combination of meats in this dish, but think of veal and tuna as a Paleo and Keto surf and turf! This dish is absolutely packed with flavor and is enriched with the creamy sauce, making this a filling and delicious Italian-inspired meal. If you have a problem using veal – maybe you can’t source it nearby – you can use beef round or even chicken!

Easy Keto Pepperoni Meatballs

– Keto Summit

Ingredients: ground beef or chicken, pepperoni slices, egg, hot sauce (optional), salt, pepper.

Try these for a fun twist on basic cocktail meatballs. The pepperoni adds smoke, spice, and a little salt – a welcome addition to any game day feast or neighborhood potluck.

Eggplant Bruschetta

– Peace, Love and Low Carb

Photo Credit: Kyndra from Peace Love and Low Carb

Ingredients: eggplant, fresh basil leaves, roma tomatoes, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, capers, avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic,
onion powder, sea salt, black pepper.

Here is a slant on a traditional Italian dish that would be ideal to serve as an appetizer for an Italian meal with friends or family. The slices of eggplant are coated in oil and balsamic vinegar and baked in the oven, and they make a great base for the bruschetta mixture. It has the earthy flavors of the olives, capers and artichoke hearts and has a lovely range of color.

Oven Fried Stuffed Olives

– Beauty and the Foodie

Photo Credit: Stacey from Beauty and the Foodie

Ingredients: pitted green olives, ground Italian sausage, almond slivers or almond flour, sunflower seeds, flat leaf parsley, garlic powder, thyme (dried or fresh), egg, olive oil.

These wonderful little bite-size snacks are packed with sausage and full of flavor with their seasoned coating, making them an ideal appetizer to serve at a Mediterranean-themed meal or speared with cocktail sticks and served as party food. The olives give you a good dose of healthy fats and taste amazing on their own or with a simple low-carb dip.

Deli-Style Italian Pasta Salad

– Grazed and Enthused

Photo Credit: Grazed & Enthused

Ingredients: raw zucchini noodles, artichoke hearts, black kalamata olives, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried oregano flakes, dried dill, sea salt.

With the artichoke hearts and olives this salad has a sophisticated blend of flavors, nestling on a bed of zucchini noodles. The noodles are easy to prepare, especially if you have a spiralizer, and taste great even in a raw form like they are here. This is a vegetarian recipe, but if you want to add protein and make it a substantial meal you can add in some cooked chicken or even some shrimp.

Paleo Italian Recipes – Main Dishes

Easy Paleo Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

– Paleo Flourish

Ingredients: onion, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, honey, cucumber.

Here is another adaptable Paleo recipe that gives you a satisfying meal in just a few minutes, so it is perfect for a speedy dinner midweek. The ‘pasta’ can be cucumber, as in this recipe, but if you want to make the meal a bit more filling you can use zucchini noodles or kelp noodles instead. The tomato sauce has loads of Italian flavor from the seasonings and garlic and the fresh basil garnish finishes the dish off really well.

3-Ingredient Creamy Keto Salmon “Pasta” Recipe (Dairy-Free)

– Keto Summit

Ingredients: coconut oil, smoked salmon, zucchinis, mayo.

Here is another great recipe that shows you how you can still enjoy the flavors of ‘pasta’ dishes but still keep yourself on the Keto pathway. This dairy-free dish has a rich and creamy sauce and feels just like a pasta dish made with dairy products and is a delicious way to enjoy the salmon. This is one meal where it might be worth buying a spiralizer as it makes the zucchini ‘noodles’ so much easier to form.

Paleo/Keto Spaghetti Squash Bolognese [low carb]

– Keto Summit

Ingredients: spaghetti squash, ground or minced beef, onion, diced tomato, fresh basil, garlic, coconut oil, salt, pepper.

Using spaghetti squash is a healthy, low-carb alternative to traditional pasta and can be eaten just the same way. This recipe is a perfect way to introduce squash into your children’s diet and they could even learn to love it as much as they love pasta. If you add in the basil at the end of the cooking time it helps to retain the full freshness of the flavor.

Baby Italian Quiche

– Paleo Flourish

Ingredients: almond flour, arrowroot flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, water, salt, eggs, coconut milk, dried basil, garlic, dried rosemary, salt, baby tomatoes, white mushrooms.

By using baby tomatoes on the top, this quiche is jeweled with fantastic colors and the aroma of Italian herbs. This Paleo-friendly dish would make a great dinner with a green salad or you could make it the night before and have it ready for breakfast in the morning. Cold quiche can be an easy meal to take to work or for picnics too.

Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta

– Paleo Flourish

Ingredients: chicken breasts, ghee or coconut oil, diced tomatoes, basil, coconut milk, garlic, salt, zucchini or spaghetti squash.

