• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Join my free recipe email club!
Free eBook
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • ABOUT JO
  • Contact
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • One Pot
  • Desserts
Home / Recipes
50 minutes
4.64 from 11 votes
12 Comments

Mushroom Risotto

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
  • 290
by: Joanna Cismaru
08.04.21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Bacon and Mushroom Risotto recipe is rich, creamy, cheesy, made with salty bacon and earthy mushrooms. While this classic dish is usually enjoyed in restaurants with a high price tag, I’ve created this risotto with basic ingredients and fool-proof instructions. Time to treat yourself!

side shot of mushroom risotto in a Dutch oven garnished with a bit of parmesan cheese and parsley with a wooden spoon in it

Mushroom Risotto

I genuinely don’t think I could get sick of risotto. Creamy rice cooked with herbaceous broth, white wine, parmesan cheese, and, in this case, bacon and mushrooms! What a dream come true. Savor every last bite; you just won’t want it to end.

I’ve mostly seen risotto on menus as an appetizer, but sometimes it’ll be featured as a main dish. Let me tell you, this mushroom risotto recipe is so good I don’t know if you’ll end up with room for a main dish after the seconds or thirds you’ll inevitably dig into.

Making risotto at home really is about the technique. It’s not like making regular rice where you add the rice, right amount of liquid and let it do its thing. Making risotto is about nurturing it, add the rice, a bit of broth, stir it, add a bit more broth until it’s all absorbed, etc.

Ingredient Notes

overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make mushroom risotto
  • Chicken broth – Use low-sodium. Veggie broth will work too.
  • Thyme – Fresh sprigs. You can use dried if needed. This is optional, I use it to infuse the broth with more thyme flavor.
  • Bacon – Any type you like best, but I prefer a thick cut bacon.
  • Olive oil – Sunflower, safflower, canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or avocado oils can be used instead.
  • Onion – I used a white onion. Yellow onion or shallot will work.
  • Cremini mushrooms – Or any type of mushroom you have!
  • Salt and pepper – Season to taste.
  • Garlic – Use more or less as you prefer.
  • Arborio rice – Also known as risotto rice, this is a short grain and very starchy variety.
  • White wine – A dry variety such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay will work best.
  • Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated will be much tastier over the powdered type!
  • Parsley – For a nice, fresh, green garnish.

How To Make Mushroom Risotto

detailed process shots showing how to make mushroom risotto with bacon
  1. Prep the broth: Add the chicken broth and thyme sprigs to a pot over medium heat. Once the broth comes to a bubble reduce the heat to low just to keep it hot, but barely simmering.
  2. Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp, 5-7 minutes, then remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
  3. Cook the onion & mushrooms: Add the olive oil if needed, I had enough fat rendered from the bacon so I didn’t add it, to the pot along with the onion, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  4. Cook the rice: Add the rice, stir, then pour in the wine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the rice cook for 2 minutes, or until it has absorbed the wine. Add 1 cup of the hot broth (avoiding the thyme sprigs) to the dutch oven, stir, and let the rice cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the liquid has been mostly absorbed. Repeat this step until the rice is cooked through and tender, and you have used all the broth, should take 20-25 minutes.
  5. Finish: Stir in the bacon and parmesan cheese. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.
overhead shot of mushroom risotto in a Dutch oven garnished with a bit of parmesan cheese and parsley with a wooden spoon in it

FAQs

How do I know when my risotto is done?

Best way to tell when the risotto is done is to use your eyes and your mouth. Is it creamy but not thick, does it taste mostly soft but still has a bite almost al dente style. Feel it, taste it, enjoy it!

Can I add anything else to my mushroom risotto?

Absolutely! Some great ingredients you can add are peas, roasted broccoli or green beans, shrimp, scallops, chicken or steak. Use your imagination and add your favorite ingredients.

How do you serve risotto?

Risotto can be served as a main or alongside some great salads, your favorite proteins or with some freshly baked bread.

overhead shot of mushroom risotto with bacon on a gray-white plate with a fork lying on the plate

Some Tips

  1. Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to add to your dish before starting to cook risotto. This will make it much easier when cooking, because once you do, you won’t have time to chop and measure ingredients.
  2. Warm your broth, do not skip this step. This is the secret to a creamy risotto at home. Not only that but it will speed up the cooking process.
  3. Do not stir the rice constantly as this will add air into the risotto, cooling it down and making it gluey. However you still have to stir it oven, because the creaminess comes from the starch generated with grains of rice rub against each other. Find the right balance, not too much, not too little.
side shot of mushroom risotto with bacon on a gray-white plate with a fork in it

Storing Leftover Risotto

Your mushroom risotto will last up to 5 days refrigerated. To reheat, use the microwave and stir the risotto every 15-20 seconds. If the microwave isn’t an option, you can reheat it in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop. Feel free to add a splash or two of chicken broth or water to avoid having the risotto dry out at all.

