We use affiliate links. If you purchase something using one of these links, we may receive compensation or commission.
IIf you are looking for sunny flavors, look no further because this risotto with candied tomatoes, smoked bacon and burrata will make you salivate! A concentrate of sunshine and deliciousness on the plate, a recipe to try without further delay!

Today, let yourself be captivated by the sunny flavors of a delicious risotto with candied tomatoes, smoked bacon and burrata. With the start of the school year fast approaching and autumn timidly rearing its ugly head, I let myself be carried away by the irresistible desire to swap summer salads and fruits for comforting dishes!
Risotto, this great culinary classic, offers a multitude of possibilities to delight our taste buds. Besides, one of my favorite recipes, already shared on the blog, is the risotto with monk’s head and truffle oilwhich I reserve for cold winter days, when I seek warmth and comfort.
However, in summer, my heart leans towards a delicious tomato risotto (and when the tomatoes are from the garden, it’s even tastier!). Let me guide you step by step in preparing this wonderful summer recipe that will transport you to the heart of summer with every bite.

It’s on the Instagram account of Chef Simone Zanoni that I spotted an irresistible marriage of flavors that immediately captivated my taste buds: candied tomatoes, creamy burrata and guanciale. A marriage of delights that enhances risotto in a very original way, going off the beaten track of classic tomato risotto!
Having failed to find guanciale, I made my risotto with smoked bacon which offers a slightly different taste, but just as delicious
THE guanciale is an Italian specialty found in particular in the traditional spaghetti alla carbonara recipe. This is a piece of dried pig cheek.
* For a vegetarian version just as delicious, you can of course omit the bacon (or guanciale).
The recipe (or rather the ricetta !)
The result of this marriage of flavors is quite simply an extremely delicious risottovery creamy thanks to the burrata (and the burrata water which makes up the broth… yes yes, nothing is lost!) and intensely tasty with all the flavors of Italy that I prefer!
This recipe is really quick and easy to make if you follow all the instructions carefully.
If you want to know more about the technique, I refer you to my article from monk’s head risotto and Edda’s blog, A sunny lunch. I hope you enjoy the result as much as I do!

Ingredients
- 200 g carnaroli rice
- 80 g smoked bacon thinly sliced ​​(or guanciale)
- 1 glass white wine
Candied tomatoes
Tomato broth
- 400 g tomato pulp
- 400 g water
- water from your burrata
- 4 pods garlic whole
- 2 branches basil
- 2 branches thyme
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Trim
- 2 125 g burrata (or 1 large burrata of 250g)
- A few basil leaves
- 60 g parmesan grated
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Steps
Make the broth
- In a large saucepan, pour all the broth ingredients and bring everything to a boil over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Candied the tomatoes
- At the same time, preserve your cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. Start by preheating your oven to 150°C.
- Place your tomatoes cut in 2 on a baking tray covered with a sheet of parchment paper, cut side up.
- Drizzle with olive oil, add the chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Make the risotto
- In a large saucepan or frying pan, brown your smoked bacon sliced ​​into thin strips over medium to high heat. When the bacon has melted and begins to become crispy, remove it from your frying pan and set aside, taking care to leave the fat.
- Add the rice to the pan and mix well until it becomes translucent and pearly.
- Deglaze with white wine and let evaporate completely.
- When the wine is absorbed, start pouring the hot broth one ladle at a time while waiting for the previous one to be absorbed, while mixing gently with a wooden spoon. * Pass your broth gradually through a sieve or strainer to add only the liquid (also avoid pressing the garlic by passing it through a sieve, otherwise your risotto will be too garlicky).
- Do this for about 20 minutes. The rice must be firm at heart, but not crunchy, and the mixture not too liquid, because the burrata will add creaminess.
- At the same time, on a plate, separate the skin of the burrata from its core.
- At the end of cooking, off the heat, add the smoked bacon, the candied tomatoes, the skin of the burrata cut into pieces and half of the heart of the burrata. Add the chopped basil and grated parmesan. Mix well until the texture is creamy.
- To finish, arrange your risotto on plates and decorate with the remaining burrata and a few basil leaves.
Notes
Vegetarian version : Brown your rice in 3 tbsp. tablespoon of olive oil. Then follow the steps.