No one else does comfort food quite like the Italians—bowls of pastas, creamy sauces, and tons of cheese! Nonnas (Italian grandmas) are known for keeping their families well-fed, so we’re sharing a few fall-inspired Italian dishes just like an Italian grandmother would make.
Italian Pot Roast with Gorgonzola Polenta
Turn an ordinary pot roast into an Italian-inspired feast with this recipe from From a Chef’s Kitchen. The dish itself is fairly hands-off since it slow roasts on its own in the oven with a mass of chopped veggies, pancetta, and, of course, plenty of wine.
Shredded Beef Ragu
Transform an inexpensive cut of beef into a dish worthy a 5-star restaurant with this simple ragu from Recipe Tin Eats. Slow-cooked in a Dutch oven, it’s the perfect sauce for soaking into eggy pappardelle noodles and smothering in parm.
Tortellini en Brodo
Don’t toss your parmesan rinds! Instead, save them to season this tortellini soup from Rachael Ray in Season packed with mushrooms, celery root, and onion.
Simple Stromboli
With one secret ingredient (hint: premade pizza dough) this homemade stromboli from The Recipe Critic comes together in a flash. Top it with extra cheese and dunk in marinara for an entirely new type of pizza night.
One-Pot Gnocchi with Sausage
Store-bought gnocchi offers a great alternative to pasta when it comes to comforting main courses, and we especially love this hearty one-pot gnocchi from Salt & Lavender. Simmered in white wine, garlic, and cream, it’s one of those hearty Italian dishes we could eat all fall and winter long.
Marianne says
Oh!! Bet $$ I’ll be making the Italian Pot Roast with Polenta on the first cold day here in the Hill Country! Thanks Tanji for a scrumptious sounding recipe. I’ll report back on my family’s take,