The best things to eat in Italy in fall
5
OCTOBER 2019
Imagine this: it’s 4pm in Venice and the sun has already set. Outside, a fierce wind litters the streets and canals with an extra layer of leaves. Fall has arrived, and so too has a drop in temperature. Autumn is a season when Italian comfort food is in abundance and calorie counting is forbidden.
We’re talking about steaming bowls of pasta in a rich Ragu sauce, and fluffy polenta topped with melted Asiago cheese.
In this post, I’m taking you on a culinary tour of Italy in autumn. These are some of my favorite Italian dishes to cozy up to in the fall. Leave any feelings of guilt at the door; your layers of clothing will hide all of your sins.
1. Italian comfort foods for fall – pasticcio
There’s one Italian dish that makes me salivate the second I detect its heavenly aroma: pasticcio. A dense pie consisting of a Ragu meat sauce, béchamel sauce and Parmesan cheese sandwiched between layers of pasta. You may also see it written as ‘pastitsio’.
What is the difference between pasticcio and lasagne?
When looking at photos of pasticcio and lasagne, you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re the same dish. For the most part, they are, though there are some slight differences.
Pasticcio or lasagna Bolognese? Either way, it’s one of the best Italian comfort foods
2. Polenta Asiago e funghi
This next Italian dish has comfort food written all over it. Polenta Asiago e funghi is one of my favorite things to eat in Veneto, more so in the Dolomites.
Polenta Asiago e funghi is a dish you’re more likely to find in the north of Italy than the south.
The dish’s so basic and yet is something you instantly want to order the second you see it. It consists of a base of fluffy polenta, with a helping of mushrooms in the center. The final ingredient is an oozing of Asiago cheese melting on top.
When fall arrives, so too do the variety of mushrooms. Porcini or chanterelle mushrooms pack even more of a flavorful punch into the dish.
What is polenta? Best Italian comfort foods
Polenta is a dish consisting of water and corn maize — typically yellow marano corn. It has a mashed potato-like consistency and is sometimes eaten as an alternative to rice or pasta.
At one point, polenta became so common, it was the main staple that people ate in the north. The dish’s also suitable for coeliacs as it’s corn, and not wheat based.
You should know that polenta is very bland on its own, so adding some kind of seasoning is essential.
Maize fields are in abundance in northern Italy; a main reason why it’s the predominate grain used in polenta.
It was explorer, Christopher Columbus, who first brought corn to Europe from America. He cited the example of indigenous people preparing a kind of pancake using cornmeal and water.
Tuck into a plate of polenta Asiago e funghi this fall in Italy
“Light and fluffy crepes filled with Gorgonzola cheese and fresh radicchio is a dream combination comfort food.”
3. Spezzatino
The first time I tried spezzatino was at a small Osteria in Bassano del Grappa. Even though it was the height of summer and the wrong time of the year, I savored every bite.
Spezzatino is a stew, usually cubes of beef, that’s slow cooked for a few hours. It’s fragrant, full-bodied and utterly delicious. Other ingredients typically also include carrots, celery, red wine and rosemary.
An easy dish to make at home, you can throw everything into a saucepan, and leave it to cook.
There are several different versions of Spezzatino, which substitute beef for veal, chicken, pork or lamb.
Serve the beef stew with some crusty bread, and a glass of robust red wine. It’s a dish that’s comforting as it is filling.
Spezzatino is a fall and winter warming comfort food in Italy
4. Pasta e fagioli
There’s a warm and fuzzy feeling that overcomes me when I see a bowl of pasta e fagioli. Simply put, it’s a soup-based dish consisting of pasta and beans (fagioli).
The base ingredients are pasta, beans, garlic, celery and broth. It’s a dish that varies according to regions, so you may come across slight variations. Pasta e fagioli may also include herbs like sage or parsley, or peppers, tomatoes, ham and pancetta.
There are a few regions in Italy where this dish is typical, and is also a comfort food favorite. They include Veneto, Piedmont, Lombardy and Tuscany.
The history of eating pasta with beans dates to the Roman times. Statesman and philosopher Cicero was allegedly a big fan.
Pasta e fagioli anyway you like it — Italian comfort foods for fall
As with most Italian dishes, good ingredients take center stage. The beans traditionally used in pasta e fagioli are borlotti and cannellini. What type of pasta you use also makes a difference. Many variations use short pasta, but there are also some that use the long kind.
