13 Fake Italian Dishes And the Real Recipes Italians Actually Make

From massive meatballs on spaghetti to Fettuccine Alfredo dripping in heavy cream, the U.S. has embraced countless “Italian” dishes Italians wouldn’t recognize. While these American creations can be tasty, don’t expect to spot them on a trattoria menu in Rome or Naples.

Ready to discover what Italians actually eat instead? Below are 13 common offenders—plus their authentic Italian alternatives with basic recipes so you can cook them at home (the true Italian way).

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1. Chicken Alfredo (Fettuccine al Burro Original Alfredo Recipe)

What Americans Think

• Cream-soaked fettuccine topped with grilled chicken, often labeled “Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken.”

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• In Italy, “Alfredo sauce” as known in the U.S. (heavy cream, butter, Parmesan) is virtually unheard of. Adding chicken to pasta is also quite uncommon.

What Italians Actually Make

• Fettuccine al Burro (Original Alfredo): Just butter + Parmigiano Reggiano, no cream, stirred vigorously to form a silky sauce.
• Basic Recipe(2 servings):
  1. Boil 200 g fettuccine in salted water.
  2. Meanwhile, melt 40 g butter in a pan (low heat).
  3. Drain pasta (reserve a bit of water) and toss in the butter with 40–50 g grated Parmigiano.
  4. Add a splash of pasta water if needed, stirring until a creamy emulsion forms.
  5. Serve immediately—no chicken, just pure buttery, cheesy goodness.

2. Spaghetti and Meatballs (Spaghetti al Pomodoro + Polpette Recipe)

What Americans Think

• Huge meatballs perched on top of spaghetti drenched in tomato sauce.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• Meatballs (polpette) in Italy are usually eaten separately as a second course—or served smaller in certain soups. Pasta with large meatballs on top is a primarily Italian-American invention.

What Italians Actually Make

• Spaghetti al Pomodoro + Polpette as Separate Dish: Pasta with tomato sauce is one course, and polpette come on the side, often with a simple sauce or in a stew.
• Basic Recipe(4 servings):
  1. For Spaghetti al Pomodoro: Sauté garlic in olive oil, add canned crushed tomatoes, salt, basil. Simmer ~15 minutes. Toss with cooked spaghetti.
  2. For Polpette: Mix 300 g ground beef/pork, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper. Shape small balls, fry in olive oil or bake, then simmer briefly in tomato sauce if desired.
  3. Serve them separately, or in small bites. But not perched on top of your spaghetti!

3. Garlic Bread (Bruschetta al Pomodoro Recipe)

What Americans Think

• A baguette slathered in butter, garlic, and herbs, often sold in foil sleeves or served in Italian-American restaurants as a starter.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• Italians do love bread, but “garlic bread” as a dish doesn’t exist. A more authentic version is bruschetta (toasted bread with olive oil, garlic rub, toppings) or fettunta in Tuscany.

What Italians Actually Make

• Bruschetta al Pomodoro: Sliced rustic bread, lightly toasted, rubbed with cut garlic, topped with diced tomatoes, olive oil, salt, basil.
• Basic Recipe(4 slices):
  1. Toast 4 slices of country bread until lightly golden.
  2. Rub each slice with half a garlic clove (just once or twice—avoid an overload).
  3. Spoon over chopped tomatoes mixed with olive oil, salt, and torn basil leaves.
  4. Optional: a drizzle of balsamic or more olive oil. Eat immediately.

4. Penne alla Vodka (Penne al Pomodoro e Panna Recipe)

What Americans Think

• A creamy, tomato vodka sauce that’s pinkish, often with heavy cream, sometimes with chicken or shrimp.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• Vodka sauce had a trendy moment in Italy in the 1970s–80s but never became a classic. It’s rare to see it on modern Italian menus, especially with lots of cream. Americans kept the fad alive.

What Italians Actually Make

• Penne al Pomodoro e Panna (a simpler tomato-cream sauce) is sometimes found, but it’s not the top pick. For a real classic, try Penne all’Arrabbiata (spicy tomato sauce without cream).
• Basic Recipe(2 servings for Arrabbiata):
  1. Sauté minced garlic + chili flakes in olive oil.
  2. Add 200 g tomato passata. Simmer with salt.
  3. Cook 200 g penne, then toss in sauce. Finish with fresh parsley if desired.
  4. Cream is absent—just spice and tomato!

