If there’s one thing Giada De Laurentiis is good at, it’s adding a wonderful Italian twist to all your favorite traditional dishes — and nearly never fails, depending on your unique taste buds! She always makes it fun, easy to understand, and beginner-friendly for the new cooks in the kitchen who are trying to mix it up for their families. 

One dish, in particular, is popular between us at-home chefs — beginner or not — because it takes the easiest classic sandwich we all know and upgrades it with an Italian ingredient that we never thought of. And you won’t regret it!

Who Giada De Laurentiis is and her background

Chances are you’ve already heard of this celebrity chef, but in case you’re in need of a small reminder — her most popular shows among fans includes Everyday Italian, Giada In Italy, Bobby and Giada in Italy, Iron Chef America, and Winner Cake All, among many others. 

Likewise, she’s also known as the author of more than 15 great cookbooks, including book titles like Giada’s Feel Good Food, Giada’s Family Dinners, Happy Cooking: Make Every Meal Count … Without Stressing Out, and Giada’s Italy: My Recipes for La Dolce Vita.

According to her Food Network profile, De Laurentiis was born in Rome and “grew up in a large Italian family where the culture of food was a staple in and of itself,” which is where her love for Italian food has stemmed from. She has since become a “globally revered celebrity chef who continues to prove her skill and accessibility with her expanding presence.”

Italian food is her specialty as a chef

Since she is Italian-born and raised, it’s really no surprise that her specialty as a chef is in the art of cooking Italian food and turning other traditional foods into an Italian dream. It’s only lucky for us that we have a way of accessing these new additions!

If you’re wondering what it takes to maintain or resurrect your Italian heritage (or simply have a fierce love for their food), there are at least 6 Italian staples in Giada’s pantry that she swears by. 

They are Setaro’s dried pasta, Castelvettrano olives, Amore Anchovy paste, Mutti cherry tomatoes, Tutto Calabrian chili paste, and Lucini extra-virgin olive oil. Now, jump in and bon appétit!

Her BLT with an Italian twist

When it comes to traditional meals, however, the Food Network star has a knack for turning a classic sandwich or dish into a whole new meal with the greatest new flavors that can range from sweet to bold. Her BLT with an Italian twist, in particular, introduces a new ingredient like pancetta instead of bacon.

As De Laurentiis says in her Twitter post, “You say bacon … I say pancetta!!” And you wouldn’t regret the switch every now and then, either — after all, it’s half the calories and fat that bacon has, and it packs a great punch of flavor when added to your favorite recipes — especially the traditional BLT.

With that being said, Giada De Laurentiis has numerous Italian dishes worth trying — both healthy and not. Take your pick of her favorite breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, or test your cooking skills with a full holiday menu created and approved by the famous Italian cook and her family. It’s made its way into many homes since her debuts and is sure to be a success in yours!