Freezing

While it isn’t ideal to freeze risotto, you absolutely can if you need it to last longer than 5 days. Make sure the risotto has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. It’ll last 2-3 months frozen.

Let the risotto thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Keep in mind after freezing and thawing, the risotto will have a much more soft texture. You’ll have to be careful when reheating as to not break up the grains of rice.

closeup overhead shot of mushroom risotto in a Dutch oven garnished with a bit of parmesan cheese and parsley with a wooden spoon in it

More Delicious Recipes To Try

  • Instant Pot Risotto
  • Arugula and Basil Pesto Risotto with Sautéed Mushrooms
  • Chicken With Creamy Mushroom Sauce
  • Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Easy Pasta Alfredo

Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

side shot of mushroom risotto in a Dutch oven garnished with a bit of parmesan cheese and parsley with a wooden spoon in it

Mushroom Risotto

4.64 from 11 votes
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 50 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 6
Print Pin Rate
This Bacon and Mushroom Risotto recipe is rich, creamy, cheesy, made with salty bacon and earthy mushrooms. While this classic dish is usually enjoyed in restaurants with a high price tag, I've created this risotto with basic ingredients and fool-proof instructions. Time to treat yourself!

Equipment

  • Le Creuset 3.75-Quart Braiser

Ingredients

  • 5 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8 slices bacon sliced into 1/4" – 1/2" pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion diced
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ cups arborio rice aka risotto rice
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 tablespoon parsley freshly chopped
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Prep the broth: Add the chicken broth and thyme sprigs to a pot over medium heat. Once the broth comes to a bubble reduce the heat to low just to keep it hot, but barely simmering.
  • Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp, 5-7 minutes, then remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
  • Cook the onion and mushrooms: Add the olive oil if needed, I had enough fat rendered from the bacon so I didn't add it, to the pot along with the onion, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Cook the rice: Add the rice, stir, then pour in the wine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the rice cook for 2 minutes, or until it has absorbed the wine. Add 1 cup of the hot broth (avoiding the thyme sprigs) to the dutch oven, stir, and let the rice cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the liquid has been mostly absorbed. Repeat this step until the rice is cooked through and tender, and you have used all the broth, should take 20-25 minutes.
  • Finish: Stir in the bacon and parmesan cheese. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Recipe Notes

  1. Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to add to your dish before starting to cook risotto. This will make it much easier when cooking, because once you do, you won’t have time to chop and measure ingredients.
  2. Warm your broth, do not skip this step. This is the secret to a creamy risotto at home. Not only that but it will speed up the cooking process.
  3. Do not stir the rice constantly as this will add air into the risotto, cooling it down and making it gluey. However you still have to stir it oven, because the creaminess comes from the starch generated with grains of rice rub against each other. Find the right balance, not too much, not too little.
  4. Your risotto will last up to 5 days refrigerated. To reheat, use the microwave and stir the risotto every 15-20 seconds. If the microwave isn’t an option, you can reheat it in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop. Feel free to add a splash or two of chicken broth or water to avoid having the risotto dry out at all.
  5. While it isn’t ideal to freeze risotto, you absolutely can if you need it to last longer than 5 days. Make sure the risotto has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. It’ll last 2-3 months frozen.
  6. Let the risotto thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Keep in mind after freezing and thawing, the risotto will have a much more soft texture. You’ll have to be careful when reheating as to not break up the grains of rice.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1servingCalories: 421kcal (21%)Carbohydrates: 47g (16%)Protein: 15g (30%)Fat: 18g (28%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Cholesterol: 25mg (8%)Sodium: 489mg (21%)Potassium: 483mg (14%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 161IU (3%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 124mg (12%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
Course:Side Dish
Cuisine:Italian
Keyword:bacon and mushroom risotto, risotto, risotto recipe
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 290

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

30 recipes from around the world cover.

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

a bunch of soft pretzels stacked on top of each other with cheese sauce and mustard.
Previous Post
World’s Greatest Soft Pretzels
a cherry pie in a pie plate with a slice missing.
Next Post
Homemade Cherry Pie

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate Recipe Cancel reply

Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Libby Stephens says

    October 7, 2021 at 8:06 pm

    How can this recipe be adapted for an Instant Pot?

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      October 8, 2021 at 9:27 am

      You can check out my Instant pot risotto recipe here: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/instant-pot-risotto/

      Reply
  2. Libby says

    September 27, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    Can you use cooking wine? What type of white wine…sweet, fruity, or dry like a Chardonnay? When I see a recipe for a white wine, I never know what specifically what that means.