5. Chicken Parmigiana (Melanzane alla Parmigiana Recipe)

What Americans Think

• Breaded chicken cutlet topped with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella or Parmesan, served with a side of pasta.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• “Parmigiana” typically refers to Melanzane alla Parmigiana (eggplant parm). Chicken versions are an Italian-American adaptation. Italians rarely match breaded meats + tomato sauce + cheese in one dish.

What Italians Actually Make

• Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parm): Layers of fried eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan, baked.
• Basic Recipe(4 servings):
  1. Fry slices of eggplant in olive oil. Drain on paper towels.
  2. Layer in a baking dish: tomato sauce, eggplant, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan. Repeat.
  3. Bake at 180°C (~350°F) until bubbly ~20–25 minutes.
  4. Serve hot—no chicken in sight.

6. Pepperoni Pizza (Pizza Diavola Recipe)

What Americans Think

• A pizza topped with spicy pepperoni slices (the bright red, cured sausage Americans love).

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• In Italy, “peperoni” are bell peppers. The spicy salame Americans call pepperoni is typically known as “salame piccante” or “diavola.” If you order “pizza peperoni,” you’ll just get peppers.

What Italians Actually Make

• Pizza Diavola: Similar concept, but with spicy salame. The sauce is the standard tomato base, topped with mozzarella and slices of spiced salame, plus optional chili oil.
• Basic Recipe(1 pizza dough round):
  1. Spread tomato sauce on dough, add shredded mozzarella, and slices of spicy salame.
  2. Bake in a hot oven (250°C / 480°F) for ~10–12 minutes.
  3. Drizzle chili-infused oil if desired. Crisp edges, sizzling salame—done.

7. Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp or Broccoli (Pasta ai Funghi Recipe)

What Americans Think

• Alfredo sauce is seen as a base for shrimp, broccoli, mushrooms, etc. It’s basically cream sauce with extra goodies.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• As mentioned earlier, Alfredo is typically just fettuccine, butter, and Parmesan—no shrimp or veggies. Vegetables are usually a separate side or included in different pasta recipes without cream.

What Italians Actually Make

• Fettuccine al Limone or Pasta ai Funghi if they want flavored variations—no heavy cream.
• Basic Recipe(2 servings for Pasta ai Funghi):
  1. Sauté sliced mushrooms in olive oil, garlic. Add white wine, let it evaporate.
  2. Stir in chopped parsley, salt, pepper.
  3. Toss with cooked pasta and a splash of pasta water for cohesion. Optionally finish with grated Parmesan.

8. Garlic Shrimp Scampi (Spaghetti con Gamberi e Aglio Recipe)

What Americans Think

• A creamy, buttery garlic sauce with shrimp, served over linguine. Often called “shrimp scampi.”

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• “Scampi” in Italy refers to langoustines, not regular shrimp. Typically, Italians cook scampi with simple olive oil, garlic, white wine, not a heavy American scampi sauce. Also, shrimp + cream combos are rare.

What Italians Actually Make

• Spaghetti con Gamberi e Aglio (Spaghetti with shrimp and garlic) in a light sauce of olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, white wine—no big cream component.
• Basic Recipe(2 servings):
  1. Sauté minced garlic + chili in olive oil. Add peeled shrimp, salt, pepper.
  2. Splash white wine, let reduce.
  3. Toss with cooked spaghetti. Drizzle extra olive oil if needed. Fresh parsley on top. Light, aromatic—no thick sauce.

9. Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Tons of Mozzarella (Pasta al Forno Recipe)

What Americans Think

• A casserole dish layering ziti pasta, ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, mozzarella. Baked until gooey, reminiscent of lasagna but less structured.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• Baked pasta dishes do exist (like pasta al forno or lasagna), but ziti + ricotta combos with heavy mozzarella usage is more an Italian-American tradition.

What Italians Actually Make

• Pasta al Forno: Typically uses ragù (tomato-meat sauce), béchamel, maybe some mozzarella or scamorza—but not loaded ricotta.
• Basic Recipe(4 servings):
  1. Cook short pasta (rigatoni/ziti) until slightly underdone.
  2. In a casserole, layer ragù, pasta, béchamel, grated cheese (Parmesan or pecorino), possibly a bit of cubed mozzarella.
  3. Bake until top is golden. Less cheese overload than the American ziti version.

