Classic Italian Dishes That Stand Up Well To Catering

Having food catered is so convenient when you're hosting a party or celebration. There are plenty of different cuisines you can choose to have catered, from barbecue to Thai food. One real crowd-pleaser, however, is Italian food. In fact, there are lots of Italian dishes that stand up well to the challenges of catering. Take a look below:

Caprese Salad

Every good meal starts with a salad, and if you're having Italian food catered, that salad should be a Caprese salad. This salad has just three core ingredients: tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves. The three ingredients are either stacked or layered together and then drizzled with olive oil and sometimes add a little salt. Caprese salad stays fresh and crisp as it is transported, and it's not messy to serve or eat, making it a good option for a catered meal.

Pasta With Pesto

Pesto is a classic Italian sauce or dressing made with fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It has a really fresh, bright flavor that's a nice contrast to the heavy, cheese notes more often experienced in Italian cuisine. Pasta with pesto is a good choice for a catered meal because the pesto does not absorb into the pasta as quickly as red sauce. It also does not get gloopy or clumpy like a cheese-based sauce might as it sits. Pasta with pesto is also a vegetarian dish, which makes it a good choice for a catered event where you have people with varied dietary preferences.

Stuffed Shells

Stuffed shells are essentially large, shell-shaped pasta filled with ricotta cheese and a variety of seasonings. They're served with tomato sauce over the top. These tend to work well for catered meals because they can easily be arranged in a large tray and kept warm until they're ready to be served. They're delicious if they're not served piping hot, and although they are cheesy, they are usually meat-free, which makes them a versatile choice. When ordering stuffed shells, you can often choose between varieties that do and do not contain spinach. The spinach ones tend not to stand up to a catering situation as well as the spinach can get overly soft.

If you are thinking of having Italian food catered, the dishes above deserve a spot at the top of your list. Talk to a representative at your local Italian catering company to learn more, or to get some additional dish suggestions. 

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