Italianish by Danny Freeman

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when classic Italian-American comfort food intersects with modern creativity, look no further than Italianish by Danny Freeman. The term Italianish perfectly captures what Danny stands for: dishes rooted in Italian and Italian-American traditions but expressed with a playful, contemporary twist. His food is not bound by rules but inspired by heritage, simplicity, and joy.

Danny Freeman became an online sensation through his vibrant pasta-making videos—brightly colored doughs, whimsical shapes, and inventive flavors that delighted millions. With more than half a million followers and over a billion video views, Danny has managed to turn his love of cooking into a movement. His first cookbook, Danny Loves Pasta, celebrated handmade pasta in all its creative forms. His new book, Italianish, expands far beyond pasta to include salads, main courses, side dishes, and desserts—all anchored in Italian flavor but flexible enough for the rhythm of modern family life.

The Meaning of “Italianish”

In Italian cooking circles, there’s often debate about authenticity. Some purists believe there’s only one correct way to make a dish—carbonara must be made only with guanciale and no cream, or risotto must never be made with long-grain rice. Danny understands that perspective but also knows that cooking evolves. “Italianish,” as he defines it, is not a rejection of tradition but a celebration of creativity within it.

Delicious pasta created by Danny Freeman in Italianish — Photo credit, Danny Freeman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannylovespasta/

His food is inspired by both the Italian-American classics he grew up eating and the Italian dishes he came to know through travel and study. His grandmother’s Chicken Parmesan and his mother’s vodka sauce coexist comfortably with pesto, eggplant, and Venetian-style sardines in saor. He loves the idea that food can be rooted in memory and still open to reinvention.

The Book

Italianish reflects this balance beautifully. Every recipe in the book has a photograph, giving readers not only inspiration but also a clear sense of what the finished dish looks like. Freeman’s decision to include a full-color image for each recipe wasn’t about glossy perfection—it was about realism. Every dish was prepared exactly as written, so the photos are a true representation of what home cooks can achieve.

A delicious cheesy stretch in a Danny Freeman recipe — Photo credit, Danny Freeman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannylovespasta/

Another unique feature is the structure. The book includes two special indices—one for sauces and one for meatballs. They function as modular building blocks: readers can mix and match, pairing sauces and meatballs across different dishes. This makes Italianish not just a cookbook but a toolkit for creative Italian-inspired cooking at home.

Beyond pasta, the book includes chapters on vegetarian dishes, quick family meals, and weeknight-friendly recipes. Freeman wrote it while caring for two young daughters, so his recipes reflect real-life constraints: flavorful, flexible, and approachable, even when time is limited.

A Danny Freeman recipe creation in a skillet in the Italianish cookbook — Photo credit, Danny Freeman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannylovespasta/

Travel, Simplicity, and Family Inspiration

While developing Italianish, Danny and his husband spent a month in Italy with their daughters, traveling across Florence, Siena, Genoa, and Bologna. Traveling with children forced him to see Italian food differently: fewer elaborate restaurant meals and more simple, on-the-go eating. That experience deepened his appreciation for the Italian approach to simplicity—using just a few good ingredients to make something extraordinary.

That sensibility runs through the book. You’ll find the elegance of Italian restraint combined with the creativity of Italian-American abundance. For Danny, a perfect meal might be a rustic pasta made with pantry staples or a colorful salad built from market-fresh produce and a dash of imagination.

Biscotti in the Italianish cookbook — Photo credit, Danny Freeman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannylovespasta/

Recipes We Talked About

During our conversation, Danny and I discussed several of his recipes that illustrate how his cooking weaves together tradition, practicality, and family life. One of them, his Beef Stew with Figs, began with memories of his father’s hearty stews—warm, comforting, and familiar—but Danny adds figs, fresh or dried, for sweetness and depth. “I love incorporating fruit in savory dishes,” he told me. “It gives the dish a little burst of flavor and feels different, but still comforting.”

Another dish that caught my attention was his Asparagus Marsala, a vegetarian interpretation of the Italian-American classic chicken Marsala. It came from his desire to cook meals that his vegetarian husband would enjoy. “I was trying to think of a way to make it for him,” Danny said, “because he loves mushrooms and asparagus, and this gives you those Marsala flavors in a new way.”

He also spoke about French Onion Risotto, a dish that merges two worlds: the flavors of French onion soup—caramelized onions, broth, and melted cheese—with creamy Italian rice. “My kids love French onion soup,” he said, “and I thought, why not turn those same flavors into a risotto? It’s a way of giving them something familiar in a different form.”

We also talked about his Venetian-style Crostini with Sardines in Saor, a dish inspired by a trip to Venice. Sardines in saor is one of the city’s most distinctive sweet-and-sour recipes, and while fresh sardines can be hard to find in the United States, Danny adapts the recipe using canned sardines layered with marinated onions. It’s a creative way to bring a bit of Venice to an American kitchen.

Finally, there’s his Chicken Pesto Meatballs alla Norma, which shows how he enjoys blending culinary traditions. Here, a Sicilian-inspired tomato and eggplant sauce meets tender chicken meatballs flavored with pesto. It’s Italianish at its best: practical, delicious, and slightly unexpected.

As we spoke, it was clear that Danny’s cooking is deeply connected to his family. He often tests recipes with his young daughters in mind, aiming for meals that are comforting and kid-friendly but still interesting enough for adults. “My kids love Italian flavors,” he said, “but I get tired of making the same things every night. These recipes let me keep cooking fun for me too.”

An Italianish cookbook recipe — Photo credit, Danny Freeman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannylovespasta/

Italianish as a Way of Cooking

What makes Italianish compelling is how it reflects how people actually cook today. Few of us have hours to devote to elaborate meals, yet we still crave the comforting flavors of Italy. The book gives home cooks permission to experiment—without guilt.

Freeman respects Italian and Italian-American culinary traditions but isn’t intimidated by them. He shows that cooking “Italianish” is about joy, not judgment. It’s the art of putting together a meal that’s rooted in flavor, family, and practicality, even if it doesn’t follow a grandmother’s exact formula.

In that sense, Italianish belongs to the same lineage as the Italian-American classics that came before it: food that adapts, that evolves, and that brings people together around the table. It’s the next step in a long, delicious story.