Bacon and Pea Risotto

This easy bacon and pea risotto recipe is so simple to make once you get the hang of making one. And it really is easy, as long as you don’t stray too far from the kitchen. This is because regular stirring is required. You also need to finish cooking it at the right moment, to ensure it’s not soggy and overcooked.

If you have half an hour to prepare dinner, you can knock this up in that time. Just get out the ingredients and chop the shallot and bacon. From then on making this pea and bacon risotto is just a matter of throwing things in and stirring – regularly rather than constantly.

Feel free to make it as a pea and ham risotto, though you may need a dash of oil for frying the shallot in if you do so. I didn’t add any, as the bacon fat released during cooking was enough for sauteing both that and the shallot. If you do use ham, just add it after the stock instead.

Whether you make it as a ham risotto recipe or one with bacon, you can use either ham or vegetable stock. I use the ham stock that’s produced when slow cooking a gammon joint if possible here, but vegetable stock or a ham stock cube will do.

This easy pea and bacon risotto serves 2 to 3 as a main, or 4 to 6 as a starter

Bacon and pea risotto ingredients

• Shallot, 1, chopped finely
• Bacon, 4 rashers, chopped
• Risotto rice, 250g
• Sweetcorn, 1 small tin (about 150g)
• Ham or vegetable stock, 1 cube or pot
• Worcester sauce, 1 tbsp
• Coarse ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp
• Parsley, dried, 1 tsp
• Frozen peas, 100g

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Saucepan
• Wooden spatula
• Measuring jug

How to make risotto with bacon and peas

• Fry the shallot and bacon in a saucepan, stirring, until the bacon begins to crisp up a little. Make up the stock cube or pot with 450ml boiling water.
• Add the risotto rice and stir, then add the stock, sweetcorn, Worcester sauce, pepper and parsley.
• Cook, stirring often, for around 10 minutes, then add the frozen peas. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes or so, or until the stock has been soaked up and the risotto is creamy but with a slight ‘bite’ to it (al dente).

Serve this bacon risotto recipe immediately, just as it is or with a green salad and ciabatta.

Related recipes:

• Bacon, cheese and courgette pasta
• Eggs and ham fried rice
• Chicken and bacon pie
• Pasta bake with chicken and bacon
• Asparagus and ham risotto

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