One Pot Bacon and Mushroom Risotto

This one pot bacon and mushroom risotto is a flavorful creamy risotto with bacon and mushrooms throughout.

It was our first night in Barcelona. We had arrived just that morning. With the time difference, we all felt jet lagged. As was expected but before that trip, we had done our research. We knew exactly where we would be dining that first evening, a place recommend by travel guru Rick Steve’s. So in our tired stupors, we walked the streets of Barcelona like a small group of zombies set off to find this small hole-in-the-wall style restaurant.

The search landed us in front a darkly painted door and a discreet entrance that almost made you feel as if you were intruding as you entered. Inside was surprisingly lively and the dimly lit atmosphere felt cozy and warm.

My bowl of mushroom risotto arrived and as far as presentation went, well, at glance I felt I had made my first ordering mistake. The waiter set the bowl down in front of me, I dipped my spoon in and found the silkiest texture I’d ever had in a bowl of risotto. It was evident that there was care taken in it’s making. The flavor immediately made up for anything the presentation lacked.

The next day, my daughter and I went back for more.

Bacon and Mushroom Risotto Is…

• A mushroom risotto recipe with crispy bacon.
• Perfect to make in a large Dutch oven for a one pot meal of comfort food.
• A delicious main dish, or main course.
• Great for weeknight dinners and even special occasions. 
• Perfect paired with a glass of wine. 

Ingredients

Rice- Arborio rice is traditionally used to make a risotto however, you can also use Calrose rice for very similar results. 

Stock- the stock in risotto is important. Use a good quality stock. You can use chicken stock or vegetable stock for this. I like to use my homemade vegetable stock when I am out of chicken stock for this. 

Mushrooms- you can use baby Bella mushrooms, or regular white button mushrooms for this. 

Bacon- I use a thick cut bacon for this. Use a good quality for best results. 

Wine- a splash of cooking sherry adds a depth of flavor. . If you don’t have cooking sherry, you can use dry white wine as an alternative.

Garlic- use large garlic cloves.

Herbs- I use both dried thyme and fresh thyme for this. Either work well with mushrooms.

Butter- I like to finish off this risotto with a little salted butter for added flavor and creaminess. You can use unsalted butter if you like. 

Seasoning- I use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper but standard black pepper and salt is fine too. 

Parmesan- I use freshly grated parmesan cheese to garnish. Shavings are nice too. 

Tools

Large Pan or Dutch Oven

Ladle

Directions

Begin by chopping the bacon and mincing the garlic.

Taking a saucepan pour all the stock in and heat it over a low heat on the side until you need it.

In a Dutch oven begin browning the bacon.

After about 2 minutes, add the mushrooms, thyme and a couple cracks of black pepper to the pot.

The idea is to not let the garlic cook too long or it will burn.

Taking a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and mushroom mixture from the pot and set it aside.

Add the cooking sherry to deglaze the pan stirring it about to remove any debris on the bottom. Add the rice.

Give it a consistent stir until the wine is absorbed into the rice, once absorbed begin adding the hot stock a ½ cup at a time. Stir the ½ cup around constantly until it absorbs into the rice and then add another ½ cup of the stock.

You will continue stirring and adding ½ cup of stock at time until all the stock has been absorbed.

When you are on your last ½ cup of stock you can dump the bacon and mushroom mixture back into the pot. The risotto will be ready once the last bit of stock is absorbed and it has a creamy texture.

At the end of cooking, add the butter and give it a good stir, and taste. Add any additional salt or pepper you’d like.

Garnish your Risotto with some fresh shredded Parmesan

Cooking Tips

• Keep a pot of warm stock nearby to keep it warm and easy to ladle in.
• Make sure to add ladle by ladle, stirring constantly allowing each ladle of stock to be absorbed before adding more.
• Risotto has an al dente texture to it but is not crunchy when it’s done.
• Use a good quality stock or homemade if you can. The quality of the stock will make all the difference.

How To Store

Risotto is best enjoyed fresh but having said that, if you find yourself with leftover risotto you can reheat it for later. Just keep some extra stock on hand for when you do so. To store allow the risotto to come to room temperature and place it in an airtight container. The risotto will be good for up to 3 days. When reheating the risotto, place it in a pot and pour in a some stock and stir as it heats so that the rice mixes in with the stock. Serve warmed through. 

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).

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If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you would come back and give it 5 stars!