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A delightfully complex risotto recipe with smoky, salty bacon, slightly sweet caramelized leeks, shallots, garlic, pecorino cheese, and fresh lemon juice for balance. This is a small batch recipe that makes two servings of bacon and leek risotto.

Leeks are magical. They’re so similar to onions, shallots, and garlic, but they feel even *fancier*. Caramelizing leeks is similar to caramelizing onions: leeks are naturally high in sugar, so cooking them low and slow slowly draws the sugar from the leek, enticing the slightly sweet, rich flavors and aromas out of them as they cook. This incredible flavor can only be awarded to those of us who are patient enough to take our time with them.

Combine that savory /sweet blend with the salty, smoky flavor of bacon, and you’ve got yourself a pretty great dish. I love to glide a chunk of pecorino cheese over a microplane, letting it fall directly onto the risotto before mixing it all together. I also squeeze a generously sized lemon wedge into the dish to add a pop of acid and balance the flavors. It’s a treat, ya’ll. And it can be yours in under an hour!

A bowl full of caramelized leek risotto topped with crunchy bacon. A bottle of wine is in the background.

Ingredients

1 strip Thick Cut Bacon
1 cup chopped Leeks (see ingredient notes for how to clean and chop leeks)
1/4 cup finely chopped Shallot
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/4 cup Dry White Wine
1/2 cup Arborio Rice
3 cups Warm Chicken Stock (or Vegetable Stock)
1/4 cup grated Pecornio Cheese
1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
about 2 tsp. Lemon Juice, or to taste
Salt + freshly cracked Black Pepper

Ingredient Notes

Bacon

I like to use thick cut bacon to get more oomph out of one strip, but any style of bacon will work! If you’re looking to make this a vegetarian dish, you can omit the bacon and use two teaspoons of olive oil or butter instead. Melt your preferred option, then stir in the leeks and proceed with the rest of the recipe. (You can also swap out chicken stock and use vegetable stock instead.)

Leeks

Leeks are fun, but they can seem weird if you haven’t worked with them before. This video is super helpful to show you how to cut and clean leeks. Here’s the basic rundown if you don’t want to watch that: Cut the root end off of the leek, then cut off the dark green parts (at the opposite end of the root) and discard. You’ll be left with the white and light green parts of the leek. Cut it in half lengthwise, then rotate each half so the flat side is laying on your cutting board. Cut each half into half, which ultimately creates four quarters of your leek stalk. Cut the quarters into 1/4″ slices, then transfer them to a bowl and thoroughly wash with water (you’ll probably want to wash, drain, and repeat a couple of times – leeks can be dirty). Spread them out onto a kitchen towel and pat them as dry as possible before cooking with them.

A typical leek will provide more than a cup of chopped leeks, and you could use any leftovers for this Potato Leek Soup OR just add more leeks to this recipe if you’re feeling feisty! Another option is caramelizing all of your chopped leeks, removing some from the pan once they’re caramelized, and reserving them for scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, or soups.

Dry White Wine

Pinot grigio (specifically inexpensive pinot grigio) is my go-to cooking wine. It’s dry, plays nicely with so many flavors, and is easily accessible. If you want to have a glass while you cook the risotto, look for a bottle that’s around $15. If you don’t really care, you can grab one of those little 250 or 500 ml cartons (like Bota Box) and use that. Keep in in the refrigerator and use it for up to two weeks!

Don’t want to use wine in your risotto? Just omit this step and proceed with adding stock to the risotto instead! The wine enhances the flavor of the risotto (it doesn’t add alcohol, because that part evaporates), but if you don’t have any on hand, that’s ok.

Arborio Rice

Risotto rice is particular, and arborio rice is my go-to when making risotto. It’s easier to find than Carnaroli rice (which is considered to be a better for risotto), and it’s pretty affordable, considering how much you actually use per recipe. Other rice, such as white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or any other rice, will not work for this recipe.

