Are we really here right now?!
I think we are. Let’s dig into bacon butternut squash risotto — maybe even bring a bowl to those friends we quietly unfollowed or muted until the election was over.
It’s wild how different things feel today. I remember begging my mom to tell me who she voted for when I was a kid; more often than not she wouldn’t say. Back then I didn’t fully grasp the implications, but the fact that she refused to tell me was maddening—I’d pester her until she gave any hint.
She likely kept it private to avoid me blurting it out in public—imagine an eight-year-old yelling MOM WHY DID YOU VOTE FOR ROSS PEROT in the middle of a store. She didn’t discuss it with aunts or grandparents either; it felt taboo. Now, thanks to social media, I know exactly who even the most distant acquaintances supported. What a change.
On a lighter note, at least we still have commercials with Matthew McConaughey looking impossibly cool while talking to himself and driving down empty highways during This Is Us. Are you watching? I’m obsessed.
So—risotto? A peace-offering risotto?
This dish is everything I crave on a chilly fall evening: arborio rice toasted in bacon fat and finished with white wine, tender cubes of caramelized butternut squash, crisp bacon, fresh sage and plenty of Parmesan. It’s perfect as a Friendsgiving side, an elegant accompaniment for dinner, or even the main course alongside a simple spring greens salad.
It’s a classic, straightforward comfort meal, but the combination of flavors is spot on. Sometimes a simple idea sounds irresistible the moment someone mentions it — that happens to me all the time. Social feeds are full of tiny culinary revelations: new avocado-toast toppings or a better way to roast chicken, and I’ll immediately run to try them.
This risotto is great fresh, and the leftovers are next-level. I turned mine into a cheesy, dippable treat with a savory sauce — you’ll see the transformation soon, but suffice it to say it involved lots of cheese and was very good.
Don’t spoil the secret!
Bacon Butternut Squash Risotto
4
1 hr
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Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups butternut squash cubes
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 to 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, warmed
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh sage for topping
- Fresh Parmesan shavings for topping
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until the fat renders and the bacon is crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Remove about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the skillet and reserve for the risotto. Add the butternut squash to the skillet, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just fork-tender but not mushy.
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the reserved bacon grease and the arborio rice. Toast the rice until translucent and fragrant. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the white wine, stirring frequently, until the rice absorbs it. Add 1 1/2 cups warmed stock and stir until absorbed. Continue adding stock in increments, stirring and allowing each addition to be absorbed, until the rice is al dente and the texture is creamy with a little liquid remaining (about 15–20 minutes).
- Stir in the butternut squash, Parmesan and most of the crispy bacon, reserving some for garnish. Top with fresh sage and Parmesan shavings. Serve immediately.
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That color and flavor. WHOA.