Bacon & Butternut Risotto
with Chilli and Cheese
- Milk
- Egg
Risotto is the ultimate comfort food. This one boasts creamy rice studded with nuggets of bacon. Butternut squash brings a hint of sweetness and the chilli adds just the right amount of heat. Don't forget a squeeze of lemon juice to bring everything together!
Ingredients
175
Arborio Rice
1
KNORR Vegetable Stock
4
British Streaky Bacon
1
Onion
1
Garlic Clove
½
Red Chilli
1
Flat Leaf Parsley
½
Lemon
300
Diced Butternut Squash
40
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains: Milk, Egg)
Not included in your delivery
750
Water
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Preheat your oven to 200°C. Put the diced butternut squash on a baking tray and drizzle over a little oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pop on the top shelf of your oven and roast until golden and tender, 25-30 mins. Turn halfway through cooking.
Halve, peel and chop the onion into small pieces. Roughly chop the parsley (stalks and all). Halve the red chilli lengthways, deseed and finely chop. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Chop the bacon rashers widthways into 1cm wide strips (use scissors for this if you like - it's much easier!) IMPORTANT: Wash your hands after handling raw meat.
Put a large saucepan of water (see ingredients for amount) on to boil. Add the stock pot, stir to dissolve. Heat a splash of oil in another large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion and bacon. Stir and cook until the onion is soft and the bacon browned, 5-6 mins.
Add the chilli and the garlic, cook for 1 minute more, then stir in the arborio rice. Cook for 1-2 mins. Add a ladleful of the stock and stir. Once the rice has absorbed the stock, add another ladleful and continue to stir. Continue adding stock and stirring regularly, until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice. This should take 20-25 mins.
The risotto is ready when the rice is ‘al dente’ - cooked through but has a bit of firmness left in the middle. Once ready, remove from the heat. Add the cooked butternut squash, the hard Italian cheese, three-quarters of the parsley and a knob of butter (if you have some).
Halve the lemon, add a squeeze of lemon juice, taste and season accordingly. Serve the bacon and butternut squash risotto in bowls with the remaining parsley sprinkled over the top. Buon appetito!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Aug 2026- Flavour: The combination of bacon, roasted butternut squash, chilli, and lemon is widely praised as rich, comforting, and well-balanced. Some find it a little mild or stock-forward, and suggest using smoked bacon or adding extra seasoning to boost depth.
- Ease of prep: Risotto requires patience and regular stirring, and many note the total cooking time runs closer to an hour than the stated 45 minutes. Allow extra time, especially if this is your first risotto.
- Suggestions: Use the full chilli for more heat, or include the seeds if you prefer a stronger kick; some add a splash of white wine with the rice for extra flavour. Crisping the bacon well before adding the other ingredients helps it hold its flavour throughout. Consider roasting the butternut squash in smaller, evenly sized pieces to ensure it cooks through without burning on the outside.
- Next-day meals: This risotto reheats well and makes a satisfying lunch the following day, with several reviewers noting it keeps nicely in the microwave.
- Portions: The recipe yields generous results for two, with a number of reviewers getting three or even four portions from a single batch.
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