Description
This Sweet Corn Risotto is creamy, comforting, and packed with juicy corn, crispy bacon, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. It’s an easy yet impressive dinner that brings together sweet, savory, and cheesy flavors in every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Add the chopped bacon to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until browned and crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
- Warm the broth: Meanwhile, heat the chicken broth in a saucepan over low heat. Keep it warm throughout the cooking process.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add olive oil and onion to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Toast the rice: Stir in the Arborio rice and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently. The edges of the rice should begin to look slightly translucent.
- Add the wine: Pour in the white wine and stir until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, about 2 minutes.
- Add the broth gradually: Add about ½ cup of warm broth at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next portion. Continue for about 18–22 minutes.
- Add the corn: Stir the sweet corn into the risotto during the final 5–7 minutes of cooking. Continue adding broth as needed until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite.
- Make it creamy: Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in Parmesan, butter, chopped basil, and about two-thirds of the crispy bacon. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Serve: Spoon the Sweet Corn Risotto into bowls and top with the remaining bacon, extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh corn: When corn is in season, fresh kernels give this risotto fantastic sweetness and texture.
- Frozen corn: No need to thaw it first. Simply stir it into the risotto toward the end of cooking.
- Keep the broth warm: Adding cold broth can slow the cooking process and affect the creamy consistency.
- Don’t rush the liquid: Add broth gradually rather than pouring it in all at once. Risotto likes attention—but thankfully, not quite as much attention as a toddler.
- Consistency matters: Finished risotto should be creamy and loose enough to gently spread across the plate, not stiff or dry.
- No wine? Replace the white wine with additional chicken broth.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth to loosen the rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1½ cups)
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg