. Finally, a hefty amount of Parmesan and a little butter at the end are stirred in for even more umami and to make the risotto nicely glossy and extra creamy. The dish is finished with the reserved chunks of roasted squash and apple, and the crumbled crisp bacon, making it a perfect, savory-sweet, and comforting fall meal. data-pin-do=)
Apple Cider Risotto with Bacon and Butternut Squash
October 2, 2025
This Apple Cider Risotto with Bacon and Butternut Squash is the epitome of fall. The sweet butternut squash marries perfectly with tart granny smith apple and the bacon drippings coat the rice, which gives it a smokey flavor. Half the roasted butternut and apple mixture gets puréed and stirred into the risotto (the other half is reserved for topping). Finally, a hefty amount of Parmesan and a little butter at the end are stirred in for even more umami and to make the risotto nicely glossy and extra creamy. The dish is finished with the reserved chunks of roasted squash and apple, and the crumbled crisp bacon, making it a perfect, savory-sweet, and comforting fall meal.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 1 hr
- Yields: 4 Servings
Ingredients
Roasted Squash
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4½ cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 small tart apple (such as Granny Smith), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
Risotto
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 thick-cut bacon slices (about 4 ounces), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
1½ cups uncooked arborio rice or carnaroli rice
1 cup (8 ounces) hard apple cider
4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
Directions
1Make the roasted squash: Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss together squash, oil, salt, pepper, sage leaves, and garlic cloves on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Add apple to baking sheet, stirring to combine; roast until squash and apple are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
2Meanwhile, make the risotto: Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high; reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Set aside ½ cup broth.
3Cook bacon in a large high-sided skillet over medium, stirring occasionally, until bacon is rendered and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate using a slotted spoon; set aside.
4Add shallots, sage, and thyme to drippings in skillet; cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, until rice is translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add cider; cook, stirring occasionally, until cider is almost completely absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, and ladle 1 cup simmering broth over rice until just covered. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice absorbs most of the broth, about 3 minutes. Continue adding broth, about ½ cup at a time, stirring often, until nearly absorbed between additions and all remaining broth is used, 15 to 18 minutes total. Remove risotto from heat.
5Transfer 1 cup roasted squash mixture to a small bowl; set aside for serving. Transfer remaining squash to a blender or food processor; add reserved ½ cup broth, and process until smooth, about 45 seconds.
6Stir squash puree into risotto until well blended; add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and cold butter. (Do not stir.) Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Uncover and add reserved cooked bacon; stir vigorously until butter is completely melted and risotto is thick, smooth, and glossy, about 2 minutes. Add additional salt to taste, if desired.
7Divide risotto evenly among 4 plates. Top evenly with reserved roasted squash mixture; garnish with additional thyme. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Breana Lai Killeen, Food & Wine magazine, September 2025.
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