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      Recipes With Pasta, Sauce, Seafood, and More

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      Steak Pizzaiola Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Steak Pizzaiola Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Steak night at home, Italian style. Choose your favorite cut of meat and pan sear it to perfection, then serve it smothered in peppers, onions, and mushrooms with a little...

      Zucchini Noodles with Vodka Sauce Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Zucchini Noodles with Vodka Sauce Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Light and healthy, even when you’re in a hurry. Low-carb spiraled zucchini ribbons only need a quick sauté in the pan before they’re ready for pasta sauce. In this recipe,...

      Shrimp Fra Diavolo Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Shrimp Fra Diavolo Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Got 15 minutes? Try garlic and olive oil sautéed shrimp simmered in our zesty Arrabbiata sauce. It’s a devilishly good dinner that compliments pasta, baked rice, or roasted vegetables.

      Pizza Margherita Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Pizza Margherita Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      A Neapolitan classic, celebrating the colors of the Italian flag. Our deeply flavorful homemade pizza sauce is the foundation for soft mozzarella, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. Make it easy...

      Lemon Fettuccine Alfredo with Lobster Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Lemon Fettuccine Alfredo with Lobster Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Celebrate lobster season right at home. Choose one of our creamy Alfredo sauces—classic or roasted garlic—and whip up a luxurious dinner in minutes. You’ll love every tender chunk of lobster...

      Roasted Chicken Wings Alla Arrabbiata Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Roasted Chicken Wings Alla Arrabbiata Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Need a party appetizer that practically makes itself? Crispy baked chicken wings are tossed in our spicy yet irresistible Arrabbiata sauce as soon as they come out of the oven....

      Italian Sausage Recipe with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Italian Sausage Recipe with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms

      February 20, 2022

      Sweet, spicy, and colorful. Italian sausage cooked with tricolor peppers, onions, and mushrooms in our famous Arrabbiata sauce. Serve over soft cornmeal polenta to soak up all the juices. With...

      Italian Meatloaf Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Italian Meatloaf Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Ordinary ground beef becomes extraordinary comfort food when mixed with mozzarella cheese and a blend of savory vegetables. Pick one of our tomato sauces (we love the roasted garlic) and...

      White Chicken Pizza Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      White Chicken Pizza Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Our homemade roasted garlic Alfredo sauce makes a killer white pizza. If you have an oven and a pizza stone, try this one with leftover rotisserie chicken, mozzarella cheese, spinach,...

      Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      A perfect lunchtime combo, in minutes. Turn a jar of our homemade marinara sauce into the best, creamiest tomato soup you’ve ever had. A grilled ham and cheese makes for...

      White Lasagna Recipe with Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce - Rao's Specialty Foods

      White Lasagna Recipe with Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce

      February 20, 2022

      No need to free up a whole weekend, because this is the easiest homemade lasagna you’ll ever make and perfect for a weeknight. We love it with plenty of chicken...

      Kale, Red Onion and Bacon Pizza Recipe - Rao's Specialty Foods

      Kale, Red Onion and Bacon Pizza Recipe

      February 20, 2022

      Easy sheet pan pizza starts with our premium Margherita sauce. Then we pile on dark leafy greens, crispy bacon, and sweet red onion. Simply bake until the cheese bubbles and...

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      Rao's Specialty Foods

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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