Risotto With Chard and Pancetta
- Total Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 4ounces pancetta or unsmoked bacon, diced
- 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½cup chopped shallots or red onion
- 1(8-ounce) bunch Swiss chard, preferably red Swiss chard, stems thinly sliced and leaves coarsely chopped
- 3garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
- 1½cups Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or arborio rice
- 1teaspoon fine sea or table salt, plus more to taste
- ¾cup dry white wine
- 1quart chicken or vegetable broth, at room temperature (cold broth slows down the cooking)
- 1teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (save lemon, cut into wedges, for serving)
- ¼cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
372 calories; 15 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 9 grams protein; 711 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Combine pancetta and oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium. Cook until fat has rendered and the pancetta is golden brown and crisp, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Step 2
Add butter to the skillet and let melt over medium heat. Stir in shallot and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chard stems and garlic, and cook until fragrant and golden, 2 minutes.
- Step 3
Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until rice is opaque and smells slightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 4
Stir in wine and cook until it’s absorbed, about 3 minutes. Add stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked through but still has a slight bite, 20 to 27 minutes.
- Step 5
Add lemon zest and stir until well distributed. Stir in chard leaves and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes longer. If the risotto is too thick, stir in a little water or some more broth (do this until the level of creaminess pleases you; perfect risotto texture is subjective). Stir in Parmesan, then taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Step 6
Spoon immediately into individual bowls. Sprinkle pancetta on top and finish with more Parmesan and black pepper, if you’d like. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Celia
Now that we are empty nesters, we have risotto on Friday nights. Just like we did in our pre-kid days. I do most of the prep and my husband does the stirring. We drink wine and we talk. It makes for a lovely evening.
Hope
From article: I also threw in pancetta for a salty, brawny crunch. But it’s easy to leave out, and, if you weren’t expecting the pork, you’d never miss it. Or you can substitute shiitake or oyster mushrooms, sautéed until crisp.
Charles Michener
The suggested cooking times strike me as too loose. Unless you enjoy pancetta as pellets, cook them very gently for at least 8 minutes. Shallots on medium low soften in fewer than 3 minutes, as will chard stems and garlic. Rice will toast in under 3 minutes. Stock should be simmering - not room temperature - for quicker absorption. Go slow and easy with additional stock. Let risotto rest a few minutes. As Marcella taught, you don't whip up a risotto, you let it emerge.
Mariangela
Delicious! As in Italy, at the end of the cooking time you turn off the heat, add one last ladleful of broth, some butter and parmesan - put the lid on and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then stir and serve. Perfection!
Julia
It wouldn't be "risotto" but that shouldn't stop you. Having just made this I think it would be just fine with those grains.
Mole man
Mid March is chard season, and I have lots. Used orzo instead of risotto, followed the recipe, and it came out great.
lou ann
I never know the best way to use a bunch of chard. This is it.
Margaret
I substituted barley and the dish was great. It was a great side to the weeknight lemon chicken recipe.
Dee
Doubled the pancetta and the chard. Absolutely delicious.
KimC
Our neighbor made this delicious dish for us for dinner last night, and I had to bookmark it to make myself. She added finely chopped walnuts (though I’m not sure at which point). The texture of the dish was sublime.
Karrie
I’ve made a lot of risotto in my life. Often the use-things-up-in-the-fridge variety. But I’ve never before made it with room temperature stock rather than simmering stock. That it works equally well is a revelation. (And the finished product was wonderfully tasty.)
JudyS
I made this exactly as written-with one change, I added 1/2 lb mushrooms from our CSA along with chard stems. It was delicious and can not stress how important the lemon zest is! Great way to use that chard from your CSA.
Janice K.
In the article about this recipe, Melissa Clark says, "An occasional vigorous stir, I learned, works perfectly well. So does cooking rice and broth together in a stovetop or electric pressure cooker. And so does baking it." But there are no instructions for pressure cooker or baking preparation, either here or in the newspaper. Could that be provided? Timing? same ingredient amounts?
Kelly
This was really good! I’m new to making risottos but was impressed with how this turned out. One note - I should have used sodium-reduced stock - the dish was a little salty for my taste. Also, I’m at altitude (Colorado) and ended up needing about 1.5 quarts of stock total. Thankfully I had some extra around, but just a note for other cooks at altitude.
Diane D
Just finished this. It was so filling, I couldn't eat an entire bowl. I love Swiss chard and this gave the dish some welcome greens. I never cooked the chard stems before this and they were quite good. (I used regular green chard because that was available) Because I am not a cheese eater, I left out the parmesan and it is always fine for my taste buds. I do think adding the broth took me longer than 27 minutes. Because of the leftovers, I'll be eating this for the next few nights
Marla
This was seriously delicious and I don't even like risotto. I confess to stirring, because I can't imagine making risotto without stirring. Even after I did a full prep, mise en scene and all, it still took forever. But worth it. The only thing I couldn't find in the instructions was when to add the pancetta back in. So I made an executive decision and added it back when I added the chard leaves. Big hit in our house. Highly recommend!
sg pa
This was excellent. I left out the garlic. I made it with heated stock and just before serving added the juice of the lemon and mixed in the pancetta. The lemon and zest make it. Plus lots of cheese.
kevin owen
Recipe instructions should say to keep sliced chard stems and chopped leaves separate. Otherwise, loved this dish!
Martha
When spring delivers our farmer’s market, I grab several bunches of those tender, young leeks. Wash and slice them, then package them in Food Saver bags and store them in my freezer. This way I’ll always have those lovely leeks at the ready, my preferred allium for risotto.
barb
Having just returned from northern Italy, where risotto reigns, this recipe transported me back! Fabulous.
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