Lighter choices for the perfect summer Italian meal

A traditional Italian gathering isn’t complete without plates and plates of food to share. Call us to help you with catering in Santa Monica or the surrounding area. Food is love and serving and sharing food is an expression of that love. Most of what we’d call traditional Italian food tends to be rustic and hearty. We imagine glorious pasta with creamy luscious sauces. We dream about gorgeous pizzas piled high with cheeses and meats. From polenta to paella, most Italian food packs a heavy carbohydrate punch. But never fear! There are several choices that are perfect for a lighter summer Italian meal.

Perfect summer pizzas

When it comes to choosing a lighter pizza, thin-crust is a brilliant pick. A thinner crust can still hold all of your favorite toppings but leave room to enjoy other dishes. And with less bread in the way, it packs in more flavor per bite. Feeling adventurous? Try adding some out of the box topping picks like eggplant, spinach, caramelized onions, and arugula. Adding lots of fresh veggies brings flavor without feeling heavy.

Lighter summer pasta dishes

It’s hard to lighten up pasta, but you can make a few good choices to keep from feeling weighed down. Steer your choices toward sauces that are not cream or oil-based. Tomato-based sauces are generally a good pick. Next, choose a pasta that includes lots of beautiful veggies, pasta primaveras are perfect for this as they are full of broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and snow peas that have been sauteed in garlic and olive oil.

Don’t forget about salad

If you’ve never tried a traditional Italian salad, you are missing out! The two you must try are the antipasto salad and the Caprese salad. The antipasto salad is loaded with a powerhouse of Italian flavors, there’s salami, mortadella, olives, tomatoes, and so much more. The Caprese salad is the perfect balance of sweet tomatoes paired with zesty balsamic dressing and milky fresh mozzarella.

Ready for a great summer meal? Earth Wind & Flour is ready to make you a memorable meal that everyone can enjoy. We offer both catering in Santa Monica and food delivery, so there’s no reason not to give these wonderful flavors a try.