Apple Risotto with Bacon

Creamy Apple Risotto is easy to make, full of flavor, and the perfect bowl of comfort food. Topped with crispy, smoky bacon and ready in less than 30 minutes, start to finish. Serve this as a side or the main event!

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Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

4 slices bacon diced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 cup sweet onion
2 tablespoons butter unsalted
1/2 cup apple juice
4 cups chicken stock
1 large Granny Smith apple peeled & diced
4 ounces goat cheese

Instructions

In a medium sized saucepan, add the 4 cups of stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and keep hot.
In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat. Cook until crisp and remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and leave bacon fat in the pan.
Add the rice, butter, and onion. Cook until onion is tender and rice is toasted.
Add the apple juice and stir to deglaze the pan and remove any brown bits on the bottom.
Add 1 cup of the hot chicken stock. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir constantly until liquid is absorbed. Add another 1 cup of stock, cook stirring until liquid is absorbed.
Add in the diced apples and 1 more cup of stock. Cook while stirring until the stock is absorbed. Add in the remaining 1 cup and cook until rice is al dente and mixture is creamy (about 20-25 minutes total).
Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese. Stir until fully incorporated and the risotto is creamy.
Serve topped with crumbled bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately!

Notes

Don’t rinse the rice. Risotto needs the starch on the rice to help keep it creamy.
Over-toasting the rice is a no-no. Too much and the rice will not cook properly.
Make sure you purchase short grain arborio rice.
Use butter instead of oil for a more creamy texture.
Don’t stir too often. The risotto will turn gummy.
Add the chicken stock slowly and wait for each each addition to be absorbed.
Wait and add the goat cheese at the end more maximum creaminess.

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