This is a quick and easy Paleo recipe which is ideal for a fast meal after a busy day. It can also be made quite cheaply so it is a great meal for students! The rich flavors of tomato and fragrant basil are so appealing and make this dish taste amazing. If you don’t have a spiralizer it doesn’t matter, you can simply shred the zucchini in a food processor or using a grater.

Pan-Fried Tuscan Chicken Pasta with Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

– Paleo Flourish

Ingredients: chicken breasts, egg, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, olive oil or avocado oil, zucchini.

Here is another quick low-carb recipe that is full of fresh flavors! Because the chicken is cooked quickly it keeps all its flavor and doesn’t dry out. Also basil and tomato is really a match made in heaven, so adding them to this pasta dish is a great idea. Basil is easy to grow in pots in the kitchen so you could have a source of freshness to add to soups and sauces any time.

Italian Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops

– Cook Eat Paleo

Photo Credit: Lisa from Cook Eat Paleo

Ingredients: coconut oil or ghee, lamb shoulder chops, sea salt, ground black pepper, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, yellow onion, dried thyme leaves, dried oregano leaves, ground fennel, fresh thyme.

These amazing lamb chops are cooked to perfection in this gluten and nut-free recipe, and the combination of herbs used gives real Italian flavor to the meat. Because you are cooking these chops for a couple of hours, you can expect the meat to be so tender, but not dried at all. These lovely chops can be served on mash or with a portion of cauliflower rice.

Spicy Halibut Tomato Soup

– Ketogasm

Photo Credit: Tasha from Ketogasm

Ingredients: olive oil, garlic, parsley fresh, tomatoes, anchovies canned in oil, vegetable broth, salt, black pepper, red chili flakes, halibut filets fresh.

This spicy soup uses anchovies as part of the base and they add richness to the flavor of the dish without being overpowering. Halibut tends to be quite a meaty fish and holds its shape quite well, but any meaty white fish could be used. Although this is specifically a Keto recipe, it is worth noting that it is also very low in calories and could also be used for a tasty meal on a weight-loss plan.

Paleo Calzone

– A Girl Worth Saving

Photo Credit: Kelly from A Girl Worth Saving

Ingredients: coconut oil, water, sea salt, tapioca flour, coconut flour, egg, egg white save yolk, garlic powder, oregano, filling, pizza sauce.

When you are following the Paleo way of eating, you might think pizza is off the menu, but you would be surprised how easy it is to adapt! This is a recipe for pizza that is folded over, enclosing the ingredients instead of using them as toppings, and you can still use your favorites like pepperoni, ham and mushrooms. If you are serving these to kids, best to let the calzone cool a bit first!

Paleo Meatball Sub

– Beauty and the Foodie

Photo Credit: Stacey from Beauty and the Foodie

Ingredients: ground beef or ground turkey, egg, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, oil of choice (olive oil, coconut oil, etc.), coconut flour, organic tomato puree or sauce, garlic, paleo bread.

In the UK there is a famous sandwich chain that makes meatball subs to die for, but they are bit of a Paleo no-no, so if you like the idea of making your own, this recipe will suit your needs. You have Paleo-friendly bread topped with juicy meatballs and covered in a thick and unctuous tomato sauce that can be a filling, tasty and exciting lunch for the whole family.

Delicious Lemon-Garlic Keto Pasta Using Yellow Squash

– Wicked Stuffed

Photo Credit: Amanda from Wicked Stuffed

Ingredients: yellow (summer) squash, lemon pepper seasoning, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley, slivered / chopped almonds,
salt, lemon.

Lemon and garlic are probably the most common flavors you expect from Italian cuisine and they give loads of flavor and zesty freshness to pasta dishes. This dish uses squash as an alternative to traditional pasta to let us keep the dish looking authentic but keeping it low in carbohydrates. This whole dish is so tasty and quick to cook that it would be a great speedy lunch or midweek dinner.

Low-Carb Spaghetti Bolognese

– Ditch the Carbs

Photo Credit: Libby from Ditch The Carbs

Ingredients: onion, garlic, mince/ground beef, tinned/canned chopped tomatoes, dried rosemary, dried oregano, dried sage, dried basil, dried marjoram, salt, pepper.

Spaghetti Bolognese is a favorite in a lot of households, so if you are trying to introduce a lower-carb menu, try starting here! This delicious variation uses zucchini noodles, which look and work just like pasta, but are gluten-free and low in carbohydrates. Topped with a vibrant Italian-inspired beefy, tomato sauce, I am sure you can win over even the skeptics in the family!

Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

– Grazed and Enthused

Photo Credit: Grazed & Enthused

Ingredients: olive oil, cremini mushrooms, leeks (white part only), zucchini, dried Italian herb seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, coconut milk, homemade chicken broth, cauliflower rice, arrowroot starch, chives, black pepper.

