Pea and bacon risotto is an easy one-pot recipe that delivers a creamy and comforting meal. It’s quick and simple to prepare – expect dinner on the table in around 40 minutes.
Don’t miss my chicken and leek risotto too.
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This creamy pea and bacon risotto recipe is a lovely midweek dinner option. Enhanced with a little butter and parmesan cheese, the fresh pop of the peas and the flavourful hit of bacon, this risotto feels much more indulgent than it really is.
Why you’ll love risotto this recipe
- It’s a one-pan meal so there’s not much washing-up to do.
- The result is a deeply comforting, delicious and creamy meal.
- This is a recipe for pea and bacon risotto for two but it can easily be doubled to serve 4.
- It’s an easy and relatively quick meal to prepare – it takes around 40 minutes from start to finish.
- There are numerous ways to vary this recipe – I’ve included plenty of suggestions towards the bottom of this post.
If you enjoy Italian food then don’t miss my recipes for penne alla vodka and pizzette. And if you fancy a cheeky aperitivo whilst you’re prepping your risotto then have a go at my Limoncello spritz. Non-drinkers should try my Italian iced espresso (shakerato) As for dessert, how about a lovely ricotta cheesecake?
Ingredients notes
Onion, celery, garlic and herbs: these are integral ingredients that are required to help build a robust and flavoursome base in this recipe for risotto with bacon and peas.
Bacon: as per the title of this recipe, bacon is a vital ingredient. Choose smoked or unsmoked but try to pick rashers that are not too fatty.
Rice: you’ll need risotto rice, such as Arborio (paid link) or Carnaroli (paid link) rather than standard long-grain or basmati rice. Risotto rice can absorb a lot of liquid without turning mushy. It’s usually easy to pick up in supermarkets these days.
White wine: a splash of white wine helps build flavour. But it doesn’t have to be fancy. I often have a mini bottle of wine in the pantry just for cooking with.
Peas: these are another key ingredient. Frozen peas are ideal.
Spinach: this is optional but it adds an easy boost to the nutritional content of this simple meal.
Butter & Parmesan cheese: both of these ingredients are added at the end of the cooking process to help create the signature creaminess that risotto is known for.
Equipment notes
You’ll need a heavy-based medium-large pan to cook this bacon risotto recipe. A good-sized pan gives the rice plenty of room as it cooks, allowing it to cook evenly. A large pan also makes it easier to stir the ingredients as they cook without them spilling out of the pan.
Step by step ingredients
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Dice the onion & celery finely and mince the garlic.
- Remove the rind from the bacon and cut it into small pieces using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.
- Pour the oil into the saucepan and fry the bacon, onion and celery for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the rice, black pepper and herbs. Let everything cook for several minutes, stirring.
- Add the wine to the pan, stir and let the liquid evaporate.
- Now add the stock, a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. After 20 minutes test the rice to see how well it is cooking. If it is still firm keep adding a bit more stock. If it feels almost ready then move on to the next step.
- When the rice is almost cooked add a little more stock along with the peas. Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Test the rice. It is ready when it feels al-dente (there’s still a little bite to the rice but it doesn’t feel firm or chewy).
- Turn off the heat, add the spinach, grated Parmegiano-Reggiano and the butter. Stir briefly then cover the pan with a lid and let the risotto sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir again then taste and add a little bit of salt if desired.
- Serve immediately with a little grated parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.
Expert tips
- Risotto must be stirred frequently to help create that wonderful creamy texture and to stop the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Keep your stock hot to reduce the cooking time of this easy bacon and pea risotto. You can pour it into a pan and keep it on a low heat then add a ladleful at a time to the risotto.
- Regular tasting will help you ascertain when the rice is cooked enough.
- Add extra salt with caution. The bacon and parmesan cheese are both salty ingredients, so you may not need much, if any, additional salt. Taste it and adjust for your own taste preferences.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed 4 or 6 people respectively. Just make sure you select a pan big enough to handle the volume of ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Arborio and Carnoroli are very good options as they are capable of absorbing a lot of liquid without breaking down into mush and they both create lovely creamy risotto. Alternative options include Baldo, Maratelli, Padano, Roma and Vialone Nano.
Yes, you can. Simply drop them into boiling water for 1-3 minutes until they float and feel tender when eaten. Drain them and plunge them into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Finally, add them to the risotto for the final minute of cooking, before adding the butter, parmesan and spinach.
Risotto is not the best dish to make in advance to reheat later. As the risotto stands the rice continues to absorb more liquid which can result in a stiff and stodgy consistency when reheated.
You can make arancini with leftover risotto. Alternatively, you can stir it into soup – this bacon risotto would work nicely in creamy mushroom soup.
Variations
It’s so easy to modify this recipe for risotto with bacon and peas according to what you have to hand. Try the following ideas out:
- Ham: swap the bacon for chunks of cooked ham – just toss them in with the peas towards the end of the cooking time to warm it through.
- Chicken: add chicken to boost the protein level in this bacon risotto recipe. Use a small chicken breast, thinly sliced and either fry it with the bacon if it’s uncooked or stir it in when you add the peas if your chicken has been pre-cooked.
- Mint: replace the mixed herbs with fresh mint. Stir through 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped mint leaves with the butter and parmesan cheese.
- Extra veggies: try mushrooms, leeks, broccoli or asparagus.
Have you made my bacon and pea risotto? I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed it! Why not leave a rating or comment below to let me know what you think of it.
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📖 Recipe
Pea and Bacon Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Onion small
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1 Celery stick
- 125 g Bacon smoked or unsmoked
- 150 g Risotto rice such as Arborio
- 60 ml White wine
- 2 teaspoons Mixed herbs dried
- 500 ml Stock (vegetable or chicken) Hot
- 50 g Spinach leaves about 2 handfuls
- 15 g Butter
- 30 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 160 g Frozen peas
- ⅛ teaspoon Black pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Dice the onion & celery finely and mince the garlic.
- Remove the rind from the bacon and cut it into small pieces using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.
- Pour the oil into the saucepan and fry the bacon, onion and celery for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the rice, black pepper and herbs. Let everything cook for several minutes, stirring.
- Add the wine to the pan, stir and let the liquid evaporate.
- Now add the stock, a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. You may not need all of it. After 20 minutes test the rice to see how well it is cooking. If it is still firm keep adding a bit more stock. If it feels almost ready then move on to the next step.
- When the rice is almost cooked add a little more stock along with the peas. Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Test the rice. It is ready when it feels al-dente (there’s still a little bite to the rice but it doesn’t feel firm or chewy).
- Turn off the heat, add the spinach, grated Parmegiano-Reggiano and the butter. Stir briefly then cover the pan with a lid and let the risotto sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir again then taste and add a little bit of salt if desired.
- Serve immediately with a little grated parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.
Notes
- Risotto must be stirred frequently to help create that wonderful creamy texture and to stop the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Keep your stock hot to reduce the cooking time of this easy pea and bacon risotto. You can pour it into a pan and keep it on a low heat then add a ladleful at a time to the risotto.
- Regular tasting will help you ascertain when the rice is cooked enough.
- Add extra salt with caution. The bacon and parmesan cheese are both salty ingredients, so you may not need much, if any, additional salt. Taste it and adjust for your own taste preferences.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed 4 or 6 people respectively. Just make sure you select a pan big enough to handle the volume of ingredients.
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