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Pumpkin Risotto With Bacon And Parmesan

Pumpkin risotto with bacon and parmesan is a creamy Italian main dish made by toasting arborio rice, then slowly adding warm chicken broth until silky and tender. Crispy bacon, sweet pumpkin puree, and a generous parmesan-butter finish create a golden-orange texture that looks restaurant-finished.
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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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry white wine
  • 0.5 cup Dry white wine
Arborio rice
  • 1.5 cup Arborio rice
Bacon
  • 6 strips Bacon diced
Pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup Pumpkin puree
Chicken broth
  • 6 cup Warm chicken broth kept hot
Onion
  • 1 Onion finely diced
Garlic
  • 4 clove Garlic minced
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan, grated
Unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
Fresh sage leaves
  • 8 leaf Fresh sage leaves
Salt
  • 1 Salt to taste
White pepper
  • 1 White pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook bacon and build the risotto base
  1. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, then remove and drain, 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.
  3. Add the arborio rice and toast for 2 minutes, then pour in the white wine and stir until it is absorbed.
Simmer with warm broth until creamy
  1. Add warm chicken broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next, for about 20–25 minutes total.
Finish with pumpkin, parmesan, and sage
  1. Stir in the pumpkin puree and grated parmesan, then finish with the butter until melted and the risotto is glossy.
  2. Fry the fresh sage leaves in extra butter until crispy.
  3. Serve the risotto topped with the crispy bacon and crispy sage leaves.

Notes

For best texture, keep the chicken broth hot so the risotto stays at a steady simmer during the ladle-by-ladle addition. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of warm broth or water and stir to loosen. Freeze yes (up to 2 months), but the texture will be slightly softer after thawing. Dietary swap: for a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and omit the bacon or replace with crispy sautéed mushrooms.