A flavorful and simple acorn squash risotto dish with added flavor chopped up bacon. Perfect as a main or a side dish.
Looking for more fall themed squash recipes? Check out my:
- Vegan Quinoa Black Bean Pumpkin Soup {GF}
- Chicken Sausage, Squash and Apple Bake with Rosemary {GF, DF}
We’ve seen our far share of beach on our backpacking trip so far. From Vietnam to Thailand, France to Poland, there have been quite a few.
But we still haven’t quite found the beach island ‘paradise’.
I thought it would be in Thailand, but while the beaches on Phuket and Koh Lanta were nice they didn’t really exceed my expectations.
I’m looking for that real look of perfection, that perfectly soft white sand, just right temperature water, deep and clear water color, you know, we all have that image in our minds.
Now just to find that on Earth somewhere.
Perhaps Australia will be it? We’re spending two weeks in Australia split up between Sydney and Tasmania and I don’t want to get my hopes too high, but I have seen some pics of the Tasmania beaches and they sure look nice.
I’ll keep you posted.
That paradise beach is out there somewhere…
And that perfect risotto? Well that I have here for you right now in the form of this acorn squash risotto.
I rarely make risotto, just often enough though to remember why.
All that stirring – that’s what usually keeps me away. To make the perfect risotto it really is best to never let it leave your sight, you’ve got to be there moving that rice around, adding extra broth at the right moment.
At least your arm is getting a good work out though right?
It’s all worth it in the end though. A creamy risotto truly is incredible. Especially more so when you throw in some acorn squash that cooks away and gets pureed in with the rice, and sprinkle some crispy crumbled bacon on top. Oh my god, acorn squash risotto is simply so good. There’s just something about those tiny pieces of squash that make the risotto even more creamy and dreamy and then those bacon bits sprinkled on top! WOW! Just wow.
So good.
To make this recipe dairy free omit the butter and use vegan cheese instead – I promise this acorn squash risotto will still be delicious.
A flavorful and simple risotto dish with added flavor from diced up squash and bacon. Perfect as a man or a side.
- 1 cup Arborio risotto rice
- 2-3 cups squash acorn, butternut, etc cut into 1/4-1/2 inch cubes
- salt/pepper to taste
- 1 onion diced
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 8 slices bacon
- 3-4 tablespoons sharp cheddar cheese or Parmesan, grated
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Add bacon to pan and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove and chop. In the same pan melt butter over medium heat and add the onion and squash. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until squash and onion have softened a bit.
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At the same time heat the broth over medium heat in a separate pan.
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To the onion/squash add the rice and cook for a couple mins, until it is ever so slightly toasted. Add salt to taste.
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Begin to add the chicken broth, a ladle or 1/2 cupful at a time, stirring constantly until the liquid is almost completely absorbed before adding more. Repeat until this process until rice is soft and cooked through.
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Add cheese to the risotto and stir to mix.
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Serve sprinkled with crumbled bacon on top.
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Garnish with fresh herbs (sage is great with squash, but I didn't have any so used scallions and cilantro)
Recipe adapted from Jan’s Sushi Bar
Jan's Sushi Bar says
You know, it never occurred to me to top that risotto with bacon (and I don’t make it very often for the same reason).
I hear the beaches on Fuji are beyond compare, and that the snorkeling there is spectacular. It’s on our bucket list.
Vicky says
I loved the smokiness and crunchiness from the bacon – paired perfectly with the creamy risotto. Hoping to see the Fuji beaches one day ๐
Beth says
I found this recipe on Pinterest and gave it a try and I am so glad that I did. It has become one of my favorite go-to recipes. My husband and I LOVE it!! I’d make it every week if he’d let me, but he prefers a little more variety, haha. My husband isn’t even a big fan of squash, but it cooks down so much you don’t even notice it, so you could easily give this to picky kids and they would love it. I’ve tried it with acorn and butternut squash – the butternut doesn’t cook down as much and has a stronger flavor, but both were really good. If you make bone broths at home, this is a great way to incorporate broth into your cooking and makes the dish just that more full of nutrients. I highly recommend!!
Vicky says
So so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe : ))