Having ended up on the winning side in all eight of their matches at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino last season after securing the game's opening goal, the hosts almost put themselves in a strong position inside the opening four minutes.
Inexplicably, however, Valentino Lazaro failed to convert the gilt-edge opportunity as he blazed his one-on-one effort against Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi high into the stands.
At the opposite end of the pitch, summer signing Mateo Retegui - already something of a fan favourite after a brace against Lecce on Matchday one - forced a fine save from Vanja Milinkovic-Savic that kept the game goalless.
Nonetheless, Torino’s number one was helpless to prevent Atalanta from taking the lead in the 26th minute when Davide Zappacosta’s authoritative header rippled the back of the net.
Yet last season’s UEFA Europa League winners saw their lead last only five minutes as Ivan Ilic exquisitely lifted Che Adams’ delicious defence-splitting pass over the top of Carnesecchi to restore parity.
Torino went close to turning the match on its head in added-on time, but a brilliant piece of goalline defending from Isak Hien denied former La Dea player Duvan Zapata another goal against his former employers.
Torino, though, needed just five minutes of the second half to complete the turnaround when Adams netted his first-ever goal for the club by firing home the rebound from Zapata's initial saved effort.
Now in the ascendancy, Paolo Vanoli’s men also appeared to have the footballing gods on their side shortly before the hour mark as Retegui struck the underside of the crossbar before Milinkovic-Savic managed to redirect Mario Pasalic’s header away from danger.
An all-action second 45 showed no signs of letting up, with Adams calling Carnesecchi into action before Atalanta again struck the woodwork, this time via a bullet header from Charles De Ketelaere.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side’s trip ended in even more disappointment as Milinkovic-Savic guessed the right direction deep into second half stoppage time to save Pašalić’s penalty after Lazaro brought down Federico Cassa.
The victory marks only a second three-point haul across the previous 10 head-to-head's for Torino, a result which also maintains their unbeaten start to the 2024/25 campaign.
Meanwhile, Atalanta's will hope to respond immediately, but they will be up against it as they look to overcome the daunting challenge of defending Scudetto winners Inter Milan at the San Siro.