Lastly, the cooking techniques can also differ depending on where you eat it in Italy. In Naples, they cook the pasta and the beans together, meaning that it retains all the starch. The result is a soup that’s thicker and creamier in texture.
Personally, I prefer my pasta e fagioli on the creamier side, with small cubes of pancetta on top. However you like it, I can guarantee that your level of comfort will increase substantially after a hearty bowl.
Pasta e fagioli is one of my favorite fall comfort foods in Italy
5. Ultimate Italian comfort foods — Cotoletta alla Milanese
Finding Italian comfort food in Milan is as high on the bucket list along with shopping and visiting the Duomo. And when it comes to choosing what to eat, there’s one choice that surpasses them all.
Cotoletta Milanese (also called Costoletta) is a veal cutlet that’s coated in breadcrumbs and fried. It’s similar to the Viennese Wiener Schnitzel, though the 2 countries dispute whose version came first. One significant difference is that the Milanese is made with veal, while the Austrian schnitzel uses pork.
According to historians, there’s evidence to show that the dish, then called, lombolos cum panitio, dates to the 12th century. It was listed in the menu of the monks at the Sant’Ambrogio Basilica in Milan.
Variations can range from thin and crunchy cutlets, to some with the bone in and also slightly pink inside. Double breading the cutlets and cooking in clarified butter gives it a crunchier exterior.
I enjoy my cutlet with a squeeze of lemon, and with a side serving of potatoes and vegetables. In short, it’s comfort food on a plate.
The mighty and delicious Cotoletta alla Milanese
6. Falsomagro
I first wrote about Falsomagro on my culinary tour of Sicily. A dish that’s delicious as it’s also unique, I had the pleasure of eating it again in Palermo.
Falsomagro is a traditional meat roll typically made from beef or veal stuffed with bread, cheese and ham. Slices of bacon, onions, garlic and fresh herbs and hard-boiled eggs complete the dish, but ingredients can vary.
String is tied around the joint to keep the flavors together, and it’s then put it in the oven. American readers will recognize the shape of the Falsomagro, given that it’s similar to a meatloaf.
A juicy and not at all lean Falsomagro
What does ‘Falsomagro’ mean?
‘Falso’ means false and ‘magro’ means ‘thin’ or in this case ‘lean.’ It refers to the small amount of meat in the dish compared to its generous size. Another meaning is said to describe the lean cut of meat that’s used, which contrasts to the higher fat filling.
What’s the story behind Falsomagro? Italian comfort foods for fall
The origins of this dish come from Palermo and dates to the 15th century. During the period of French rule in Sicily, people didn’t eat cow meat because the animals were used for work. Instead, they only ate animals that were lame or old with hard and fibrous tissue.
This led to French-trained Sicilian chefs, called monsù, having to create something appetizing from the meat that they had. They stuffed the meat with herbs, creating a dish that the French interpreted as ‘fake skinny’.
Sicilian chefs elaborated the dish, later stuffing it with ham, boiled eggs and cheese, to resemble what it is today.
Falsomagro is more common in rural areas of Sicily, where they usually make it for Sunday lunch. However, if you really want to try it in Sicily, I can recommend Ai Cascinari in Palermo. This charming trattoria in the Kalsa (former Arab) quarter of the city serves up a very tasty Falsomagro.
A take on the Falsomagro at Trattoria Ai Cascinari
7. Canerdeli in brodo
The region of Trentino-Alto Adige/ Südtirol not only shares a border with Austria, but it also shares some of its dishes. Canerdeli in brodo are dumplings made from stale bread, ham and cheese, and cooked in a meaty broth. The smell and the sight combined brings a level of comfort that hits long before you try it. In Austria, they know it as Knödel.
Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia also have their own version of this bread dumpling dish.
You’ll also find variations of the original canerderli, containing speck (dry-cured smoked ham), parsley and flour. It’s a dish that’s popular across north-east places in Italy like Friuli Venezia-Giulia and Alta Valtellina.
A dish that differs — Italian comfort foods for fall
The name ‘Canerdeli in brodo’ differs according to the regions. In Friuli, they’re called ‘chineglis’ or ‘chineghi’, while in Trieste they refer to them as gnochi de pan (bread dumplings).
