Shrimp and Corn Risotto with Bacon
Creamy, comforting, and packed with summery flavor, this Shrimp and Corn Risotto with Bacon is a dish you’ll want to savor all season long. Sweet, juicy shrimp and fresh corn kernels bring a light, natural sweetness that perfectly balances the richness of creamy Arborio rice and smoky, salty bacon. Each bite offers a little taste of coastal comfort with a Southern twist!
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth or as needed
- 4 slices bacon halved widthwise then lengthwise into 4 mini slices each (16 pieces)
- 12 jumbo shrimp 16-20 count, peeled, deveined and tails removed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2/3 cup Arborio rice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup corn kernels if fresh, blanched or thawed if frozen
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place broth in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
- Cook bacon strips in a sauté, frying or other shallow pan over medium heat until crisp.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving bacon drippings. Crumble half of the strips into small pieces. Reserve remaining strips for garnish.
- Season shrimp with salt and black pepper. Add shrimp to bacon drippings and cook 1-2 minutes per side or until pink and firm. Transfer to the plate with the bacon. Wipe out the pan.
- Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook the onion 4-5 minutes or until softened, being careful not to brown the onion.
- Add the red bell pepper and cook 2-3 more minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and rice and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring slowly but constantly, until the rice is slightly translucent, being careful not to brown it.
- Add the wine and cook, stirring until evaporated.
- Add the chicken broth in stages, about a full soup ladle at a time and continuing to stir until the rice is creamy and has reached the al dente stage, about 18 to 20 minutes. (You may not need all the broth.)
- Stir in the crumbled bacon, shrimp, corn kernels, heavy cream, cayenne pepper, cheese and parsley. Heat through.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with bacon strips. Serve immediately with more grated cheese if desired.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Also works with sea scallops.
- If using white wine, it should be warmed–or at least room temperature–not cold directly from the refrigerator.
- The required amount/ratio of broth to rice is generally 4:1, or 4 cups of broth to 1 cup of rice. However, you may not need as much or you may need more, which is why it’s important to know what the rice should feel like when cooked.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 | Calories: 718kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 2449mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g