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Pumpkin Risotto With Bacon And Parmesan

Pumpkin risotto with bacon and parmesan is made creamy by toasting arborio rice and adding warm broth ladle by ladle until absorbed. Crispy bacon, golden-orange pumpkin puree, and fried sage finish the dish with a savory, melting parmesan top.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin risotto base
  • 1.5 cup arborio rice
  • 6 bacon diced
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 6 cup chicken broth warm and kept hot
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 0.25 Salt and white pepper to taste to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the bacon and aromatics
  1. Cook the bacon in the Dutch oven until crispy, then remove and drain while leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
  2. Sauté the onion in the reserved bacon fat for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Toast and build the risotto
  1. Add the arborio rice and toast for 2 minutes, then deglaze with the dry white wine and stir until it is absorbed.
  2. Add warm chicken broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each ladle is absorbed before adding the next, about 20–25 minutes total.
Finish and crisp the sage
  1. Stir in the pumpkin puree and parmesan, then finish with the unsalted butter until the risotto turns creamy and cohesive.
  2. Fry the fresh sage leaves in extra butter until crispy, then serve immediately.
Serve
  1. Serve the risotto topped with the crispy bacon and the crispy sage leaves.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the chicken broth hot so the rice maintains an even simmer as you add it ladle by ladle. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of warm broth to loosen the texture. Freezing is not recommended for best creamy texture. For a dairy-light option, use a plant-based parmesan-style topping and butter substitute, but expect a slightly less velvety finish.