LGBTQ Influencer Danny Loves Pasta Shares Delicious New Cookbook
Danny Freeman is the creator behind @DannyLovesPasta, where he’s known for his colorful, LGBTQ, creative take on fresh pasta and Italian cooking—and repping for our community.
A former lawyer-turned-chef, Danny makes pasta with a message of inclusivity—something he knows about as a gay-identified transman with a husband and two young children. Cooking should be creative, colorful, cute, celebratory, fun, and bring people together over healthy, delicious, handmade meals.
With his signature rainbow-colored pasta and joyful energy in the kitchen, Danny has built a devoted following on TikTok and Instagram, where he shares everything from colorful pasta-making techniques to clever Italian-American twists on traditional recipes. His videos have earned him 1.5 million followers and more than a billion views, transforming him into one of the most recognizable faces in the modern pasta world.
A TikTok Trailblazer, Danny told the platform, “When I first came out over 15 years ago I felt scared and alone. After a very religious upbringing, I didn’t know what my life as a gay person could be like. But it turns out I had no reason to be afraid. The LGBTQ+ community was extremely welcoming, and it gave me everything I could ever ask for: friends, passions, a partner, and my daughter. I feel incredibly blessed to be part of this community that has given me a home in the world. I sometimes worry about what sort of bullying my daughter will face for having two dads, but I feel grateful knowing there is an amazing group of people in the world who will have her back.”
Danny’s first cookbook, Danny Loves Pasta, is a celebration of creativity and accessibility in the kitchen. Inspired by his viral content, the book teaches readers how to make their own fresh, handcrafted, and colorful pasta at home—no special equipment required. Using natural ingredients like spinach, beets, turmeric, and butterfly pea flowers, Danny shows how to transform everyday dough into plant-inspired, rainbow-themed pasta that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious.
This Summer, Danny teamed up with farm-to-table eatery Malibu Farm NYC on a light plate perfect for the season—Grilled Corn Pasta Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing. This dish was inspired by memories of summers spent picking corn at a local farm near his childhood home. That farm may be gone now, but the spirit lives on in this colorful salad made with grilled sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onion, Parmesan, and a zippy cilantro-lime vinaigrette.
This and other delicious recipes are featured in Danny’s highly-anticipated second cookbook, Italianish: Modern Twists on Classic Italian Flavors, August 26. Here, Danny broadens his focus beyond pasta to reinvent over 100 classic Italian-American dishes. From weekday-friendly meals to impressive dishes for entertaining, Italianish reflects Danny’s mission: to make cooking joyful, approachable, and just a little unexpected.
And it’s not just about the pasta. Some highlights from the book include: Everything Bagel Taralli, Lasagna Bread (Scaccia Ragusana), Danny’s famous Lasagna Soup (endorsed by SZA), Caprese Steak Sandwich with Italian “Salsa Verde” (recipe shared below), No-Bake Chocolate Cannoli Cheesecake (a crowd-pleaser!), and Tiramisu Brownies.
The recipes are new twists on Italian favorites with Danny’s signature, family-friendly touch—all easy dishes to make at home.
Danny’s Caprese Steak Sandwich with Italian Salsa Verde
We love this hearty, flavorful, textured and satisfying dish that works for lunch or a midweek meal.
Prep: 15 minutes, Cook: 20 minutes, Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces (454 g) ribeye, sirloin, skirt, or New York strip steak
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze (see page 000)
- 2 ciabatta or sandwich rolls, sliced in half
- 4 to 6 lettuce leaves 4 ounces (113 g) fresh mozzarella, thickly sliced
For the Salsa Verde:
1 cup (40 g) parsley
1⁄2 cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
“Salsa verde is usually thought of as a Mexican sauce, but there’s also a classic Italian version that deserves its time to shine,” says Danny. “It’s made primarily with parsley, but the addition of garlic, capers, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard gives it the perfect salty, tangy, and herby flavor. You can use it on pasta, vegetables, and sandwiches or even as a dip; here, we put it on a steak sandwich with roasted cherry tomatoes and a thick slab of fresh mozzarella cheese.”
Balsamic Glaze:
Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) balsamic vinegar
1⁄4 cup (55 g) light brown sugar
1. Bring vinegar and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Lower heat to medium-low and let simmer until liquid reduces by half, about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer to a heat-safe cup or bowl and place in refrigerator to thicken. Bring to room temperature before using so glaze is the right consistency for drizzling. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Method:
1. About 30 minutes before you start cooking, remove steak from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. This will help ensure that it cooks evenly. Pat steak dry with paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
2. To cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook until bottom browns, 4 – 5 minutes. Flip steak over and sear the other side for another 4 – 5 minutes, or until done to your preference (a medium steak with some pink in the center should reach an internal temperature of 145°F/63°C). You may need more time depending on the thickness of your steak. Remove steak and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
3. While steak is cooking, make salsa verde. Place parsley, olive oil, garlic, capers, lemon juice, mustard, salt in food processor. Grind until parsley is in small pieces.
4. Lower heat under skillet to medium and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Cook until tomatoes soften and start to burst, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Drizzle balsamic glaze over bottom half of each roll, then add lettuce. Add steak, followed by tomatoes and mozzarella. Top with scoop of the salsa verde and finish with top halves of rolls.
Get Danny’s books here. Follow Danny Freeman on Instagram here.
