Indulge in a creamy bacon risotto with caramelized onions, combining smoky bacon, sweet onions and Arborio rice for a flavorful and decadent dish.
I can never have enough risotto, from salmon risotto to chorizo risotto to chicken and pumpkin risotto.
And this bacon risotto is just the latest and greatest. If you love bacon and let's be honest who doesn't, then you'll be in love with this recipe after one bite.
Why This Recipe Works
- Rich and creamy - The Arborio rice creates a velvety, creamy texture that is comforting and luxurious, making each bite a delight.
- Smoky bacon flavor - The addition of bacon brings a savory, smoky flavor that complements the subtle sweetness of the caramelized onions.
- Versatile - This dish is versatile enough to serve as a main course or a side.
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Ingredient Notes
- Bacon - Provides a smoky, savory flavor. I'm partial to thick-cut.
- Onions - By caramelizing, it adds sweetness and depth.
- Olive oil and butter - Butter adds richness, while olive oil prevents the butter from burning. Use a combination of both for a balance of flavors.
- Aromatics - Shallots and garlic form the flavor base of risotto; sauté them in butter and olive oil until translucent before adding the rice.
- Arborio rice - Essential for the creamy texture of risotto, this short-grain rice absorbs liquid well, creating a rich consistency.
- Chicken stock - Used to cook the rice, adding depth and richness, with low-sodium preferred to control salt levels.
- Cheese - The combination of goat and Parmesan cheese adds creaminess and a slight nutty, salty flavor.
- Thyme - Adds a fresh, aromatic note.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can change up the ingredients if need. Some substitutes include:
- Substitute bacon with pancetta or prosciutto for different smoky flavors.
- Instead of shallots, try caramelizing leeks for a different sweet, savory flavor.
- Arborio rice is most common, but other short-grain rice like Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano, and Baldo work as well.
- I personally prefer chicken stock for flavor, but vegetable stock works too.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
In a large, heavy saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp (about 8 minutes). Transfer bacon to a paper-lined plate to drain, reserving 2 tablespoon of bacon fat.
In the same pan, cook sliced onions over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until browned, then reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes until soft. Set aside.
Add butter and olive oil to the pan. Sauté shallot for 2 minutes, add garlic for 1 minute, then stir in rice and cook for 1 more minute.
Deglaze with 1 cup of simmering chicken stock.
Add remaining stock 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more.
When rice is tender, stir in bacon, onions, goat cheese, Parmesan and thyme. Adjust seasoning and serve with Parmesan on top.
FAQs
Use only Italian short-grain rice varieties such as Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone Nano and Baldo. In the US, Arborio is the most common. Short-grain rice has a high starch content and absorbs less liquid, making it ideal for this bacon risotto.
No. If you rinse the rise, you rinse the starch off which is key to creating a quality risotto.
Risotto is traditionally made with Arborio rice, which has a high starch content, not gluten that affects those with gluten sensitivities.
Generally, risotto is safe for people with gluten allergies. However, check the ingredients of your broth or stock for traces of gluten to be completely sure.
You can place the bacon risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You could also use leftovers for risotto cakes.
To reheat risotto on the stove, add it to a saucepan with ¼ cup of stock or water per cup of risotto and heat over medium-low until warmed through.
For microwave reheating, place the risotto in a microwave-safe dish with 1-2 tablespoon of water or stock per cup. Heat at 50% power in 1-2 minute intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the risotto turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Skillet/Dutch oven - You want something large enough to be able to cook the rice.
- Wooden spoon - Used to mix together the ingredients.
- Chef's knife - You want a quality knife to cut the shallots and garlic.
- Cheese grater - Needed to grate blocks of cheese.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Toast/cook the rice in butter/oil so it absorbs the stock slowly without becoming soggy.
- Use hot stock so when you add to the rice it won't cool everything down and mess up the cooking process.
- Slowly add the stock and wait until it is absorbed before adding more which allows the rice to create that creamy starch you expect from risotto.
- Stir the risotto often enough, but don’t stir so much your arm gets tired. It should be just enough to keep the risotto from burning.
- Cook until al dente. Risotto should have some body and bite to it and not be too mushy or starchy.
- Wait until rice is finished cooking before stirring in the rest of the ingredients.
Similar Recipes
If you’ve tried this bacon risotto or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Bacon Risotto
Ingredients
- ½ lb bacon, cut into ½" pieces
- 2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 4 oz goat cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- sea salt + black pepper for taste
Instructions
- In a large, heavy saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper-lined plate to drain but keep 2 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
- Add the sliced onions and increase the pan to medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Reduce heat and cook for another 20 minutes or until the onions are soft and browned. Transfer the onions to a plate to set aside.
- Add the butter and olive oil to the same saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for about 2 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add rice and stir to coat, cooking for another minute.
- Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of chicken stock that is simmering and simmer over low heat until almost all of the chicken stock has been absorbed. Add the remaining chicken stock 1 cup at a time, stirring the rice constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more.
- Once the rice is tender (should be between 20-25 minutes), add the bacon, caramelized onions, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese and thyme. Taste and if needed add salt and pepper. Serve with some Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
- Toast/cook the rice in butter/oil so it absorbs the stock slowly without becoming soggy.
- Use hot stock so when you add to the rice it won't cool everything down and mess up the cooking process.
- Slowly add the stock and wait until it is absorbed before adding more which allows the rice to create that creamy starch you expect from risotto.
- Stir the risotto often enough, but don’t stir so much your arm gets tired. It should be just enough to keep the risotto from burning.
- Cook until al dente. Risotto should have some body and bite to it and not be too mushy or starchy.
- Wait until rice is finished cooking before stirring in the rest of the ingredients.
Dan says
You had me at bacon