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Smoked Bacon and Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto is the ultimate comfort food, and this fall inspired variation makes it even better. Think creamy, flavorful risotto with soft, sweet squash bites and crispy, smoky bacon in each spoonful. Top it off with thyme, my favorite herb, and creamy goat cheese and you’ve got yourself a dinner that will sing with flavor. Risotto may be a dish that imitates some, but don’t let it stop you from trying this! It’s simple and this recipe will walk you though each step. It just takes time and dedication to create this beautiful dish.

Don’t like goat cheese? My first suggestion is to try it in this dish: it really just emphasizes the creamy, rich nature of the risotto. Otherwise, sub parmesan or white cheddar. Pair this dish with chicken or seafood, or just eat it on its own - it’s a great one-pot dinner.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Level: Medium

Ingredients - serves 6

  • 6 slices of smoked bacon (regular is okay, but smoked is best!)

  • 4 cloves of minced garlic

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 2 tbsp. butter

  • 4 cups of butternut squash, diced small (2-2.5 pound squash)

  • 2 cups of arborio rice

  • 7 cups of stock (chicken or veggie good)

  • 1 cup of dry white wine

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half

  • 4 oz. goat cheese (if you dislike, use parmesan or white cheddar)

  • 1.5 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, loosely packed

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

 

  1. Prep all ingredients first so you’re nice and organized: mince garlic, dice onion, peel and dice squash into cubes that are 1/4 - 1/2” inch or so, remove thyme leaves from their stems. Set it all aside before cutting the bacon strips into inch pieces.

  2. Heat up a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the pieces of bacon and let brown until fully cooked. Add a tiny bit of olive oil if the bacon sticks to the bottom too much…some bacon won’t be fatty enough, and that’s okay. Remove from the pot and set aside once cooked, leaving the bacon fat. Turn the heat to medium low and melt the butter.

  3. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add in the diced butternut squash, sprinkle with a few pinches of salt, and stir in. Let cook down for about 6 minutes on medium low heat.

  4. While the squash cooks, begin heating the stock. The stock must be warm as to best mix in with your risotto to not alter the temperature too much.

  5. After the squash has cooked at for at least 6 minutes (or longer if it needs to soften up a bit), add the arborio rice and stir so the rice is coated in butter and bacon grease. Add a little more salt as well as some black pepper. Let this mixture sauté for about 2 minutes to infuse flavor.

  6. Add the wine in first, just in case you need to de-glaze the bottom of your Dutch oven or pot. Stir consistently until the wine is all soaked in. After that, begin to add in the stock CUP by CUP. Add about one cup of stock, stir until it soaks in, then add another cup. Keep doing this, and keep stirring to make the risotto nice and creamy. Don’t let risotto sit on its own without stirring for more than 1 minute (preferably 30 seconds). Constant stirring allows the starches on the rice to rub on each other, creating a natural creaminess.

  7. Once all of the stock has been added, reduce the temperature to low and add in the cream and goat cheese. Stir until fully mixed. Then add the bacon back in, as well as the fresh thyme. Mix until it’s fully combined and serve warm!

    Plating: Add more goat cheese crumbles or fresh thyme leaves to the top of your risotto for serving. It’s great on its own or paired with grilled chicken or any seafood.