In Giada De Laurentiis’ New Cookbook, Italian Superfoods Are the Superstars

‘Super-Italian’ serves up healthier recipes that don’t skimp on bold flavors

Jennifer Bradley Franklin,

AARP

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Published March 21, 2025

Giada De Laurentiis has a way of making us all feel like we’re dining in an Italian villa, even if we’re just in our own kitchens.

The Emmy Award-winning television host, author and entrepreneur behind such Food Network hits as Giada at Home and Giada in Italy is known for her megawatt smile and love for the dishes of her homeland. While she is famous for indulging in sweets and pasta, over the last decade or so the 54-year-old has recognized the importance of adjusting her eating habits to incorporate healthier choices, more protein and ingredients that pack a good-for-you flavor punch.

Her newest project is inspired by her commitment to healthy food choices that don’t sacrifice la dolce vita: Super-Italian: More Than 110 Indulgent Recipes Using Italy’s Healthiest Foods, which features the nutrient-packed ingredients that make Italian cuisine so flavorful. The volume focuses on superfoods such as olives and olive oil, herbs, citrus, vinegar, chiles, nuts, garlic, tomatoes, small fish (great for their essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D), cruciferous vegetables and more. But nutrition isn't the only concern. De Laurentiis also wants people to enjoy the process of preparing these beloved dishes.

“It’s really important to me that these recipes are foolproof, and so we test them over and over. I test them on all my family and friends,” De Laurentiis tells AARP. “I hope that when people get in the kitchen, the dishes end up looking just like they do in the photos and that they feel really proud of themselves.” AARP caught up with De Laurentiis on Zoom from her home in Los Angeles to learn more about her inspiration, how she stays fit and how she’s adjusted her lifestyle in her 50s.

'Super-Italian: More Than 110 Indulgent Recipes Using Italy's Healthiest Foods' is celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis' latest book.

Courtesy Penguin Random House

Cook With Giada

De Laurentiis shared three recipes from Super Italian with AARP members:

Green Gazpacho

My version is bright green, which makes it as refreshing visually as it is on the palate.

Ziti With Roasted Garlic and Arugula Pesto

I’ve paired the garlic with arugula and pistachios for a dreamy green sauce.

One-Pan Chicken With Artichokes and Orzo

I pumped up the Italian flavors even more for a dish that has a different taste in every bite.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What makes this cookbook special?

It’s called Super-Italian because I go through all the superfoods that Italians use and that I use in my regular cooking. It came full circle to my heritage, tapping into all the superfoods that my mom, my grandfather and my whole family used to make all the dishes we loved super nutritious. That is the focus. It has 17 pasta recipes in the pasta chapter, which is the most I've ever done. I realized how much I loved eating pasta, but I had to also find ways to make it more nutritious.

I only eat pasta from Italy made with two ingredients [water and semolina flour], cut on bronze dyes and slow-dried, because that slow drying of the pasta itself helps to not spike the blood sugar. [In her book’s pasta chapter, she talks about reducing portion sizes to be more in line with Italians’ “primo,” or starter course, and pairing the pasta with a lean protein and green vegetables to cover the nutritional bases of a meal.]

How can a little prep work help a home cook make healthy choices?

There’s a whole chapter on condiments. If you spend the time to make those condiments, they can really help all of your food be super nutritious during the week. I have a garlicky anchovy breadcrumb that you can sprinkle on things or use as a coating. And I have lots of different spreads and mayos and dressings and relishes that you can use with all of the foods that you traditionally make during the week. [She writes, “Making liberal and frequent use of those condiments and the superfoods they contain is a big part of how I think about food now.” Kale Salsa Verde, Green Olive Relish and Sicilian Pesto are just a few examples.]

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How do you want somebody to feel when they cook through your new book?

Empowered in the kitchen. I want them to come out of it feeling so proud of what they’ve made. It’s really important to me that these recipes are foolproof, and so we test them over and over. I test them on all my family and friends. I pick people who don’t work for me and who don’t cook often. I hope that when people get in the kitchen, the dishes end up looking just like they do in the photos and that they feel really proud of themselves.

How have your eating habits evolved over time?

I have had to change the way I eat. I found that my blood sugar, cortisol and cholesterol started to spike, and a lot of it has to do with the types of meals I was eating. While shooting my television shows for 20 years, my backup plan to keep my energy up was an espresso and chocolate. Those habits caused issues as I’ve gotten older. So now I eat four small meals a day, and they all contain protein.

Your 55th birthday is coming. Do you have any plans to celebrate?

Yes, I will turn 55 in August. Last year for my birthday, we ended up going to Japan during Thanksgiving. A lot of times we go back to Italy for a little trip. Usually I spend time earlier in the year to plan my birthday, but this year with everything that’s happened in Los Angeles, it’s been put on hold for a second. I’m trying to figure it out.

How are you staying healthy and active?

I do yoga four times a week. Because I spend so much time hunched over a stove, I feel like I can’t breathe, and the front of my body needs stretching and opening. I try to get 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. I wear a basic pedometer. I don’t use my phone [to count steps] because I don’t want to have my phone on me all the time. I also love to go on hikes with my three dogs. I start every single day with a cup of bone broth with collagen powder before I have anything else. And I try to fast for 12 hours between dinner and breakfast. It's a lot, but somehow it becomes second nature after a while.

You’ve said you experienced burnout in 2023 and ended up leaving the Food Network after 21 years. How have your priorities shifted?

I spent many years on the Food Network shooting shows and working ungodly hours, while traveling and having a child. We want to achieve so much and we feel like we can do it all. I think for a time, we can. Then we have to reprioritize. During COVID in 2020, I had a lot of downtime, and it was the first time I could actually [think], What do I want to do? I could sleep better. I had more time to cook, spend with my daughter and just enjoy myself.

Now I've taken a step back. I decided to leave Food Network to spend more time building my online presence and being more of an entrepreneur. I’m traveling to Italy several times a year, reconnecting with my roots and meeting all the producers who create all these wonderful products that we import on Giadzy [the e-commerce platform that sells authentic artisanal Italian products].

Your daughter, Jade, 16, [with ex-husband Todd Thompson, 63] often makes appearances on your social media. What is her most requested dish?

Either my skinny chicken parm or piccata meatballs. Lately I’ve been making sheet pan lasagna. That has been a crowd favorite for her friends. She’s in several plays, and they ask me to bring dinner for everybody. She doesn’t really enjoy cooking, sadly, but she does like to eat. I’ll take it!

What is your favorite chef secret?

People think you have to have a lot of tools in your kitchen; I think that they miss the fact that it can be very simplistic. And I always say, you need a good chef’s knife and one small paring knife. You can do most things with those two. Then I like a stainless steel skillet, a Dutch oven and a cast-iron pan. That’s all you really need. It’s a misconception that you need a lot of stuff. You just need a few really good things. Keep it super simple.

What upcoming projects are you most excited about?

I’m really excited to go on a book tour. The last book tour I did was during COVID, so it really wasn’t anything other than [virtual]. We also opened our Amazon store on Giadzy, and we’re expanding to other retailers. Then I have another two restaurants opening in Chicago towards the end of this year. It’s super fun!

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