Chicken Stock

Low-sodium chicken stock is the way to go here. Using low-sodium lets you adjust the salt to your taste, which is ideal. You can also use vegetable stock if you’re looking to make this vegetarian (and use olive oil or butter instead of bacon!)

Pecornio Cheese

I like pecornio for its sharp, tangy flavor. If you don’t want to get pecornio cheese just for this recipe, you can totally use parmesan instead.

Step-By-Step Recipe Guide

See below for step-by-step photos and directions. These directions are a little more specific, and walk you through the entire process of making this Bacon and Leek Risotto.

A saute pan with chopped bacon cooking in it.

Step 1: Cook the Bacon.

Set a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chopped bacon and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel, and set aside.

Step 2: Caramelize the Leeks.

Turn the heat beneath the pan down to medium-low. Toss in the cleaned, chopped leeks and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of sea salt, or 3/4 tsp. of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. Stir to coat the leeks in the rendered bacon fat, and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so, until the leeks are very tender and browned. (Note: If they start cooking too quickly [such as some of them are getting crispy], turn the heat down even more so they gently cook and caramelize.)

Leeks, shallots, and garlic cooking in a saute pan.

Step 3: Add Shallots, Garlic, and Thyme.

Stir the finely chopped shallot into the leeks, and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and dried thyme, and cook for one minute until fragrant.

Step 4: Toast Arborio Rice.

Turn the heat beneath the pan back up to medium. Pour the arborio rice into the pan, and stir it into the leeks, shallots, and garlic. Let the rice cook (toast) for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a tiny white dot remains in the center of most of the grains.

Risotto rice being stirred in a saute pan by a wooden spoon.

Chicken stock being poured into a saute pan full of cooked leeks and arborio rice.

Step 5: Start Cooking the Risotto. (Stir in Wine, then Stock).

Pour in the white wine, and gently stir the rice around until the wine is totally absorbed (about 2-3 minutes.) Now we’ll really start cooking the risotto! Add warm stock to the pan, one ladle (or about 1/3 cup) at a time, stirring it gently into the rice as you pour it into the pan. Stir the rice with the stock until it is nearly all absorbed, then add another ladle (or 1/3 cup) and repeat. Note: This is a project of love, and there is no reason (or way) to rush it. You’ll keep repeating this step for about 25 minutes, gently stirring the rice into a new ladle of stock, until the rice develops a smooth, creamy texture.

Step 6: Stir in Pecorino, Butter, Lemon Juice, and Cooked Bacon.

Once the risotto is noticeably creamy, try a little bit. If it’s crunchy, it still needs more stock and stirring. If it has a tiny little bite to it (like pasta would feel if it is cooked al dente), you’re ready! If it’s super tender, that’s good, too! Stir in the grated pecornio, unsalted butter, a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and the cooked bacon. Note: The lemon juice is not used to add lemon flavor, but to add a touch of acidity to balance the rich flavors in the risotto.

Creamy risotto with bits of bacon resting in skillet with a wooden fork tucked into it.

This risotto is ideal for serving alongside grilled chicken, pork chops, pork tenderloin, or even steak. OR grilled portobello mushroom steaks! I personally love this with both pork chops and chicken, but please pair it with whatever you’re feeling. (If you’ve popped a bottle of white wine to make this, chicken would be the perfect companion for it and this risotto!)

While this specific recipe makes a small batch of risotto, you are welcome to double or triple the recipe as needed. If you have leftovers afterwards, just scroll below to see how to reheat it.

How to Store and Reheat Caramelized Leek Risotto

Reheat risotto in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat stirring gently as it warms through. If it seems dry, add a few splashes of stock to loosen it as it heats up. This will take about 7-8 minutes total.

More Small Batch Risotto Recipes

A close up shot of creamy caramelized leek and bacon risotto in a bowl.

If you make this Caramelized Leek Risotto and love it, leave a comment and star rating below! You can also snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. Feel free to email me with any questions you have, too. Cheers!

xx Sara