A bowl of this creamy butternut squash and bacon risotto is comfort food at its best.
The sweet, roasted butternut squash pairs perfectly with the salty bacon in this simple, delicious dish. It’s easy to make, tastes fantastic, and you’ll definitely want more!
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Is there anything more comforting than a big bowl of risotto?
Since having children, I’ve mostly stuck to oven-baked versions, but sometimes, a little mindless stirring on the hob is just what you need!
Love risotto? Try my hot smoked salmon and prawn risotto next!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Creamy and comforting risotto recipe.
- Delicious flavours of Autumn.
- Easy to make.
- Family-friendly one-pot meal.
🥘 Ingredients
Butternut Squash - peeled, seeds removed and the flesh chopped into bitesize 2cm chunks.
Olive Oil - for drizzling on the squash before roasting.
Bacon - smoked streaky bacon gives the best flavour, or substitute with chorizo.
Butter - salted butter gives the risotto lots of flavour.
Onion - 1 small onion, finely chopped. Alternatively, use 2 shallots.
Garlic - 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped.
Thyme - dried or fresh thyme.
Risotto Rice - Arborio rice is the most widely available risotto rice. You could also use Carnaroli.
Wine - a decent quality dry white wine, something you would be happy to drink yourself.
Stock - chicken stock (broth) made from a stockpot or cube. Or use fresh stock if you have it to hand.
Parmesan - freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a flavour boost, or substitute for another hard cheese like Grana Padano.
Parsley - an optional extra which adds a burst of colour to the finished dish.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6). Place the butternut squash cubes in a baking dish, drizzle with oil, and roast for 20 minutes until tender.
Two: Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan or casserole dish. Gently fry the onion, garlic, and thyme on medium heat for 4–5 minutes until softened.
Three: Add the chopped smoked streaky bacon and cook until it changes colour.
Four: Stir in the risotto rice, coating each grain in the buttery mixture. Pour in the white wine and stir for about a minute until it starts to evaporate.
Five: Gradually add the chicken stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each ladleful to be fully absorbed before adding the next. This should take about 15–20 minutes.
Six: Remove the butternut squash from the oven and stir it into the risotto.
Seven: Season to taste, then mix in the grated Parmesan. Serve in bowls, garnished with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
Top Tips
- Slowly add the stock to the bacon and butternut squash risotto, allowing the rice to fully absorb each ladleful before adding the next. This gradual process is key to achieving the creamy texture everyone loves in risotto.
- Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan—this isn't a dish you can walk away from!
- Be careful not to overcook the rice. It should be tender but still al dente, so avoid letting it become mushy
🍴 Serving suggestions
The risotto is delicious on its own, topped with extra grated Parmesan. It pairs beautifully with freshly made pesto focaccia or garlic bread for a complete meal.
For a veggie side, roasted tenderstem broccoli is a great choice, and air-fried asparagus works wonderfully too.
📖 Variations
- For a smokier twist, swap the bacon for chorizo.
- Replace the butternut squash with pumpkin or sweet potato for a seasonal variation.
- Try using sage instead of thyme for a different flavour—both fresh or dried will work.
- For extra creaminess, stir in some goat’s cheese. Its slight tang pairs beautifully with the butternut squash and bacon.
- Boost the veggie content by adding frozen peas towards the end, with a couple of ladles of stock remaining. They’ll cook in just a few minutes.
- For an extra layer of flavour, stir in a spoonful of green pesto.
- Add a crunchy finish by sprinkling toasted pecan nuts on top before serving.
🥡 Storage
Store - Risotto is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - To reheat, microwave the risotto until piping hot, adding a few tablespoons of water to keep it from drying out.
Freeze - While risotto can be frozen, be aware that it may lose some of its creamy texture.
❓ FAQS
Chop off the top stem of the squash first and then use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the skin. I find a vegetable peeler isn't robust enough to deal with its hard skin.
The skin on the butternut squash is very tough so you can pop it in the microwave before you start preparing it for 2-3 mins to make it softer and easier to remove. The skin is edible though and gets softer when baked so you may prefer to cut the butternut squash in half, drizzle it with oil, roast it in the oven and cut into cubes once cool. Personally, I prefer to peel, cube and roast without the skin for this dish.
Butternut squash has the texture of a roasted sweet potato but a bit softer. It tastes nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet once roasted or cooked.
😋Related recipes
More delicious risotto recipes to try!
- Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
- Salmon and Prawn Risotto
- Broccoli and Wild Garlic Risotto
- Asparagus, Pea and Bacon Risotto
- Slow Cooker Risotto
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Recipe
Butternut Squash and Bacon Risotto
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Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash peeled, seeds removed and cut into 2cm chunks.
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 25 g Butter
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 6 Streaky Bacon Rashers cut into pieces
- 125 ml White Wine
- 250 g Risotto Rice
- 750 ml Stock
- 50 g Parmesan finely grated
- 2 tablespoon Parsley chopped
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6). Place the butternut squash cubes in a baking dish, drizzle with oil, and roast for 20 minutes until tender.1 Butternut Squash, 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan or casserole dish. Gently fry the onion, garlic, and thyme on medium heat for 4–5 minutes until softened.25 g Butter, 1 Onion, 2 Garlic Cloves, 2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- Add the chopped smoked streaky bacon and cook until it changes colour.6 Streaky Bacon Rashers
- Stir in the risotto rice, coating each grain in the buttery mixture. Pour in the white wine and stir for about a minute until it starts to evaporate.250 g Risotto Rice, 125 ml White Wine
- Gradually add the chicken stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each ladleful to be fully absorbed before adding the next. This should take about 15–20 minutes.750 ml Stock
- Remove the butternut squash from the oven and stir it into the risotto.
- Season to taste, then mix in the grated Parmesan. Serve in bowls, garnished with freshly chopped parsley if desired.50 g Parmesan, 2 tablespoon Parsley, Salt and Pepper
Biana
Yum! We love Butternut Squash, so this is definitely something I would like to make.
Shalini
Easy one pot dish! I am bookmarking this! It'd be perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Jessica Formicola
You had me sold at bacon! This creamy risotto looks absolutely delicious and I can't wait to try it out!
Lima Ekram
Oh my this looks absolutely delicious! I love the idea of having butternut, risotto and bacon in one dish! Great flavors!
Michelle
We love butternut squash -- what a beautiful addition to risotto! Can't wait to try it soon!