10. Italian Wedding Soup (Minestra Maritata Recipe)

What Americans Think

• A broth-based soup with meatballs, greens, and small pasta often called “Italian wedding soup.” Americans assume it’s a staple in Italy.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• The name “wedding soup” is a confusion of the Italian phrase minestra maritata, meaning “married soup” (referring to flavors of greens and meat blending). It’s more a Neapolitan tradition, rarely found as a big must-have wedding dish.

What Italians Actually Make

• Minestra Maritata is indeed a southern dish, but not widespread. They do various brodo (broths) with meat or tortellini.
• Basic Recipe(4 servings):
  1. Simmer beef/pork broth.
  2. Cook small meatballs separately, plus leafy greens (like escarole).
  3. Combine them in the broth. Some add grated cheese. But it’s not always on wedding menus.

11. Panini with Loads of Meat, Cheese, Veggies (Panino al Prosciutto e Formaggio Recipe)

What Americans Think

• A panini is a pressed sandwich stuffed with multiple deli meats, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and sauce.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• In Italy, “panino” just means “sandwich”—usually a simpler affair: maybe prosciutto and cheese. Pressed panini are simpler, not loaded like a sub. Lettuce/tomato might be minimal or absent.

What Italians Actually Make

• Panino al Prosciutto e Formaggio: 1-2 slices of prosciutto crudo, a mild cheese, maybe a dab of butter or spread, pressed lightly.
• Basic Recipe(1 sandwich):
  1. Slice a crusty roll. Spread a thin layer of butter or pesto.
  2. Layer prosciutto, a few slices of mild cheese (Fontina or mozzarella).
  3. Warm in a panini press or stovetop pan until slightly melted. Minimal additions—no giant salad inside.

12. Shrimp/Pineapple Pizza (Hawaiian) or Ranch Dips (Pizza Margherita Recipe)

What Americans Think

• Topping pizza with anything goes—pineapple, shrimp, ranch drizzles, etc. might be sold as “Italian-style pizza” in the US.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• The majority of pizzerias in Italy keep it classic: tomato, mozzarella, cured meats, veggies, mushrooms. Pineapple is considered taboo. Ranch dressing is unheard of on pizza.

What Italians Actually Make

• Pizza Margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil) or Pizza Prosciutto e Funghi.
• Basic Recipe(1 pizza):
  1. Spread tomato sauce on dough, add mozzarella, top with ham and mushrooms.
  2. Bake at high heat (250°C / 480°F) for ~10 mins. Zero pineapple, zero ranch. Italians prefer simpler combos that highlight sauce and cheese flavors.

13. Chicken Caesar Salad (as a Starter) – Insalata Mista Recipe

What Americans Think

• Caesar salad is famously “Italian,” especially with chicken, croutons, creamy dressing. Often served as a meal’s starter or main.

Why Italians Don’t Make It

• Actually invented in Mexico by an Italian-American restaurateur (Caesar Cardini). Italians typically have simpler salads, and rarely top with grilled chicken or thick, creamy dressing. Salads can appear after the main course, not as a big starter.

What Italians Actually Make

• Insalata Mista: Mixed greens, tomatoes, maybe carrots, onion, finished with olive oil + vinegar or lemon juice.
• Basic Recipe(2 servings):
  1. Toss fresh lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, maybe olives in a bowl.
  2. Drizzle quality extra virgin olive oil, a splash of balsamic or wine vinegar, salt, pepper. No heavy sauces or gloppy dressings—just fresh flavors.

The Bottom Line

Italian-American cuisine can be delicious—but it diverges from true Italian cooking. If you’re traveling to Italy, don’t expect these 13 “Italian” dishes on menus. Instead, look for simpler, regionally-anchored recipes that let fresh ingredients shine. From cacio e pepe (Roman cheese-and-pepper pasta) to melanzane alla parmigiana, real Italian cooking is about balance, minimal ingredients, and respecting each dish’s heritage.

Pro Tip

• If you’re craving a certain “Italian” dish stateside, enjoy it—just know it’s likely Italian-American, not purely Italian. And if you try cooking the real thing, keep it simple. The beauty of Italian food lies in few ingredients, done right—no heavy sauces, no random chicken lumps, no pineapple. Buon appetito!