Risotto Carbonara is an easy restaurant-quality dish you can whip up at home in just a few minutes. I have included stovetop and Instant Pot Instructions for you.  

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

Cooking restaurant-quality meals at home can save you tons of time and money.  There is no babysitter to pay, no restaurant prices, and you can even eat it in the comfort of your home!  You only need a few ingredients and 30 minutes to whip up this mouthwatering meal.

What is Carbonara?

Carbonara is an Italian classic dish that originated in Rome. It is known for its rich and creamy texture and the saltiness of the cured pork. Usually, carbonara is made with pasta instead of risotto. The sauce is made from parmesan cheese and eggs. The heat from the risotto heats the eggs just enough to create a smooth and creamy texture without scrambling them.

Where does risotto originate?

Parmesan risotto, also known as “Risotto alla Parmigiana” in Italian, originated in Northern Italy, particularly in the regions of Lombardy and Piedmont. The combination of creamy risotto cooked with flavorful broth and Parmesan cheese creates a rich and satisfying dish that has been enjoyed for centuries in Italy.

Ingredients needed

Four slices of bacon- you can also substitute the bacon for diced pancetta, ham, or prosciutto.  

1.5 cups of arborio rice

5 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth 

1/4 cup chopped onions or shallots

One tablespoon of minced garlic or three cloves of garlic

Three eggs

1.5 cups of parmesan cheese

One teaspoon of black pepper 

salt to taste ( optional)

optional ingredients – add heavy cream to this recipe when you add the sauce.   You can also choose to add 1/4 cup of dry white wine. You can add a tablespoon of butter to make this extra creamy.    You can also choose to add veggies to this dish.  This meal would taste delicious with peas, spinach, mushrooms, or broccoli.

This creamy chicken risotto is super tender and amazingly satisfying! You can make it on your stove or in your instant pot, which is less labor-intensive. This meal is incredible and will please everyone in your family.

Instant Pot directions

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and select the “Sauté” function. Once hot, add sliced bacon and cook.
2. Add chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté until onions are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add Arborio rice to the pot and toast for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring well to combine and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
6. Once the cooking time is complete, allow for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully do a quick pressure release.
7.  While the rice is cooking, prepare the Carbonara sauce.  Whisk eggs, Parmesan cheese, and pepper well.
8. Press cancel to stop the cooking. Slowly pour the egg and parmesan mixture in, stirring so the eggs won’t scramble, and until the cheese has melted. Stir until the risotto is creamy and well combined.
9. Transfer to a serving bowl.  If desired, serve hot, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Stovetop directions

1. Add bacon, onion, and garlic to a pan, Dutch oven, or medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the onions are translucent and the bacon is cooked.
2. Add the Arborio rice to the skillet and toast it for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes slightly translucent.
3. Add the chicken broth to the skillet, stirring frequently, one ladleful at a time. Allow each addition of broth to be absorbed by the rice before adding more. Continue this process until the rice is creamy and cooked, about 18-20 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.
4. Prepare your carbonara sauce.  Whisk eggs, parmesan cheese, and pepper into a small bowl.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and slowly stir in the parmesan egg mixture.  You should constantly stir your risotto so the eggs don’t scramble.
6. Garnish with more parmesan cheese, parsley, other herbs, or veggies.  Serve still piping hot.

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Risotto Carbonara

This Risotto Carbonara is an easy restaurant quality dish you can whip up at home in just a few minutes

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1.5 cups arborio rice
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 eggs
• 1.5 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and select the “Sauté” function. Once hot, add sliced bacon and cook. 

2. Add chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté until onions are soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add Arborio rice to the pot and toast for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Pour in the chicken broth, stirring well to combine and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

5. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

6. Once the cooking time is complete, allow for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully do a quick pressure release.

7. While the rice is cooking, prepare the Carbonara sauce.  Whisk eggs, Parmesan cheese, and pepper well.

8. Press cancel to stop the cooking.  pour the egg and parmesan mixture in slowly, while stirring so the eggs wont scramble and the until the cheese has melted.  Stir until the risotto is creamy and well combined.

9. Transfer to a serving bowl.  Serve hot, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.

Stovetop Directions

1. Add bacon, onion, and garlic to a pan, Dutch oven, or medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the onions are translucent and the bacon is cooked.

2. Add the Arborio rice to the skillet and toast it for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes slightly translucent.

3. Add the chicken broth to the skillet, stirring frequently, one ladleful at a time. Allow each addition of broth to be absorbed by the rice before adding more. Continue this process until the rice is creamy and cooked, about 18-20 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.

4. Prepare your carbonara sauce.  Whisk eggs, parmesan cheese, and pepper into a small bowl.  

5. Remove the skillet from the heat and slowly stir in the parmesan egg mixture.  You should constantly stir your risotto so the eggs don't scramble.  

6. Garnish with more parmesan cheese, parsley, other herbs, or veggies.  Serve still piping hot.

The flavor in this risotto will be out of this world!  This risotto can be a side dish or a main course.   If you liked this meal, you should also try:

Chicken Pot Pie Risotto 

Asparagus Lemon Risotto 

Pasta Puttanesca 

Minestrone Soup 

Did you try this Risotto Carbonara?  I would love to hear how it turned out for you!  You can comment below this blog post or tag me on social media to let me know how it worked!  You can find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.