Pumpkin Risotto with Bacon is a fall twist on a classic recipe that’s quick, simple and delicious!

This isn’t your everyday risotto. A mixture of bacon and onion is sauteed in a hot nonstick pan. With the onions tender and the bacon just on the brink of crispiness, Arborio rice and some essential spices are stirred in. Chicken broth is then added and the pan is covered, where it simmers over low heat. No stirring. No adding chicken broth in small increments. With 5 minutes left of cooking, the pumpkin puree is stirred in and then the perfect amount of parmesan cheese is added for that much-needed salt factor. This pumpkin risotto is a fall recipe must-have. It’s creamy, delicious and the perfect main dinner entree or side dish!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! We kept things pretty low-key around here. We had (and still have) a ton of unpacking to do. You know how it goes. I feel like the unpacking never ends. We never fully unpacked when we moved into our new house in Colorado! It’s one of those things where I promised myself I would take my time. I always tend to rush through these things because, well, unpacking is SOOO much fun…not. The most important thing is that the kitchen is basically done, and that’s all that really matters right?

So, I have been on this kind of savory pumpkin kick if you couldn’t tell. I made this pumpkin risotto with bacon a couple of weeks ago before we moved, and I’m literally still having dreams about it. My biggest problem with risotto though is the art of making risotto. It’s time-consuming, boring and let’s be honest, no one wants to stand in front of the stove for an hour stirring in chicken broth.

I know that the chef Gods are cursing me right now for making risotto in a simpler way, but it’s so worth their anger. I was talking to a cheffy friend about risotto techniques and she let me in on a little secret. You can still get the same consistency by adding the chicken broth in one big pour, decreasing the heat to low and covering for about a half hour. Let me tell you, it totally works. Any doubts I ever had about making risotto (doubts meaning that I never made it because I’m the most impatient person on the planet) have completely disappeared. If you fear risotto, this recipe is for you.

…and there’s pumpkin in it! So duh!

Recipe for this pumpkin risotto with bacon is below. Pair it with a pumpkin ale and make it before the week ends! xo

Pumpkin Risotto with Bacon

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup diced yellow onion about 1 1/2 medium-sized onions
• ▢ 6 strips of bacon chopped
• ▢ 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• ▢ salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 4 1/2 cup chicken broth
• ▢ 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

• ▢
  In a deep nonstick skillet, add the oil. Heat over medium-high heat and add the onions and bacon. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the onions are tender and the bacon is just starting to crisp. Do not overcook the bacon to wear it's completely crispy. Add the rice and a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• ▢
  Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook the rice fo about 25 minutes or until tender. Stir in the pumpkin puree during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• ▢
  Stir in the cheese, reserving a couple of tablespoons for garnish Crank up the heat to medium-high and continue cooking, uncovered, or until most of the liquid is absorbed, but the mixture is still creamy. Serve the pumpkin risotto immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and additional parmesan cheese.
• ▢
  Enjoy!