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      September 28, 2021 at 10:24 am

      I wouldn’t use cooking wine, especially for risotto. You want to use a good cooking wine that you would drink with the meal. Under Ingredients, where it talks about the white wine, I mention which wines to use: A dry variety such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay will work best.

      Reply
  3. Chico says

    August 7, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks Joanna. Easy to make and great flavor!!

    Reply
  4. Tamara Bisker says

    August 7, 2021 at 1:37 pm

    Hi Jo, did I tell you that you are my favourite chef!! I’ve tried more of your recipes than any others, which includes your risotto. My husband I both enjoyed it very much after I followed your instructions to the letter. Thanks again for a restaurant quality recipe.

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      August 7, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      Thanks, Tamara! So happy to hear this!!

      Reply
  5. Anne T. says

    June 6, 2020 at 2:27 pm

    5 stars
    As soon as I saw the words “mushroom” and “bacon,” I knew I had to try this. My husband and I loved it. I have never had good luck with risotto, but this turned out so well.

    Reply
  6. Alyssa Dayton says

    June 4, 2020 at 9:20 am

    What can I use instead of white wine if I don’t have? And if I have white mushrooms and cooked bacon is that ok ?

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team says

      June 4, 2020 at 9:41 am

      Use 1/2 cup of broth mixed with 2 tsp white vinegar. Yes, just as we said in the blog post and mushrooms will work! Cook d bacon will be fine to add at the end but you’ll need to use a few tbsp of olive oil to make up for the lack of back fat.

      Reply
  7. George Baker says

    June 3, 2020 at 8:59 am

    Haven’t made it yet, but I will. Wondering whether I can use quinoa instead, for a healthier alternative?

    Reply
    • Jo Cooks Team says

      June 3, 2020 at 9:50 am

      Quinoa is pretty delicate and not starchy enough to create a risotto like this! It’ll turn out more like regular rice. You are free to give it a try, but I suggest saving this one for the days you can enjoy special food

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More…
cover for the big book of jo's quick and easy meals.

My Cookbook

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

Sign me up

Dinner Favorites

black pepper chicken on a bed of rice on a black plate.

Black Pepper Chicken

a slice of pastitsio on a black plate.

Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

side view shot of a piece of eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce in a white plate garnished with parsley and a piece cut out and held by a fork

Eggplant Parmesan

side view shot chicken souvlaki skewers with a little tzatziki on a plate

Chicken Souvlaki

yakisoba noodles with chicken and vegetables in a large serving platter.

Yakisoba

pouring lemon sauce over fried chicken.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

a chicken gyro wrapped in paper and topped with lots of tzatziki sauce with another gyro in the background

Chicken Gyros

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

Air Fryer Recipes

a roasted chicken on a serving platter along some roasted root veggies.

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

apple pie bombs on a white plate with the top one cut in half.

Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs

3 cooked chicken breasts on a cutting board.

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

air fried chicken drumsticks in a basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

cooked chicken thighs in the basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

eggs inside an air fryer basket.

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

lobster tails on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Lobster Tails

hands pulling apart a mozzarella stick with the rest in the background

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

freshly made bread in air fryer on a cutting board cut into slices.

Air Fryer No Knead Bread

bacon wrapped water chestnuts on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Jo Cooks...

Flavors from around the world

No matter what household we have all grown up in, there is something that has brought us all together here and that is a love and appreciation of food. Food that is from cultures and cuisines across the world has always been a staple of the blog. I'm excited to bring you all a taste of each corner of the earth, every last bite seasoned to perfection and served up with love - from my kitchen to yours.
chow mein in a white asian bowl.

Asian

caprese gnocchi in a sheet pan.

Italian

chicken fajita taquitos with sour cream and salsa on a white platter.

Mexican

chicken and mushroom in creamy dill sauce over a bed of rice in a blue bowl.

Romanian

freshly made lamb korma in a beige braiser.

Indian

freshly made hummus drizzled with olive oil and garnished with tomatoes cucumbers and olives.

Middle Eastern

Trending Now

overhead shot of oven baked chicken breasts in a baking dish

Baked Chicken Breast

overhead shot of oven baked chicken thighs in a pan

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

roast chicken with roast potatoes on a roaster.

Roast Chicken

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

Browse All
  • Easy Dinners
  • Instant Pot
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index

Featured On

today logo.
huffpost logo.
the washington post logo.
jezebel logo.
countryliving logo.
good housekeeping logo.
lifehack logo.
buzzfeed logo.
mashable logo.
woman's day logo.
health logo.
better homes & gardens logo.
delish logo.
healthline logo.
nbc news logo.
blogloving logo.
university of washington logo.
shape logo.
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About Jo
  • Contact
  • visit my other site: Craving Home Cooked
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2022 · All Rights Reserved · Back to Top
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and get a free dinner recipes ebook!