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      Rao's Specialty Foods
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      Recipes With Pasta, Sauce, Seafood, and More

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      • Pasta Dishes
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      Italian Summer Pasta Salad

      Italian Summer Pasta Salad

      May 16, 2024
      Sicilian Eggplant Pasta with Fire Grilled Vegetable

      Sicilian Eggplant Pasta with Fire Grilled Vegetable

      May 16, 2024
      Baked Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onion Sauce

      Baked Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onion Sauce

      May 16, 2024
      Eggplant Rollatini

      Eggplant Rollatini

      May 16, 2024
      Serena Wolf’s Risotto Arrabbiata with Sweet Corn and Pancetta - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Serena Wolf’s Risotto Arrabbiata with Sweet Corn and Pancetta

      August 10, 2022
      Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower Bites Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower Bites Recipe

      February 22, 2022
      Serena Wolf’s Grilled Vegetables with Tomato Basil Sauce, Feta and Herbs Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Serena Wolf’s Grilled Vegetables with Tomato Basil Sauce, Feta and Herbs Recipe

      February 21, 2022

      Simple and so inviting: arrange a variety of seasonal vegetables—grilled until gorgeously tender, yet still crisp—over a bed of our lively tomato basil sauce. Then cover everything with a generous...

      Gail Simmons' Vegetable Crostata Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Gail Simmons' Vegetable Crostata Recipe

      February 21, 2022

      Made from scratch and worth every minute. This savory vegetarian crostata features a butter crust topped with homemade marinara, a handful of sweet red onions, roasted fennel, and pecorino cheese....

      Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      A low-carb garden vegetable lasagna that’s big on taste. Thinly-sliced eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash stand in for traditional noodles, layered with spinach-flecked ricotta cheese and our indulgent four cheese...

      Macaroni and Cheese Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Three cheeses, a jar of our creamy Alfredo sauce, and tender homemade pasta may seem like overkill, but we promise you it’s not. This may be the best baked mac...

      Baked Goat Cheese Dip Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Baked Goat Cheese Dip Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Everybody’s favorite party appetizer. Creamy soft goat cheese and homemade basil pesto melt into our classic marinara sauce when baked in the oven. Slice extra baguette; it’s so unbelievably delicious,...

      Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      No frying required with this effortless twist on the classic. Hand-rolled eggplant slices are stuffed with ricotta cheese and basil, then covered in our homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella before...

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      Alt where it all started 1896 Charles Rao, who immigrated with his parents from the southern Italian town of Polla, buys a small tavern on 114th St and Pleasant Avenue in an Italian neighborhood of New York City 2019 1930 Alt 1930 Charles’ sons, Vincent and Louis Rao take over Rao’s and manage to keep the business open through the prohibition years. 1896 1958 Alt 1958 After Louis’ passing, Vincent Rao takes over the family business and begins transitioning the tavern into a restaurant by introducing southern Italian dishes. 1930 1974 Alt 1974 Anna Pellegrino Rao begins working with her husband Vincent and brings an expertise in southern Italian cuisine and an elegant style to help the Rao’s restaurant gain prominence. The restaurant begins to collect a number of “regulars” from the neighborhood and beyond. 1958 1975 Alt 1975 Frank Pellegrino Sr. begins helping his aunt and uncle at Rao’s. Over the years, Frank emerges as the leader, heart and soul of Rao’s and becomes one of the foremost restauranteurs in America. Frank’s emphasis on simple, pure, delicious ingredients vastly improves the perception, taste and healthfulness of southern Italian cuisine. Frank Sr.’s notoriety and authentic Italian presence landed him rolls in Warner Brothers’ “Goodfellas” and HBO’s “The Sopranos.” 1974 1977 Alt 1977 Famed New York Times restaurant critic, Mimi Sheraton, gives Rao’s a glowing 3-star review stating Rao’s serves “wonderfully simple, delicious and honest Italian food, all prepared strictly alla casaligna – home style.” This turns Rao’s into one of the hottest restaurants in NYC. To remain loyal to their “regulars,” Rao’s assigns “table rights” for specific nights of the week or month. The rights were prized family possessions passed from generation to generation. 1975 1982 Alt 1982 At just 12 years-old, Frank Pellegrino Jr. became the fourth generation of the Rao’s family to work at the restaurant. This begins a career of over 35 years working at Rao’s. 1977 1992 Alt 1992 Tired of saying “no” to people who want reservations, Frank Pellegrino Sr. decides to package and sell Rao’s sauce, “so this way I don’t have to say ‘no’ anymore and everybody can have it at home.” Rao’s Homemade Pasta Sauce is born with only the best ingredients and refused to add sugar, tomato paste, water, starches, fillers or color. Characteristics that still are central to the product line today. 1982 1997 Alt 1997 Rao’s Homemade Pasta Sauce Begins to expand, introducing flavors like spicy Arrabbiata and Puttanesca for people to try in their own kitchen. 1992 2005 Alt 2005 Rao’s Homemade continues to develop traditional sauces like Tomato Basil and Sausage & Mushroom. 1997 2017 Alt 2017 Rao’s Homemade celebrates 25 years of bringing one of the best-tasting sauces home. 2005 2018 Alt 2018 Rao’s Homemade continues to expand their sauce flavors offering Alfredo sauce and also begins offering dry pasta. 2017 2019 Alt 2019 Rao’s Homemade begins offering soup, bring high-quality ingredients and flavors to another part of your pantry. 2018 1896 TIMELINE