Stanley Tucci Just Made Robert Downey Jr. a Vegetable-Packed Italian Dinner—Here's How to Recreate It at Home

We're definitely adding this easy, flavorful and nutritious fish recipe to our menu this week!

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

There are several BFF dinner parties we have long dreamed of crashing. Ina and Taylor. Martha and Snoop. Oprah and Gayle. And now—thanks to a sneak peek of a delightful gathering that two celebs shared on Instagram recently—we have a new addition to that list: Stanley and Robert.

We're talking about actor, author and Italian culture ace Stanley Tucci and his pal, actor (and apparent huge food fan) Robert Downey Jr. Both shared videos from inside the 12-person dinner party on social media this week.

Immediately after we saw both recaps, we found ourselves swooning over Stanley's kitchen and dreaming about a movie involving this dynamic duo touring Italy together.

"This. This. This is the collaboration I have needed for my entire life," one Downey Jr. fan admits.

"Truly a gem of a fella, and Felicity made me feel like family," Downey Jr. wrote in the caption for his quick video compilation from the night. He's referring to Tucci's wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt, by the way.

The Instagram Reel ended with Downey Jr. kissing Tucci on the cheek, then cuts to him seated at the table shaking his head in disbelief at the deliciousness Tucci casually whipped up for a dozen dinner guests.

Speaking of that deliciousness, we got a teaser in Downey Jr.'s video. Soon after, Tucci talked us through the entree in his own video captured during the mid-dinner party hustle and bustle.

Related: Stanley Tucci Just Made This Beautiful Spring Brunch Dish with Leftover Pasta

Blunt asks, "What are you making?"

"Cod alla Livornese. Capers, fresh tomatoes, onions, a little bit of garlic, basil, black olives, green olives and capers," Tucci says, overlooking four large skillets on a stovetop, each covered with a glass lid. "I'm cooking for 12 people, hence the four pans."

Typically made with salt cod (aka baccalà), this is a traditional fish dish served in Livorno, Tuscany. The sauce is light and especially lovely in summer (thanks to the tomatoes and basil!) and reminds us a lot of our Baked Fish with Tomato-Olive Sauce.

To translate our recipe a la Tucci, simply swap fresh tomatoes for the canned diced kind (since 'tis the season), and include a mix of green and black olives instead of all Kalamatas. Toss in a spoonful or two of capers and garnish with basil, and you've fully recreated the showstopping yet simple main dish.

Related: 19 Cod Recipes That Are Perfect for Dinner

"Oh to be a guest at Stanley's dinner party," one fan says in the comments of Tucci's behind-the-scenes video.

That sentiment became even more true as we remembered the other dish that made an appearance in Downey Jr.'s video: Penne pasta with peas. So as a side dish to that summery cod recipe, we'll be serving Cacio e Pepe Pasta with Peas, just with penne instead of tagliatelle.

This one-two punch sounds like the perfect menu for a dinner party we have coming up. And since both the fish and the pasta recipes call for just a few ingredients and less than 45 minutes of total time, the celebrity-worthy menu is no sweat to make a reality.

All that's left to do is uncork a bottle of Italian white wine, and prepare for five-star reviews! And our dinner invitation to join Tucci and Downey Jr. next time…