Bacon Mushroom Risotto
A rustic, hearty risotto packed with mushrooms, bacon, spinach, and parmesan cheese. The smoky, rich flavor makes it a fall and winter favorite.
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 415kcal
Ingredients
- 5 slices Bacon diced
- 1 cup Yellow Onion diced
- 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Thyme dried
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced, or 2 teaspoon pre-minced garlic
- 8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup Arborio Rice uncooked
- ⅓ cup Sherry Cooking Wine
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 3 cups Spinach stems removed
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium pot or saucepan, warm 4 cups Chicken Broth over low heat.
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, add 5 slices Bacon diced. Stir occasionally and sauté until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels.
- To the same pot, add 1 cup Yellow Onion, 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon Thyme, and 2 Garlic Cloves to drippings. Cook for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant. Add 8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms. Cook until onion is translucent and mushrooms turn golden brown, about 8 minutes.
- Add 1 cup Arborio Rice and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add ⅓ cup Sherry Cooking Wine and stir constantly for 1 minute or until nearly absorbed.
- Stir in 1 cup broth, simmer until the liquid is nearly (but not entirely) absorbed, stir occasionally. Repeat with the remaining stock, 1 cup at a time before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). The resulting risotto should look creamy and have more liquid than traditional rice.
- Stir in 3 cups Spinach, cook for 1-2 minutes until the leaves wilt. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup Parmesan Cheese and bacon; salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional parmesan or parsley if desired.
Notes
General Tips:
- Don't rush it! It is tempting to pour all of the chicken stock in at one time but the rice will end up lumpy.
- The rice does need to be stirred frequently. It's not hard though, just stir often and add the stock a bit at a time. The more you stir, the more the starch mixes and creates a creamy, dreamy experience.
- Don’t rinse the rice. The outer coating of the Arborio rice is where most of the starch is, and it’s this rice starch that makes for a creamy risotto.
- The longer you cook the mushrooms, the darker the final risotto will be. Aim for a golden brown color rather than dark brown or black.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3.9g | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 232mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3.8mg