Mushroom risotto is a very popular dish in Italian cooking, but it usually involves a lot of heavy cream, so imagine my delight to find a risotto recipe that is dairy-free and fits with the autoimmune way of eating! This dish is full of the traditional flavor of mushrooms and Italian seasoning, and still has a creamy texture because of the coconut milk which turns the cauliflower rice creamy too.

Osso Bucco aka Braised Beef Shanks

– The Healthy Foodie

Photo Credit: Sonia from The Healthy Foodie

Ingredients: beef shanks, onion, garlic, celery ribs, bone broth, crushed tomatoes, water, balsamic vinegar, dried mustard, fresh thyme, fresh sage leaves, Himalayan salt, black pepper, ground Ceylon cinnamon, ground clove.

Just like lamb shanks, beef shanks were made to be slow-cooked so the meat is so rich in flavor and falls off the bones. This dish is slightly rustic-looking like a lot of home-cooked meat dishes are, but this just adds to the appeal of them, so don’t be afraid to serve the shanks to family and friends! Serve this hearty meal with cauliflower mash for a low-carb dinner that is full of flavor!

Cream of Mushroom Paleo Casserole

– Paleo Gluten Free Eats

Ingredients: cauliflower rice, mushrooms, basil, red onion, garlic, coconut milk, chicken broth, egg, nutritional yeast, tapioca flour, Italian spice blend, poultry seasoning, sea salt, garlic powder, pepper.

You know those nights when you just need comfort food to fill you up? Let me introduce this delicious cream of mushroom casserole that will satisfy the whole family!

Paleo Italian Recipes – Desserts

Italian Paleo Hazelnut Cake [Dairy-Free]

– Paleo Flourish

Ingredients: hazelnuts, coconut sugar, honey, eggs, salt.

The Paleo hazelnut cake shown in this recipe has no dairy and no gluten, but has all the flavor of the traditional Italian hazelnut cakes of the region. This is not a sponge cake and it is designed to be denser in the middle, but it is perfect to serve with a cappuccino on a lovely afternoon! Italian cakes are not usually very sweet, so if you have a sweet tooth you could increase the amount of honey.

Fennel Vanilla Panna Cotta

– Empowered Sustenance

Photo Credit: Empowered Sustenance

Ingredients: coconut milk, fennel seeds, vanilla extract, grass-fed gelatin, raw honey, salt.

Although we normally associate fennel with fish or meat, alongside the vanilla in this wonderful dessert it provides a great liquorice flavor that complements the creamy Paleo panna cotta. If you don’t have fennel you could use dried rosemary to add a subtle difference to the taste. Either of these work really well with the sparkling pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top.

Raspberry Coconut Panna Cotta

– Healing Family Eats

Photo Credit: Healing Family Eats

Ingredients: gelatine, coconut milk, raspberries, alcohol free vanilla extract, raw honey.

Panna cotta is such a great dessert as it gives you an easy source of gelatine to strengthen hair and nails. Not only that, it tastes amazing too! This simple dish is AIP and Paleo-friendly and can be a good dish to make for anyone who is recovering from illness as it is smooth and easy to eat. If you like this panna cotta you could try using different berries for a change in flavors – blueberries work really well!

Easy Coconut Panna Cotta

– Clean Eating Kitchen

Ingredients: Coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut nectar/syrup, beef gelatin.

I love the creamy sensuous feeling of a classic panna cotta, and it can be used as a light but delicious dessert after an Italian meal. This Paleo dessert recipe does not involve baking, therefore cutting down on cook time and giving you more time for other prep. If you’re a fan of jello-type desserts you’ll love this coconut panna cotta.

Baked Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream

– Healing Family Eats

Photo Credit: Healing Family Eats

Ingredients: baked strawberry/rhubarb/vanilla/honey compote, honey, coconut milk.

When it comes to Paleo ice cream, I really prefer to have mine slightly tart and not over-sweet, so using rhubarb is the ideal way to achieve this. Paired with sweet strawberry, this is a great way to use up rhubarb that you might have growing nearby. You don’t even need an ice cream maker – this great recipe gives you instructions either way!

Tiramisu

– Primal Palate

Ingredients: coconut flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt, organic coconut oil, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, coconut milk,
raw honey, egg yolk, vanilla bean pod, coconut cream, coffee, organic cocoa powder.

Tiramisu is a classic dessert and one of the most common dishes served in Italian restaurants, but it often involves using ingredients that we have to avoid. So if you love the flavors and want to try making a Paleo version, this recipe will steer you in the right direction. You have a lovely layered dessert with the flavors of coffee and amoretto, but completely within the Paleo rules!