diff --git a/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.html b/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.html
index ac2baa38a724..13067cf679df 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.html
+++ b/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.html
@@ -104,6 +104,15 @@ <h2>Nav lists</h2>
     </mat-nav-list>
   </div>
 
+  <div>
+    <h2>Action list</h2>
+    <mat-action-list>
+      <button mat-list-item *ngFor="let link of links" (click)="alertItem(link.name)">
+        {{link.name}}
+      </button>
+    </mat-action-list>
+  </div>
+
   <div>
     <h2>Selection list</h2>
 
diff --git a/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.scss b/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.scss
index 438aca0992f3..f7e802dbb110 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.scss
+++ b/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.scss
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
     border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
     width: 350px;
     margin: 20px 20px 0 0;
-
   }
   h2 {
     margin-top: 20px;
diff --git a/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.ts b/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.ts
index 48d81d1887b0..be6444af5d3e 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.ts
+++ b/src/demo-app/list/list-demo.ts
@@ -69,4 +69,8 @@ export class ListDemo {
     this.selectedOptions = values;
     this.modelChangeEventCount++;
   }
+
+  alertItem(msg: string) {
+    alert(msg);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/list/list.md b/src/lib/list/list.md
index ca70d509d2e0..c174815a9451 100644
--- a/src/lib/list/list.md
+++ b/src/lib/list/list.md
@@ -42,6 +42,20 @@ element in an `<mat-list-item>`.
 </mat-nav-list>
 ```
 
+### Action lists
+
+Use the `<mat-action-list>` element when each item in the list performs some _action_. Each item
+in an action list is a `<button>` element.
+
+Simple action lists can use the `mat-list-item` attribute on button tag elements directly:
+
+```html
+<mat-action-list>
+  <button mat-list-item (click)="save()"> Save </button>
+  <button mat-list-item (click)="undo()"> Undo </button>
+</mat-action-list>
+```
+
 ### Selection lists
 A selection list provides an interface for selecting values, where each list item is an option.
 
diff --git a/src/lib/list/list.scss b/src/lib/list/list.scss
index 302092296cad..e1d08eca2058 100644
--- a/src/lib/list/list.scss
+++ b/src/lib/list/list.scss
@@ -268,6 +268,22 @@ $mat-list-item-inset-divider-offset: 72px;
   }
 }
 
+mat-action-list {
+  //remove the native button look and make it look like a list item
+  button {
+    background: none;
+    color: inherit;
+    border: none;
+    font: inherit;
+    outline: inherit;
+  }
+
+  .mat-list-item {
+    cursor: pointer;
+    outline: inherit;
+  }
+}
+
 .mat-list-option:not(.mat-list-item-disabled) {
   cursor: pointer;
   outline: none;
diff --git a/src/lib/list/list.spec.ts b/src/lib/list/list.spec.ts
index 380b5ae619c8..5339f846cd4a 100644
--- a/src/lib/list/list.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/list/list.spec.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ describe('MatList', () => {
         ListWithMultipleItems,
         ListWithManyLines,
         NavListWithOneAnchorItem,
+        ActionListWithoutType,
+        ActionListWithType
       ],
     });
 
@@ -144,6 +146,30 @@ describe('MatList', () => {
     items.forEach(item => expect(item._isRippleDisabled()).toBe(true));
   });
 
+  it('should create an action list', () => {
+    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(ActionListWithoutType);
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+
+    const items = fixture.componentInstance.listItems;
+    expect(items.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it('should set default type attribute to button for action list', () => {
+    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(ActionListWithoutType);
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+
+    const listItemEl = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-list-item'));
+    expect(listItemEl.nativeElement.getAttribute('type')).toBe('button');
+  });
+
+  it('should not change type attribute if it is already specified', () => {
+    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(ActionListWithType);
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+
+    const listItemEl = fixture.debugElement.query(By.css('.mat-list-item'));
+    expect(listItemEl.nativeElement.getAttribute('type')).toBe('submit');
+  });
+
   it('should allow disabling ripples for the whole nav-list', () => {
     let fixture = TestBed.createComponent(NavListWithOneAnchorItem);
     fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -195,6 +221,26 @@ class NavListWithOneAnchorItem extends BaseTestList {
   disableListRipple: boolean = false;
 }
 
+@Component({template: `
+  <mat-action-list>
+    <button mat-list-item>
+      Paprika
+    </button>
+  </mat-action-list>`})
+class ActionListWithoutType extends BaseTestList {
+  @ViewChildren(MatListItem) listItems: QueryList<MatListItem>;
+}
+
+@Component({template: `
+  <mat-action-list>
+    <button mat-list-item type="submit">
+      Paprika
+    </button>
+  </mat-action-list>`})
+class ActionListWithType extends BaseTestList {
+  @ViewChildren(MatListItem) listItems: QueryList<MatListItem>;
+}
+
 @Component({template: `
   <mat-list>
     <mat-list-item>
diff --git a/src/lib/list/list.ts b/src/lib/list/list.ts
index 7c8d69a73e89..d2f4c310d7fa 100644
--- a/src/lib/list/list.ts
+++ b/src/lib/list/list.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export class MatNavList extends _MatListMixinBase implements CanDisableRipple {}
 
 @Component({
   moduleId: module.id,
-  selector: 'mat-list',
+  selector: 'mat-list, mat-action-list',
   exportAs: 'matList',
   templateUrl: 'list.html',
   host: {'class': 'mat-list'},
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export class MatListSubheaderCssMatStyler {}
 /** An item within a Material Design list. */
 @Component({
   moduleId: module.id,
-  selector: 'mat-list-item, a[mat-list-item]',
+  selector: 'mat-list-item, a[mat-list-item], button[mat-list-item]',
   exportAs: 'matListItem',
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-list-item',
@@ -127,6 +127,14 @@ export class MatListItem extends _MatListItemMixinBase implements AfterContentIn
               @Optional() private _navList: MatNavList) {
     super();
     this._isNavList = !!_navList;
+
+    // If no type attributed is specified for <button>, set it to "button".
+    // If a type attribute is already specified, do nothing.
+    const element = this._getHostElement();
+    if (element.nodeName && element.nodeName.toLowerCase() === 'button'
+        && !element.hasAttribute('type')) {
+      element.setAttribute('type', 'button');
+    }
   }
 
   ngAfterContentInit() {