Yet another delicious risotto!
In case you haven’t figured it out, I tend to cook a fair amount of Italian meals. Having an Italian husband means I have to know how to make some of the basics of Italian cooking. Making a risotto is one of them. This pumpkin risotto with bacon is truly delicious and one I highly recommend you give a try.
If you are thinking that making risotto is tricky or hard work… think again. The ingredient list might make it look a little difficult to whip together but don’t be deceived. Risottos are what I’d like to think as the Italian one-pot wonder. Made in one pan, it minimises the mess made and the clean up afterwards. Perfect, aye!
When I mention “pumpkin” in this recipe, I’m actually referring to butternut. In Australia, we aren’t exposed to the extensive variety of pumpkins that exist in other countries. Pretty much everything yellow and round is a pumpkin to us. We only have a few varieties. Queensland Blue pumpkin, for example, however you pretty much need an axe to cut that one up. Jap is another one Butternut, my favourite. They are thin skinned and easy to peel with delicious taste. Jap pumpkin (otherwise known as kabocha or Kent pumpkin) is a nutty flavoured pumpkin with a soft but drier flesh. Butternut is my favourite variety. It’s easy to cut, has a lovely dense, dry but sweet-tasting flesh which makes it the most versatile type for cooking.
By roasting the pumpkin for this risotto, you’re adding in extra flavour. The edges will caramelise in the oven. By this I mean that the sugars in the pumpkin flesh will cause it to go brown in colour with a delicious but subtle sweetness.
Want another delicious recipe?
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love others available here. From pastas to risottos, cookies to desserts, and bliss balls to gluten-free options with everything in between. There is truly something here for everyone. I have developed this website to provide family-friendly recipes where I maximise both fresh produce while minimising cost.
Pumpkin Risotto with Bacon
Ingredients
- 400 g pumpkin or butternut, peeled with seeds removed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, halved
- 1 large onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 250 g bacon, rindless and finely diced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1 litre chicken stock liquid
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 120 g baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Chop the pumpkin into 2cm cubes and put it on an oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes on 180 degrees celsius.
- While the pumpkin is roasting, make the risotto. In a large frying pan add oil, bacon, onion and garlic. Gently sauté over medium-high heat until the onions are cooked but not coloured.
- Add rice and cook for a further 2 minutes while stirring constantly until rice grains become glossy and lightly toasted. The rice might stick a little to the bottom of the pan and that's fine, just use a wooden spoon to unstick them as much as possible.
- Turn the heat down to low-medium so that when liquid is added it is still gently bubbling. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock, stir to mix together and let simmer until it almost fully absorbed - approximately 5 minutes. Stir, then add remaining stock, 1 cup at a time. Repeat until the rice almost absorbs all liquid. You can constantly stir through this process if you prefer but I tend to take a shortcut and not do this, only when liquid is added.
- Add the baby spinach and mix through to wilt.
- Turn off the heat. Add the cream and parmesan cheese, mix together and let sit for about 2-5 minutes until mixture thickens.
- At this stage, the pumpkin should be caramelised on the edges and cooked through. Remove from oven and add into the risotto mixture and mix through.
- Serve hot with chopped parsley on top and a fresh leafy green side salad.