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    Home » Recipes » Rice & Grains

    Pea and Pancetta Risotto

    Published: Dec 6, 2021 · Modified: Dec 26, 2021 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Sweet, salty, and creamy — that’s what you’ll get in every bite of this Pea and Pancetta Risotto.  And don’t forget the crunchy pancetta bits in there!  Yum!

    An overhead shot of a serving of pea and pancetta risotto, with a glass of wine on the side.

    (*This post contains some affiliate links)

    I don’t know about you, but the sweet-and-salty combo is always a winner for me.

    Add some creamy but still firm rice in there, and it’s already an excellent weeknight dinner — no need to prepare anything else.

    Oh, wait, all that’s missing is a glass of wine. 😉

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    Ingredients

    All the ingredients you need to prepare pea and pancetta risotto at home.
    • Pancetta – chopped into small, thin bits.
    • Olive oil – use extra virgin olive oil, if possible.
    • Onion – yellow onion and chopped finely.
    • Rice – I use carnaroli rice for this pancetta risotto recipe, but you can also use arborio if that’s what you have on hand.
    • Wine – any dry white will be good.
    • Peas – as you can see from the image above, I use frozen peas for this recipe.
    • Butter – salted or unsalted would work, but should be chilled.
    • Parmigiano Reggiano – you need to grate it to add on the last stage of cooking and then for serving.
    • Stock – I generally use chicken stock for making pancetta risotto.
    A closer shot of a pan of pea and pancetta risotto, with a chunk of parmigiano Reggiano in the background.

    Preparation

    Start your pancetta risotto by placing your stock in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat (photo 1).

    Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and continue simmering.

    While waiting for it to boil, place a medium to a large skillet over medium-high heat.

    First part of a collage of images on how to make risotto with pancetta.

    Add the chopped pancetta into the cold skillet (photo 2).

    Cook until the pancetta turns brown and slightly crispy on the edges.

    Remove the browned pancetta from the pan and set it aside.

    Using the same pan, add the olive oil.

    Once the oil is ready, add the onion (photo 3).

    Second part of a collage showing the process of making risotto with peas and pancetta at home.

    Cook the onion until it turns soft.

    Add the rice (photo 4).

    Cook the rice for about one to two minutes, constantly mixing, to make sure they’re coated with oil.

    Pour the white wine (photo 5).

    Third part of a collage of images showing the step by step process of preparing pancetta risotto.

    Let the wine evaporate until there is only a tiny amount of liquid left in the pan.

    Pour two ladles of the simmering stock (photo 6).

    Continue stirring the rice until the stock has been fully absorbed.

    Pour another ladle of stock and keep repeating for about eight minutes.

    Add the peas (photo 7).

    Last part of a collage of images for preparing risotto with peas and pancetta.

    Mix to combine and continue with adding the stock for ten more minutes.

    Taste and adjust the seasoning of your pancetta risotto.

    Take the pan off the heat.

    Add butter, grated cheese, and the browned pancetta (photo 8).

    Mix to combine, place a lid, and keep it covered for one to two minutes.

    Transfer your pancetta risotto into plates.

    Serve, with more grated parmigiano Reggiano, if desired.

    An overhead shot of a pan of risotto with pancetta, ready for transferring into plates.

    Helpful tips

    • When adding the olive oil, you can add more or less than what I have indicated in this recipe — it will all depend on how much is produced by frying the pancetta.

    The critical thing is that the oil should be enough to coat both the chopped onion and the rice.

    • Make sure there’s still a bit of liquid in the rice when you take it off the heat.  

    Remember that you will still be adding the butter, cheese, and pancetta bits — the cooking process is still not finished.

    • Depending on whether you are using seasoned stock or not, you will need to add salt to your risotto.  Hence, taste and adjust the seasoning as per your preference.

    For reference, I rarely add salt because my chicken stock is already seasoned; plus, there’s the extra salt from the pancetta and parmigiano Reggiano.

    A closer shot of a serving on risotto with peas and pancetta, highlighting the creaminess of the rice.

    Recipe variation

    • Butter.  Some people use butter instead of olive oil or a mix of butter and olive oil to saute the onion. 
    • Fresh or canned peas.  For sure, fresh peas will be noticeably sweeter than frozen or canned ones.  So, if you have them, do not even hesitate to use them.
    • Stock. Vegetable stock is a good substitute for chicken stock in this pea and pancetta risotto recipe.
    • Stracchino cheese.  You want a creamier risotto?  Add some stracchino cheese in there!

    That was easy, right?  Give this pancetta risotto recipe a try this week, and let me know. 🙂

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    📖 Recipe

    An overhead shot of a serving of pea and pancetta risotto, with a glass of wine on the side.

    Pea and Pancetta Risotto Recipe

    Sweet, salty, and creamy — that's what you'll get in every bite of this Pea and Pancetta Risotto.  And don't forget the crunchy pancetta bits in there!  Yum!
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 760kcal
    Author: Neriz

    Equipment

    • Chopping Board
    • Kitchen Knife
    • Pyrex Measuring Cups
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Medium-Sized Saucepan
    • Rubber Spatula
    • Microplane grater

    Ingredients

    • 3 & 1/2 to 4 cups stock
    • 3 ounces pancetta (85 grams), chopped into small bits
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 small onion, chopped finely
    • 2/3 cup rice
    • 1/2 cup white wine
    • 2/3 cup green peas
    • 1 & 1/2 to 2 tbsp butter, chilled
    • 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

    Instructions

    • Using a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the stock to a boil.
    • Adjust the heat to low and continue simmering.
    • While waiting for the stock to boil, place a medium to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    • Add the pancetta into the skillet — no need to wait for it to warm up.
    • Cook until the pancetta turns brown and turn slightly crispy on the edges.
    • Remove the browned pancetta and set it aside.
    • Using the same pan, add the olive oil.
    • Once the oil is ready, add the chopped onion.
    • Cook the onion until it softens, then add the rice.
    • Cook the rice for about 1 to 2 minutes, constantly mixing, to ensure the grains are coated with oil.
    • Pour the white wine and let it evaporate.
    • When there's very little liquid left, pour two ladles of the simmering stock into the rice.
    • Continue stirring until the stock has been fully absorbed.
    • Pour another ladle of stock and keep repeating for 8 minutes.
    • Add the peas.
    • Mix to combine and continue adding the stock for 10 more minutes.
    • Taste and adjust the seasoning of your pancetta risotto.
    • Take the pan off the heat.
    • Add butter, grated cheese, and the browned pancetta from earlier.
    • Mix to combine, place a lid, and keep it covered for about 1 to 2 minutes.
    • Transfer your pea and pancetta risotto into plates.
    • Serve, with more grated parmigiano Reggiano, if preferred.

    Notes

    • Cook’s Tip #1:  When adding the olive oil, you can add more or less than what I have indicated in this recipe — it will all depend on how much is produced by frying the pancetta.  The main thing is that the oil should be enough to coat the chopped onion and the rice.
    • Cook’s Tip #2:  Make sure there’s still a bit of liquid in the rice when you take your pancetta risotto off the heat.  Remember that you will still be adding the butter, cheese, and pancetta bits — the cooking process is still not finished.
    • Cook’s Tip #3:  Depending on whether you are using seasoned stock or not, you will need to add salt to your risotto.  Hence, taste and adjust the seasoning as per your preference.  As a reference, I rarely add salt because my chicken stock is already seasoned; plus, there’s the extra salt from the pancetta and parmigiano Reggiano.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 760kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 2412mg | Potassium: 392mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1720IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 344mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @foodandjourneys or tag #foodandjourneys!

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