Breakfast Risotto With Bacon And Thyme

Breakfast risotto with bacon and thyme is a hearty dish, perfect for slow Sunday mornings and brunch gatherings. Make the risotto the day before to make your life easier! Just reheat it in the oven, then crack the eggs on top, and cook them to your preferred doneness.

This post was first published on January 12, 2016 and was last updated September 14, 2019.

Is Risotto Hard To Make?

This may sound strange, but risotto is one of my weeknight go-to meal options! I think there’s a misconception that risotto is hard to make and if you do make it, you’re bound to the stove stirring it constantly. This couldn’t be further from the truth! It definitely takes time, but no more so than chopping up vegetables and roasting them in the oven for 45 minutes. You do have to stir your rice to prevent it from sticking to the pan, however, when I make risotto I’m usually washing dishes and tidying up the kitchen in between stirring.

Breakfast Risotto Is Pure Comfort Food

I love to make this version of breakfast risotto with bacon and thyme because it’s got everything I want in a brunch dish. It’s salty, creamy, and rich, balanced out with a herbaceous note of fresh thyme. If you check out the recipe card you’ll see you can even make the risotto the day before and simply reheat it in the oven the next day before you crack the eggs on top. Think of it as sort of like a savory oatmeal!

Looking For More Savory Breakfast & Brunch Recipes? Try:

Homemade Salmon Gravlax

Roasted Squash, Chorizo, And Blue Cheese Strata

Prosciutto, Asparagus, Fontina Quiche

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5 from 2 votes

Breakfast Risotto With Bacon And Thyme

A hearty bacon risotto made with dry Vermouth, baked in the oven with eggs, and finished with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bacon risotto, breakfast risotto, brunch risotto

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 strips bacon thick cut, diced
• 1 medium or 1/2 large onion diced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry Vermouth or dry white wine
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Parmesan grated
• 4 eggs

Instructions

• Preheat oven 400ºF.
• Heat chicken stock in a pot on the stove until steamy then turn heat to low to keep warm.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet, or other large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
• Add chopped bacon to skillet and sautée until half cooked, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add onion to skillet and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Add Arborio rice to skillet and cook until rice is translucent around the edges, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add Vermouth or wine to skillet and cook rice until wine is completely absorbed, about 3-4 minutes, stirring rice occasionally.
• Add one ladle of hot chicken stock to skillet and cook rice until stock is completely absorbed. Stir rice occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Continue to add hot chicken stock, one ladleful at a time, until the rice is cooked al dente, about 30 minutes. You may not use all of the chicken stock. I like to begin to taste my rice for doneness once I’ve used 3 cups of chicken stock.
• When rice is cooked to your liking remove skillet from heat. Add butter and grated Parmesan and stir into rice until melted and well combined.
• Using a spoon make four wells in the top of the rice. Crack one egg into each well.
• Carefully place skillet into preheated oven and bake 10-12 minutes, or until eggs are cooked to your desired doneness.
• Carefully remove skillet from oven. Top risotto with fresh thyme and serve.

Notes

To Make Breakfast Risotto Ahead Of Time - Make the risotto using the instructions as listed to the point where you add the butter and Parmesan. After you stir the butter and cheese into the rice to combine, cool the rice and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the rice in an oven-safe skillet or dish and bake until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove warmed rice from oven and proceed with the recipe as written.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see how you made out! Let me know on Instagram by tagging me @baconandbaileys and hashtag it #baconandbaileys so I can take a peek and re-share it in my Instagram stories! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.