Family Time at Carrabba’s Italian Grill

I received compensation and a complimentary meal from Carrabba’s Italian Grill. However, all opinions and drool-worthy photos are my own.

Earlier this week we visited Carrabba’s Italian Grill along with my in-laws. To say we had a blast would be an understatement. We ate amazing food, laughed and simply enjoyed ourselves. We don’t always get to see each other, so it was truly a special treat.

I recently shared that Carrabba’s launched their New School of Italian that includes 20 new menu items. For this visit, we enjoyed Carrabba’s Small Plates menu that includes 6 new dishes with an inventive take on Italian dining. What I loved most about the small plates menu is that the items are lighter yet flavorful. The small plates are also great for sharing with friends and family which we certainly did that evening. The small plates are all under $6 and under 600 calories. They’re also available during lunch and dinner.

Carrabba’s is currently offering Tasting Tuesdays to their guests. You get to choose any 3 small plates for just $12 and pair them with Carrabba’s house red or white wine for just $5 a glass. Please note that this promotion is only offered for dinner.

We started off our evening with all six small plates which included Grilled Asparagus with Prosciutto. The asparagus is wood-grilled and wrapped with prosciutto and fontina. It’s drizzled with a balsamic glaze which only enhances the flavor. Everyone agreed that it was delicious.

We also shared the Meatballs and Ricotta small plate. The meatballs are simmered in pomodoro sauce with ricotta and romano cheese. They were tender and very flavorful.

We also ordered the Italian Lettuce Wraps which we always order when we visit. These lettuce wraps are filled with wood-grilled chicken that’s tossed with vegetables, and a ricotta salata in Mediterranean lemon vinaigrette. They are light and full flavor. Definitely one of our favorites and my in-laws agreed.

My father-in-law really enjoyed the Three-Cheese and Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms. The mushrooms are stuffed with sausage, spinach, ricotta, romano, mozzarella and Italian breadcrumbs served over our tomato cream sauce.

The Mozzarella Rustica served with marinara sauce is still one of my husband’s favorites. These crispy bites are made up of mozzarella, ricotta with Italian herbs, and panko breadcrumbs.

And last, but not least, we had the Bruschette Siciliani. It’s an oven–baked ciabatta bread served with diced tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano, red onions and kalamata olives marinated in olive oil and red wine vinegar then topped with ricotta salata.

My husband and father-in-law also ordered the Shrimp and Sea Scallop Spiedino which is one of the entrees on Carrabba’s seafood menu. The seafood is coated with Italian breadcrumbs, wood-grilled and topped with lemon butter sauce.

I wanted to try something different, so I ordered the Prosciutto Arugula Wood-Fired Pizza which is one of the new menu items. The pizza is topped with prosciutto, arugula and shaved parmesan drizzled with balsamic glaze. The pizza was delicious, but I was only able to eat two slices since the small plates had finally caught up with me.

To finish off our meals, we all shared the Limoncello Bread Pudding. It’s a new dessert that was suggested by Jared, one of the managers. It’s warm brioche bread with creamy custard that is topped with vanilla bean gelato and drizzled with Il Tramonto Limoncello. We all agreed that it was amazing.

We had a great time chatting and sharing food. It felt like Sunday dinner except no one had to cook. 🙂 As always the staff was awesome. Jared and Rachel did a great job answering all of our questions and suggesting menu items.

What are some of your favorite menu items at Carrabba’s? We plan on going back with our kids and would love to try out something new!