Shallow white bowl with tortellini in broth.
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Italian Comfort Foods – According To An Italian Family Based In Tuscany

Do you crave mac and cheese, pizza or a big ol’ roast when you are feeling blue?

We all have our own comfort foods which are usually somehow tied to our country’s culinary traditions or mom’s beloved recipes.

This is also the case in Italy.

When Italians need a little slice of home, are feeling down, or need a little pick me up, they turn to certain foods they grew up with that make them feel warm and cozy inside. 

I am a mom of four living in Italy and with an Italian husband by my side, you can be sure I have become well aware of Italian comfort foods. These are our top 10 Italian comfort foods that always hit the spot. 

When Italians Eat Comfort Foods

Italians lean into their comfort foods most often when:

  • they are sick
  • they’re feeling down or blue
  • there is bad weather
  • they feel homesick
  • they’re returning from a trip abroad

The sense of comfort foods and what each person likes in Italy is typically linked to a good feeling, i.e. being at home or coddled as a young child, mom’s cooking, family time and of course, it tastes good!

Notice: Most of these are first courses. 

Top Italian Comfort Foods To Make

I moved to Italy in 2012 and now raise my children here, and I’ve become very familiar with Italian comfort foods.

Some of these foods are regional, meaning that they are comfort foods for Italians in certain regions (for example, polenta concia is a comfort food for northern Italians).

You will notice that many of these Italian comfort foods are super simple, easy to make and are some of the first foods that Italian babies are served (maybe this has something to do with it too!). 

Pasta in Bianco

Pasta in bianco is just plain pasta with either butter, olive oil or a combination of the two. Every Italian has their own spin on it. Some like it with parmesan cheese, others with Grana Padano while some prefer a touch of nutmeg. My kids love pasta in bianco with butter and nutmeg, no cheese! 

To learn all about Italy’s most popular sauces and dishes, be sure to check out
Italian Pasta Brands – That We Actually Use in Italy
How To Cook Pasta Like an Italian
What Does ‘al Dente’ Mean? 

Pasta al Pomodoro

pasta from top view on checkered red table cloth dressed in. butter and cheese.
Pasta with butter and cheese is a classic to order for babies at restaurants in Italy

Pasta al pomodoro, or pasta with tomato sauce, is one of the most famous Italian pasta sauces that oozes comfort to any Italian no matter what region they are from.

The only catch is that usually it’s a certain recipe, not just any old tomato sauce.

For example, my husband’s mother’s comfort food is pomarola made from fresh tomatoes and herbs in the summer and canned to be enjoyed year round. Canned tomatoes are no substitute for her but for others, they can be or are even better!

Stracciatella

Stracciatella is Italy’s version of egg-drop soup and is more of an Italian comfort food when feeling sick. If you have a stomach bug, you can bet it’s stracciatella that nonna is cooking for you. 

Riso in Bianco

Top view of a parmesan rind sitting in a pot of risotto. There is a spoon sitting on the pot and it's on a white marble surface.

Riso in bianco is similar to pasta in bianco but made with rice instead of pasta.

This is an Italian comfort food more common in northern Italy such as Lombardy and Veneto where rice plays a large role in the diet.

It can either be prepared simply by boiling rice and serving it buttered with plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano or it will be cooked in the traditional risotto method but without added flavors or ingredients.

Pasta al Ragù

close up of white plate with tagliatelle dressed in ragu sauce on a white marble background showing on right hand side of picture.

Pasta al ragù or pasta with meat sauce is my husband’s Italian comfort food (and now also one of my kid’s as well). For my husband, this means penne pasta with ragù and not any other shape.

For Italians, the shape of the pasta is just as important as the sauce. Everyone has their own favorite, which usually reflects the regional specialty.

Lasagne

Kids sitting at a small circular table eating lasagna on white plates. Baby sits in high chair.

Lasagne…what can I say about it? It’s creamy, hearty and rich. 100% comfort for all Italians no matter the occasion. I mean, did you ever meet someone who didn’t like lasagne?

P.S. Be sure you are pronouncing it correctly!

Tortellini in Brodo 

Stuffed pasta cooked in rich homemade broth is so comforting and warming.

It’s particularly beloved by Italians from Emilia-Romagna but it’s Italian comfort food that makes any Italian feel like they are at home.

For many, it’s really the homemade broth that counts.

I know some Italians who crave just a cup of warm broth with a little bit of pastina or plain pasta cooked inside it when they are feeling blue.

Polenta Concia

Polenta Concia is one of the Aosta Valley’s most famous dishes made from polenta that is slow cooked with butter and Fontina cheese.

It’s so rich and creamy, making it the ideal Italian comfort food for locals. 

Pizza

Pizza with mozzarella, basil, and tomato sauce. It's from Il Piccolo Buco in Rome, Italy.

Yes, of course, what kind of list would this be if pizza didn’t make the cut.

This is ALWAYS what my husband wants when he has been away from Italy and returns home.

And just like pasta, everyone has their preference as to what kind of pizza means comfort. At our house, it’s a simple margherita pizza. 

Frittata

A frittata is an Italian omelet made with eggs and whatever is leftover in the fridge including leftover pasta, potatoes or peas.

Making a frittata is a typical Sunday night meal when Italians might be cleaning out their fridge and using leftovers, and thus, evoking a memory of casual Sunday suppers at home.