Ol' Blue Eyes was a creature of habit—he knew what he liked and ate those dishes over and over again!
14 of Frank Sinatra’s Favorite Foods
Updated on Jul. 19, 2022
Frank Sinatra loved Italian food and ate it with gusto! You can make copycats that taste just like his greatest hits, from his mother’s recipes to meals at a restaurant that was his home away from home.
1/13
2/13
Veal Milanese
Total Time
25 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Frank loved veal Milanese, but only if the veal was pounded extremely thin. His favorite restaurant, Patsy’s in New York, knew how to make it his way—and now you can, too.
Nutrition Facts:
4 ounces cooked turkey with about 2 tablespoons sauce : 263 calories, 8g fat (2g saturated fat), 88mg cholesterol, 194mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 34g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 fat.
3/13
Arugula Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For a salad course, Ol’ Blue Eyes preferred simplicity. He liked a plain arugula salad with oil, vinegar and basil. (Maybe he knew arugula was a superfood?)
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 181 calories, 15g fat (3g saturated fat), 4mg cholesterol, 242mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 fat, 1/2 starch.
4/13
Marinara Sauce
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
9 quarts
From the Recipe Creator:
Mr. Sinatra loved his mother’s recipe for marinara sauce so much he had it published in a cookbook and actually had it bottled to sell in the ’80s! This version comes pretty close.
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 118 calories, 5g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 614mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.
5/13
Patsy's Pasta
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Though he didn’t like his dishes to be overly garlicky, there was just enough in Patsy’s fusilli with anchovies to tickle his taste buds. (If you, unlike Frank, love garlic, these dishes are for you!)
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup shrimp mixture: 228 calories, 12g fat (2g saturated fat), 140mg cholesterol, 579mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 20g protein.
6/13
Open-Faced Egg Sandwiches
Total Time
15 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I always experiment with different herbs on my eggs, since I eat them every morning. This one became one of my favorites! —Valerie Belley, St. Louis, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
1 sandwich: 231 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated fat), 226mg cholesterol, 416mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 fat.
7/13
Clams in Red Sauce
Total Time
3 hours 25 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Frank was a big fan of the clams Posillipo dish on Patsy’s menu. Those clams were dressed lightly with a tomato-basil sauce, which you can whip up at home.
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup sauce with 3/4 cup cooked linguine: 305 calories, 5g fat (0 saturated fat), 15mg cholesterol, 553mg sodium, 53g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 7g fiber), 15g protein.
8/13
Lemon Ricotta Torte
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Depending on his mood, Frank would sometimes enjoy dessert after a big meal. His dish of choice was a light and luscious lemon ricotta torte. Here are some more light and oh-so-tasty desserts we think Frank might’ve liked.
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 260 calories, 14g fat (9g saturated fat), 83mg cholesterol, 191mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 0 fiber), 7g protein.
9/13
Meatballs
Total Time
3 hours 50 min
Servings
about 5 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Frank’s mother made delicious meatballs like these with the Italian go-to blend of meats—veal, pork and beef. (We’ve got more marvelous meatball recipes, too!)
Nutrition Facts:
1 meatball: 54 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 16mg cholesterol, 146mg sodium, 3g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 3g protein.
10/13
Martini
Total Time
5 min
Servings
1 serving
From the Recipe Creator:
The sophisticated crooner loved Manhattans but was also a fan of a simple and straightforward martini. We’d love to relax at the bar with Frank and one of these classic cocktails.
Nutrition Facts:
2/3 cup: 209 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 5mg sodium, 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.
11/13
Eggplant Parmesan
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Because my recipe calls for baking the eggplant instead of frying it, it’s much healthier than other versions of this dish! The prep time is a little longer than for some recipes, but the Italian flavors and rustic elegance are well worth it. —Laci Hooten, McKinney, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 305 calories, 12g fat (5g saturated fat), 102mg cholesterol, 912mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 9g fiber), 18g protein.
12/13
Fettuccine Alfredo
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Fettuccine with a creamy sauce and plenty of Parmesan cheese was a simple but satisfying dish that Frank had often.
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/4 cups: 678 calories, 33g fat (17g saturated fat), 96mg cholesterol, 1329mg sodium, 60g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 5g fiber), 36g protein.
13/13
Sunday Sauce
Total Time
2 hours 15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Many Italian families have a recipe for slow-cooked “Sunday sauce” or “Sunday gravy,” and the Sinatras were no exception. Start a tradition for your family with this recipe.
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup (calculated without pasta): 169 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 23mg cholesterol, 884mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 3g fiber), 8g protein.