Canerdeli in brodo comes from a very old recipe, and from a time when they ‘recycled’ leftover food. You won’t be surprised to read it was considered the food of the poor.
Sources show that the first representation of canederli was found in a fresco in the chapel of Castel d’Appiano. It dates to around 1180 but it’s unclear how much longer the dish has been around for.
This wholesome dish is perfect after a long day on the slopes, or for chilling by a toasty fire.
Relaxing in the lobby of Hotel St. Petersbourg in a piece designed by Finnish interior designer Eero Aarnio
8. Pollo alla cacciatora
It’s off to Tuscany for this next Italian comfort food. Pollo alla cacciatora (Hunter’s chicken) is a baked chicken dish with red wine, tomatoes, rosemary, onions, carrots and celery. Like canerdeli, pollo alla cacciatora is also a recipe that originates from humble beginnings.
It has all the ingredients to warm you up, and to also satisfy your tastebuds at the same time.
Pieces of chicken are browned in a pan with onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Red wine (or white wine) and tomatoes are then added along with seasoning. The delicious concoction is cooked on a low heat creating a simple, yet incredibly tasty dish.
This chicken dish is so popular across the country, that regions adapt it using their own local ingredients. In the Sicilian version, you may find capers along with olives, chili and sprigs of wild fennel. In Rome, they’re likely to add peppers, anchovies and marjoram.
Why is it called ‘pollo alla cacciatora’? — Italian comfort foods
‘alla cacciatora’, meaning ‘of the hunter’, refers to the style in which the dish is prepared. It also usually refers to the ingredients they use to make the dish, such as onions, garlic and wine.
There’s another unique theory surrounding the meaning of ‘alla cacciatora’. Sources say it refers to the combination of garlic and rosemary that hunters once used to marinate their prey.
Serve a healthy portion of the chicken, along with some fresh bread, or with roast potatoes and vegetables.
An Italian comfort food favorite for fall — pollo alla cacciatore
9. Crespelle radicchio e Gorgonzola
My mouth waters simply at the thought of this dish.
Light and fluffy crepes filled with Gorgonzola cheese and fresh radicchio is a dream combination comfort food. Crespelle radicchio e Gorgonzola makes a filling first course, but it depends on how many you eat!
Gorgonzola together with the radicchio creates a rich and intense cream that only adds to the melt-in-the-mouth experience. The cheese was actually the result of a happy accident.
The story behind Gorgonzola cheese — Italian comfort food
The story goes that a shepherd left some curdled milk in a container, forgetting to add salt to the curd. The next day he used the same container, still with the curds at the bottom. Not realizing that small molds had formed, he’d mistakenly created a new cheese.
It was only after a few days that the shepherd realized his creation. Nowadays, Gorgonzola, with its robust flavor and unique texture, is popular not just in Italy, but across the globe.
Radicchio is one of my all-time favorite vegetables. The best produce comes from Treviso, which you can only find during the winter months. For a perfect filling, the radicchio should be the round and bitter variety. Likewise, the type of Gorgonzola also makes a difference. It shouldn’t be too soft or overly ripe.
Other varieties of Crespelle radicchio e Gorgonzola also include Chanterelle mushrooms and bacon.
One of the best fall comfort foods in Italy is Crespelle radicchio e Gorgonzola
10. Polpette al sugo
No post listing Italian comfort food would be complete without meatballs. It’s a favorite of mine in general, but come fall, it’s definitely something I crave.
Polpette al sugo are meatballs made from pork and beef, with a healthy coating of tomato sauce. It’s then combined with stale bread soaked in milk, eggs, grated parmesan and seasoning. The dish is another Italian one that comes from recycling leftovers. It was cooked with remaining meat, so as not to waste anything, then mixed together with other ingredients.
Meatballs with tomato sauce are an Italian family favorite and one that both kids and adults enjoy.
How to eat polpette al sugo — best Italian comfort foods
The meatballs can be fried, baked or even steamed. Good news for vegetarians, as there are also ‘meatballs’ made from legumes, such as chickpeas. More rarer recipes include meatballs with pecorino cheese and baked vegetables.
Good crusty bread is a must with polpette al sugo. ‘La scarpetta’ is when you ‘clean’ up the plate of remaining tomato sauce with your bread. It’s warming, slightly gluttonous, but damn delicious.
You can serve the meatballs in tomato sauce on its own, or with pasta. Spaghetti with meatballs is a classic, and one that’s an ideal Italian comfort food for fall.
With or without pasta, polpette al sugo warms up any cold day
11. Gnocchi burro e tartufo
There’s one aroma that dominates this dish, and that’s the truffles. Before I was a frequent visitor to Italy, I always assumed that truffles were crazy expensive. As it turns out, in Italy, truffles are commonly used, just not as an everyday ingredient.
Gnocchi burro e tartufo is potato dumplings with butter and truffles. Recipes vary between white (more expensive) and black truffles but ultimately, it depends on the recipe.
Gnocchi with truffles also makes an ideal autumn dish. Good quality butter, fresh sage leaves and grated Parmesan cheese are additional key ingredients. Some of the best gnocchi I’ve eaten has always been homemade.
Italian comfort foods for fall — how to make Gnocchi burro e tartufo
Many Italians prefer to make gnocchi at home, which isn’t as difficult as it might sound. You first need to make the dough, using boiled potatoes.
Once you’ve passed the cooked potatoes through a masher, let it cool before adding flour, an egg and some Parmesan. Cut the dough into strips that resemble small rectangular shapes, and use a fork to make a small marking.
For the sauce, add a little oil and butter and mix with the grated white truffle. As soon as the butter has melted, pour it into a bowl.
The last step is to cook the gnocchi and mix them in with the creamy sauce. Make sure not to overcook the gnocchi. If you’ve any leftover truffles, grate this on top to finish the dish.
Enjoy the gnocchi burro e tartufo with some good friends and a chilled glass of white wine.
Just add truffles, black or white – when making gnocchi burro e tartufo
12. Ossobuco con risotto alla Milanese
Cotoletta alla Milanese may be a favorite in Milan, but when it comes to taste, Ossobuco con risotto alla Milanese wins.
The dish consists of thick slices of veal, with the bone still in, served with a rich saffron risotto.
Slow cooking are the keywords to making a good Ossobuco con risotto alla Milanese, but it’s worth every agonizing minute.
This dish is perfect for when the temperatures dip outside. The saffron rice is a symbol of Milanese culinary tradition and it also adds a golden color to the dish.
Where does Risotto alla Milanese come from? Italian foods to eat in fall
The origins of Milanese risotto date to medieval times, with roots in Arab and Jewish cuisine. According to the most popular story, the dish was created in 1574 during the wedding of a Belgian glassmaker’s daughter.
One of his assistants, named Zafferano (meaning ‘saffron’), decided to add some of the yellow spice to the white rice. The guests reacted well to the surprise addition of saffron. It added flavor to the dish, and also a gold color, which represented wealth and prosperity.
Another legend about the risotto’s origins tells a different tale, this time about a Sicilian chef, who moved to Milan. While preparing his beloved arancini, he didn’t have his usual ingredients to hand. So, he returned to a rice recipe he already knew, using saffron to add flavor and the distinctive yellow color.
Whichever of the 2 tales you believe, trying Ossobuco con risotto alla Milanese is a must. It’s a dish you can only really find in Lombardy and it’s also an ultimate Italian fall comfort food.
Sink your teeth into Ossobuco alla Milanese when in Milan
13. Pappardelle al chinghiale
There’s a lot I remember about my first trip to Florence, but as a foodie, one stands out most.
In a cozy restaurant not far from Piazza della Republica is where I’d one of the best dining experiences. At Buca Lapi, we dined on Pappardelle al chinghiale followed by the sumptuous Bistecca alla Fiorentina.
The dish is a typical Tuscan dish, consisting of pappardelle pasta with a rich sauce of wild boar. As someone who’s not usually keen on gamey flavors, I can tell you with confidence, you need to try this.
The rich sauce makes the dish ideal for colder weather, though honestly, I’d probably still eat it in summer! Wild boar, ripened tomatoes, red wine, onion, celery, carrots, rosemary and bay leaves all go into the sauce. A good sprinkling of salt, pepper and a glug of extra virgin olive oil finishes the pasta dish.
Italian comfort foods — are you game for trying wild boar?
If you’re reading this and thinking, wild boar? You’re not alone. I, at first, was reluctant to try it, but one mouthful and I was sold. Wild pigs are in abundant in this part of Italy, especially in the Maremma, and features often in Tuscan gastronomy.
