The gorgonzola and bacon risotto is a creamy and flavorful first course, perfect for everyday lunch or special occasions, like a dinner with friends or the Christmas menu. The combination of sweet, soft, and enveloping gorgonzola with crispy bacon – sweet or smoked, depending on your taste – creates a balanced and irresistible risotto that conquers at the first taste.
One of its strengths is simplicity: this creamy risotto without butter is made creamy with gorgonzola and a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano, achieving a velvety and creamy texture. The preparation is within everyone’s reach: start by browning the onion with bacon, toast the rice, and cook it by gradually adding hot vegetable broth. Just a couple of minutes for the final creamy finish to transform a few ingredients into a rewarding and fragrant dish.
Easy, quick, and irresistible, the gorgonzola and bacon risotto is the ideal choice when you want to serve a creamy first course that combines comfort and character. Serve it hot and get ready for seconds!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 536.33 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 65.33 (g) of which sugars 0.89 (g)
- Proteins 17.38 (g)
- Fat 22.24 (g) of which saturated 8.67 (g)of which unsaturated 7.52 (g)
- Fibers 1.17 (g)
- Sodium 668.20 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 350 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Gorgonzola and Bacon Risotto
If you are celiac, remember to check that the bacon is labeled “gluten free”.
- 11.3 oz Carnaroli rice
- 3.5 oz bacon (cut into thin slices)
- 2.8 oz gorgonzola (sweet)
- 1/4 onion
- 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- as needed vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan non-stick
- 1 Saucepan
How to prepare a creamy risotto with gorgonzola and bacon without butter
To prepare the gorgonzola and bacon risotto, start by finely chopping the onion (1); set it aside. Slice the bacon into thin strips. In a non-stick pan, pour in the oil and heat it well, then add the bacon (2) and let it brown for a few seconds.
Then add the chopped onion (3) and soften it over low heat (4). Be careful not to burn it. Keep a saucepan with vegetable broth simmering next to you on the stove.
Add the rice (5), lightly salt it, and let it toast for a couple of minutes. Then deglaze with one or two ladles of boiling vegetable broth (6).
Cook the risotto this way for 15-16 minutes, stirring often (7) and adding more boiling vegetable broth when the previously added broth has been absorbed. When the rice is cooked but still al dente, taste it and adjust the salt. Then add the gorgonzola in cubes (8).
Immediately turn off the heat and stir to melt it. Then also add the parmesan (9) and continue the creamy finish always with the heat off for about a minute (10), until the cheeses are well combined with the risotto.
Serve the gorgonzola and bacon risotto immediately.
Storage
If there are leftovers, you can store the risotto in the fridge for a couple of days and revive it by preparing crispy rice or rice balls.
Tips and Variations
If you want to use spicy gorgonzola instead of the sweet kind, I recommend slightly reducing the amount used (50-60 g) and adding a knob of butter during the creamy finish.
