For Kelly Rizzo, comfort often begins with a pot of her Nanna’s sauce. The familiar flavors bring her back to childhood, when time in the kitchen with her grandmother felt like something that would always be there. Six years after her Nanna’s death, making her recipes offers a way to feel close to her again.
Food has also been part of how Rizzo remembers her late husband, comedian and actor Bob Saget. Her Italian chili, a dish he loved, remains something she makes for the people closest to her.
Through her podcast, Comfort Food with Kelly Rizzo, and her Comfort Club community, the food and travel host has opened up conversations about loss and the ways people help one another through it. Cooking offers another way to show that care, whether she’s preparing a family recipe or trying a viral dish alongside her friend Katie Couric.
The daughter of a Sicilian-born father, Rizzo gravitates toward Italian ingredients, even when she’s making tacos. We spoke with her about the recipes she treasures, what her guests have taught her about finding comfort and why she wishes she’d spent more time cooking with her Nanna. She also shares an easy roasted garlic and broccoli pasta.
Editor’s note: Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
What does comfort food mean to you now, and has that definition changed over the past few years?
It has mainly always been Italian food for my whole life! Any pasta, especially my Nanna’s sauce, has always been the biggest source of comfort for me. Now it’s also any comforting Italian dish I can make for loved ones.
How has cooking helped you stay connected to memories, people and moments that are important to you?
I love cooking my Nanna’s sauce and her zucchini soup. She passed away six years ago, so cooking some of her favorite dishes makes me feel close to her and brings me right back to childhood.
Why do you think food has such a powerful way of bringing people together during difficult times?
Cooking for people shows them how much you love and care about them. You’re trying to nourish them and also make them a dish that has some historical, familial or cultural importance to you.
How did Comfort Food grow from a podcast idea into something much bigger for you?
I realized that there are times in life that, of course, are going to be more difficult — loss, breakups, major life changes — and to have a literal and metaphorical way to make those times a bit easier and lighter is huge.
I wanted to give people who are going through a tough time a little something to brighten their day, something where they feel less alone. Also, to create a space where we can all learn how to come together during a tough season of life.
What have your guests taught you about the different ways people find comfort?
I have mainly learned there is a huge common thread, and that is community. People need a village, and when you can truly show up for someone in a selfless way during their darkest hour, it not only helps the person going through it, but it also helps heal you, too. And the other big ways people find comfort are therapy and self-care!
Do your Italian roots influence the way you cook and the foods you find most comforting?
Absolutely. It’s just in my blood to cook with Italian ingredients. It’s always what I gravitate toward. Plus, I love putting an Italian spin or take on other types of dishes, like my Italian chili or Italian tacos!
What has it been like cooking alongside Katie Couric, and what have you learned from creating the series together?
Oh my gosh, Katie is a blast! She’s the best! It’s so crazy because it’ll just be the two of us in my kitchen making these fun videos, and all of a sudden, it’ll hit me: “Oh my God, I’m friends with Katie Couric!”
She’s such a legend, but she is the kindest and most wonderful and down-to-earth human. I’m just so grateful for her! And funny tidbit: We do it all. We cook and clean and buy the ingredients — no assistants helping her! She does it all!
If your kitchen could tell the story of your life right now, what would be cooking on the stove?
My Italian chili. It encompasses the ingredients of my roots. But it was also developed because of my career, so it tells the story of my professional journey. Plus, my late husband, Bob, loved it, so that also means a lot to me. It’s just always my go-to because it brings me and my loved ones joy!
What’s a food memory you didn’t realize mattered to you until years later?
Cooking with my Nanna. I even have some videos of us cooking that I will always cherish. I just wish I had more of her recipes saved, and I also wish I had spent even more time with her in the kitchen as a child. When you’re young, you think everything will last forever and that your loved ones will always be around.
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
I’m just beyond grateful for my Italian heritage. It’s one of my most valued parts of myself and my family. Knowing that I’m first generation — my dad, Santo, was born in Sicily — helps me feel even more connected to my culture, history, ancestors and, of course, the greatest food in the world!
Hungry for more Italian food? Find your next favorite dish in our collection of Italian recipes.
Kelly Rizzo’s Easy Roasted Garlic and Broccoli Pasta
Roasted garlic, tender broccoli and fresh basil come together in a blender sauce tossed with hot pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 whole head garlic
- Good-quality olive oil, for roasting and blending
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups broccoli
- ½ pound pasta
- ½–¾ cup reserved pasta cooking water
- Handful of fresh basil
- 1–2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino
Directions
- Heat the oven to 400 F. Slice the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and wrap in foil. Roast for 40 minutes.
- Cut the broccoli into pieces and boil until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions in salted water. Reserve ¾ cup of the cooking water before draining.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a blender. Add the broccoli, basil, cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and blend until smooth, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and toss to combine.
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