The boar’s first marinated in red wine and the other ingredients mentioned above for at least 12 hours. It’s then browned and left to cook for about 15 minutes. Immediately after, tomato paste is added, along with a glass of red wine and a little olive oil.
It’s left to cook for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally from time to time.
Pappardelle al chinghiale is one of the ultimate comfort foods to eat in Italy
14. Baccalà alla Vicentina
Vicenza is a city in north Italy that’s almost become a second home for me. And whenever we’re back, there’s one dish I most look forward to.
Baccalà alla Vicentina is a dish that’s made from dry cod. The long cooking process tenderizes the fish, and milk helps to refine its strong taste. Baccalà alla Vicentina is a symbol of the city, and so popular that there’s a festival held every year. Thousands of people flock to Sandrigo in the province of Vicenza, for the Festa del Baccalà alla Vicentina.
You’ll find several places in the historic center and around the outskirts of Vicenza that serve the dish. One trattoria we usually visit, Da culata, makes an excellent Baccalà alla Vicentina, which they serve with grilled polenta.
Baccalà alla Vicentina is so versatile that it’s also been paired with bigoli (pasta) gnocchi, and risotto. The pumpkin gnocchi with baccalà is one dish that has fall written all over it.
Baccalà alla Vicentina is so popular there’s an annual festival to celebrate it
15. Spätzle
My last pick for Italian comfort food is a pasta dish whose origins are influenced by its Austrian neighbors.
Spätzle are unusual-shaped dumplings made from flour, eggs and water — not potatoes like gnocchi. They’re also known as Tyrolean dumplings.
As you can probably tell from its name, Spätzle is German in origin. The small dumplings are formed using a special tool called a Spätzlehobel. The result are dumplings that resemble the shape of teardrops.
Italian comfort food in a bowl — Spätzle
Different varieties to try — Italian comfort foods
Once you’ve made the Spätzle, the only thing left to do is to mix them with the sauce. The most common method is to sauté the Spätzle in a pan with some butter and chives. Most restaurants will serve this as a first course, but for me, it’s good as a main.
There are many interesting variations of Spätzle, and if the opportunity presents, you may want to try something different. There’s the popular spinach spätzle, which of course takes on the green color of the vegetable. The Spätzle with bacon, parmesan cheese and lashings of cream on top is Italian comfort food heaven.
Have I made you drool uncontrollably in this post? Which of these Italian comfort foods would you most like to try? Leave me a note in the comments below, I’d love to read them.
Till next time, happy boutique travels x
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Lisa Rivera
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Welcome to my site! I'm Lisa, founder of Following the Rivera. I write primarily for a ‘flashpacker’ audience; a demographic (late 20s onwards) that enjoys glamping over camping, staying at boutique/luxury boutique hotels, sampling the local food and wine, cultural activities, and indulging in a spot of wellness on their travels. Read more here…
I love Italian food so this post is making me really hungry! I would enjoy all these dishes but if I had to pick my top choice it would be a tie between polpette al sugo and pasticcio.
Lol sorry about that! Both are great choices and perfect for fall too 🙂
Italian food is one of my favorite cuisines in the world! I have spent one month in Tuscany during autumn and delighted my taste buds with so many delicious foods. I remember the wild boar tagliatelle, with their very rich meaty taste. At home sometimes I cook chicken alla cacciatora because the flavour is fantastic and it is so easy to make.
Glad you liked the post! Funny that, we too had pollo alla cacciactora just last night 😀
So hungry now! I grew up on Italian food, so I love many of these, in particular, polenta, osso bucco, gnocchi, cotoletta, spezzatino. But my favourites are lasagna and pasta e fagioli, real comfort foods for me. The only dish I’m not familiar with is Spätzle.
Spatzle is definitely something you find more in the north. It’s good, but like you, pasta e fagioli wins!
Oh wow, does all this look good! I love Italian food in the fall. It’s so filling and just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I need to try that falsomagro. That looks amazing.
It’s so good, and with an unique tale behind its background too!
Oh yes, I want all of these. I am all about Italian food. Carbs are my friends and pasta is something I have weekly.
Snap! We eat Italian at least 5 times a week, so it’s a cuisine I know well 🙂
As an Italian I am in love with all of these plates.
Good article
Grazie! I’m glad you enjoyed it
I might have to replace my trousers with some stretchy leggings hahah these look delicious and I’ve just come across some new-to-me dishes!
Lol! Yes sorry about that! They’re all so good, and calorie counting is forbidden!
omg omg omg…I love italian food so much!!! It’s so delicious. Everything you describe here sounds so good!!! YUM
Same! I hope you get inspired to try a few of these in fall 😀
I want the Falsomagro immediately. It looks amazing. They all do, but that one in particular.
It’s really good and just the right kind of filling!
I could feel the intensity of my hunger grow as I continued reading through this post. I WANT EVERYTHING! I am in training for a half marathon so my carb intake is high. I think I need to make a majority of these dishes to support my “training.”
Also, I have never heard of crepes with gorgonzola and radicchio before. I have to try that dish. It sounds delightful!
It’s amazing Laurie! And the best variety is from a town called Treviso 🙂
Italy is in my bucket list and this list of must-eat food is useful for me when I travel to Italy. Some of them I have not tried before such as Spätzle!
I hope you get to try some of these when you visit one day 🙂
Good timing, because the weather just got so cold here! These all look like the perfect fall and winter weather meals.
They are, and delicious too 🙂
Yes to all of it! I have a lot of Italian on my dad’s side and I really miss my grandma’s cooking. Thanks for sharing these with us!
Aw then you really will enjoy these dishes 🙂
Oh my! Italian hygge! Saving for cool fall days and nights, when I want to be cozy in the hosue and with my food.
Yes!! That’s the perfect term for these dishes 😀
These sound really yummy! We love all sorts of dishes that have pasta in them. Homemade lasagna is one of my favorites!
Oh yes, me too! And it’s perfect for fall too 🙂
Damn it looks sooooo much yummy. Italian food is my weakness.. i must try this weekend so sure.
Thanks Sophia, glad you enjoyed this post!
Literally just had pasta for the first time in FOREVER for dinner last night! It made me realize I need to cook it more often! So yum!
It’s even better after a long absence from the stomach 😀
I never really thought of Italian food as comfort food. Your post made me realise that I need to spend more time in Italy and get to know about their food despite not being able to eat their 7-course meals.
It’s not 7 courses, you can choose what you want to eat 🙂 I hope you get to travel one day
Yummy. I love polenta so I can’t wait to try these recipes out. I’m also craving that pumpkin dish. It screams fall.
YES!!! We had it the other day, and my coziness level rose by 50%!
I shouldn’t have read this on an empty stomach- now I am craving these amazing comfort foods! 🙂 Italy is high on my bucket list, and I think we will be visiting next fall. I really enjoyed gaining inspiration for your list of suggestions. The Baccalà alla Vicentina is something I’ve never heard of, and I think my husband and I would really enjoy it.
Lol sorry Leah, I should have put a warning before reading! The Baccala is something you can only find in Vicenza, so if you visit next fall and happen to visit, give me a shout; I may be there!
Yum! Some delicious recipes here and I do love Italian food and think that it is comfort food as well. Would love to try making the mushroom polenta from your list
We just had it the other day and it’s delicious!!
Everything looks so delicious, but of everything pictured I especially want to try the Spezzatino. It looks so good.
It’s very good and so good for fall too 😀
Oh wow what an awesome list! I just had some pizza and lasagna for dinner tonight. Definitely think Italian is the best comfort food!
It is!! And ideal for fall weather 🙂
Italian food is one of my favorite. Italian dishes are really delicious, my husband and I cam actually eat pasta everyday.
Lol I don’t blame you one bit!
Why is that Italian food always makes me hungry?
Because it’s just that good
Give me all the Italian food, please. I absolutely love Italian food dishes. Lasagna has always been a top favorite.
It’s also perfect for chilly fall evenings!
Italian food had always been so amazing and all of those look absolutely delicious! I’d love to try Polenta Asiago e funghi and ‘Falsomagro.
Great choices! They’re not difficult to make and super yummy!
I am going to try all these Italian dishes on my next trip to Italy 😍 Thank you so much for sharing this compilation!
You’re welcome!
All of these dishes really look amazing. I could definitely use some comfort food like this. Italian food is a great source of comfort foods for me, most definitely.
It’s definitely up there with the queen of comfort food cuisines!
Oh yeah! Looking at the picture I too thought Pasticcio, looks like Lasagne! Now I wonder what those differences are. I’m gonna read about that. Lasagne is like, true love, on a plate!!! Haha.
Polenta definitely looks comforting. Reminds me of a similar dish in India.
Pasta e fagioli sounds like the dish you have sitting in the porch, looking at the rain out of the window! Haha. I’m gonna make it this weekend.
Lol you’ve summed it up perfectly! They’re all great choices and guaranteed to keep you cozy this fall 🙂
Your post is making me salivate. These are some great options for Italian foods in autumn. All of us know how much we long for comfort food when the temperature drops and your post is such a lifesaver. I am loving the Pollo alla cacciatora and the Polenta dish. We are planning to visit Rome and nearby during fall-winter. This post will come in handy.
Perfect! You should definitely come across the pollo dish as you can find it across Italy. The polenta dish is typically something you find further north in the Dolomiti
Italy is one place where all will power goes out the window as the temptation to woof down plate after plate is sets in. Looking at these pictures is seriously making me either want to book the next flight to Italy or raid the kitchen.
Lol you’ve got it! I can’t resist trying everything when we’re back, so I like fall and winter as I can hide behind my clothes 😀
So many wonderful dishes…I’d love to visit Italy in the fall. What a lovely post!
Thank youuuuu! I hope you do visit one day, it’s a marvelous country and cuisine
I loved all the pictures of Italian food that you have added along with the description. I have never seen a list of so many comfort foods at one page. However, being a vegan, I am totally impressed by Polpette al sugo as I would get meatballs made of chickbeas or bakes vegetables – that’s a good news, indeed!
Yes! There are vegan and vegetarian versions so I promise, there’s something good for you to eat too 🙂
They certainly know how to do comfort food well in Italy. I didn’t know Spätzle made it across the border, that’s something I’d definitely like to try next time I’m back in Italy. I’m sure I’d love Gnocchi burro e tartufo – anything with truffle attracts my attention on a menu.
The gnocchi is very good, and something we eat quite a lot when back in Italy. Definitely try it the next time you’re there!
Your post just took me on a virtual food tour and now I am feeling tempted to book another trip to Italy for a total foodie adventure :). Indulging in Italian food is, of course, one of the highlights of a visit to Italy – their use of fresh ingredients really brings out the flavor in all these dishes.
Italy is a country of comfort food heaven!
Great post!! I am a huge fan of Italian food and I loved the pictures. The one good thing about Italian cuisine is that there are so many varieties of food both for vegans and meat-eaters. My favorite dish that I tried in Italy was Spezzatino, and it was amazing.
You’re so right, there’s really something for everyone! Spezzatino is an autumn fave of mine too 🙂
This post is just cruel! With all of those photos of pasta and the incredible descriptions that you wrote! OmG! I need to eat pasta right now and it is breakfast where I live! LOl.
Lol sorrrrry!! I should have added a warning before reading!
This post just made me so hungry! Italy is for sure one the best place for foodies. At least I loved everything I ate there. But you just introduced me dishes that I had never heard of before. Everything looks so delicious!
I think it’s the queen of comfort food countries!!
You included so many different Italian dishes I have never heard of. Spezzatino does sound like a good comfort food, especially in the winter. I love the viennese version, so I would like to try Cotoletta alla Milanese.
I hate to admit it but I sometimes get tired of all the pasta and pizza in Italy so it is good to have some other options. I will have to give some of these a try next time I am in Italy.
Trust me I know! We eat pasta regularly, but there are so many different varieties, I haven’t tired of it just yet!
There are so many comfort foods for fall in Italy which I was not aware off. Never knew that Pasticcio and Lasagne are different as for me Pasticcio is Lasagne. For me Pasta e fagioli looks my favorite as it is combined with beans and being vegetarian, I always prefer beans combined pasta. I would try other dishes too which I was not knowing before reading this.
Pasta e fagioli is the perfect dish for veggies and for fall 🙂
I love Italian cuisine, they are amazing. Unfortunately there are limited Italian restaurants here in my country and they are more expensive. I really want to travel to Italy. There are so many beautiful cities in Italy that I want to explore, hopefully I can visit there soon and try different Italian dishes
I hope you can visit one day soon too, there’s plenty of delicious things to eat 😀
You just cannot beat pasta as the ultimate comfort food! I love Italian food.
Same! Lucky for me I loveeeee pasta!