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Home > Side Dish > Creamy Polenta

Creamy Polenta

Published: Aug 29, 2023

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close up view of polenta
smooth polenta in bowl with text

Cheesy creamy polenta is an excellent base for saucy dishes like short ribs, Italian sausages, ragu, and roasted vegetables. It’s a perfect compliment for any meal and comes together pretty quickly. Stone-ground yellow cornmeal is cooked in a seasoned aromatic broth and finished with a generous amount of butter and cheese. Eat it as it is or pair it with protein dishes like short ribs Italian sausages or ragu.

creamy polenta in bowl
Jump to:
  • Why this recipe works
  • Ingredients
  • How to make creamy polenta
  • How to serve creamy polenta
  • Tips to make creamy lump-free polenta
  • Storage and reheating
  • Common questions
  • 📋Creamy Polenta
  • Recipe Notes

Why this recipe works

A staple in Italian cuisine, a warm bowl of polenta topped with saucy hearty meat dishes is very comforting. A comforting bowl of polenta for chilly fall weather is perfect! Serve it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

A wonderful low-card side dish that you can add to your diet if you are low-carb diet. It’s nutritious too, cornmeal has good amount of fiber and protein.

This porridge-like texture of the polenta is a great meal on any day, and it works when served both hot and cold.

It’s ridiculously easy to make with minimal prep work.

Seasoned broth in which polenta is cooked makes it absorb all the flavors giving you a deliciously cheesy, savory side dish that can be a perfect base for any hearty stew or saucy dishes.

It’s a versatile dish, you can change the flavors depending on how you like.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need –

  • Stone ground polenta/yellow cornmeal
  • Chicken broth
  • Milk
  • Olive oil
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Fresh thyme or fresh rosemary
  • Bay leaf
  • Salt & pepper
  • Unsalted butter
  • Parmesan cheese
all ingredients for making creamy polenta

All ingredients’ exact measurements in mentioned in the recipe card below.

  1. Polenta – best to use stone ground cornmeal or polenta. Stone ground polenta is coarse in texture and leads to polenta that is creamy but with a slight bite to it. If you can’t get stone ground polenta, choose regular polenta with medium-sized grits. If polenta is too coarse, simply pulse the cornmeal in a blender, so the granules are less coarse. If you use quick-cook polenta, cooking time will vary significantly, and its texture will be grainier as it cooks faster. Quick-cook polenta works best if you want to grill, bake, or fry it after it’s cooked like polenta fries.
  2. Broth – use chicken or beef broth. Vegetarians can use vegetable broth. Though water can be used instead of broth, I highly recommend broth as it seasons the liquid with more flavor and polenta has more flavor and taste.
  3. Milk – a mix of milk and broth makes polenta creamy and flavorful.
  4. Olive oil – Use extra virgin olive oil.
  5. Yellow onion & and garlic – aromats to add more flavor and aroma to the liquid in which polenta is cooked.
  6. Herbs – I used fresh thyme and a small bay leaf. Thyme can be substituted with fresh rosemary or parsley. Bay leaf is used for flavor, discard it after the polenta is cooked, before serving.
  7. Seasoning – Always taste first before seasoning the polenta. Salt and pepper as per taste to be added.
  8. Butter – it’s crucial you use unsalted butter.
  9. Parmesan – Use freshly grated parmesan cheese.

How to make creamy polenta

I found the ratio to make perfectly creamy polenta is 4:1, 4 parts liquid to cook 1 part polenta. In a large saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil.

Sauté diced onion and minced garlic, do not let it brown (mine slightly browned due to cooking on high heat and I was trying to shoot).

Pour stock and milk into the pan. Add fresh thyme and bay leaf.

Wait for the liquid to just begin to boil, simmer heat, and slowly add the cornmeal while whisking constantly.

Whisk rigorously.

picture collage of cooking polenta

Cover and simmer cook for 20-35 minutes (depending on the texture of your cornmeal), whisking frequently. Polenta will be done once it pulls clean from the sides of the pan.

picture collage of making creamy polenta in sauce pan

Once polenta is cooked, taste and add seasoning (salt and ground pepper) as per taste, butter, and Parmesan cheese.

Mix well until cheese and butter are fully melted.

creamy buttery polenta

Serve hot as a side dish for any heaty meaty saucy dishes like short ribs, stew, ragu, and Italian sausages.

How to serve creamy polenta

Cheesy creamy polenta is an excellent base for saucy dishes like short ribs, stew, Italian sausages, ragu, and roasted vegetables. It’s a perfect complement to any meal.

I can eat it as it is, it’s creamy, cheesy and so comforting.

Add a pile of polenta in a bowl and top it with any meaty dish of your choice. A warm bowl of this creamy polenta with a hearty stew or ragu is so comforting on a chilly winter night.

Sharing some ideas for topping creamy polenta with –

  • Pork/beef ragu
  • Short ribs
  • Cajun shrimp
  • Italian sausages
  • Roasted vegetables
  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Green beans
  • Lamb stew
  • Fried eggs
  • Braised lamb shank

Tips to make creamy lump-free polenta

  1. Use the right cornmeal, the texture depends on the type of cornmeal you choose. Medium coarsely ground polenta is best.
  2. Avoid lumps. Slowly add cornmeal into boiling liquid while constantly whisking. This will get rid of the clumps.
  3. Polenta on its own is bland. Add flavor to it by cooking it in stock and season well. Onion, garlic, fresh thyme, and bay leaf add tons of flavor to the broth and hence the polenta.
  4. Remember creamy polenta thickens as it sits. Serve it right away to enjoy the best texture. If you are not planning to serve immediately, and if the polenta has thickened, reheat it on the stove on low heat adding very little water, milk, or stock, and stir to break any lumps in it until you get the desired consistency.

Storage and reheating

Leftover polenta can be stored covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Remember polenta thickens as it sits. If you plan to use it for grilling or frying, it’s advisable to pour polenta into a casserole dish before storing it in the refrigerator. Once cooled cover with plastic wrap and store refrigerated.

Reheat it on the stove on low heat adding very little water, milk, or stock, and stir to break any lumps in it until you get the desired consistency.

Common questions

What is polenta?

Polenta is a North Italian staple made of stone-ground dried yellow corn kernels. It’s rich, yellow-colored cornmeal and has a slightly sweet flavor.

Are polenta and grits the same?

While some label grits are polenta, they are different. Traditionally grits are made of coarsely ground white corn and polenta is made of finely ground dried yellow corn. Grits are a regional specialty of South America as polenta is a traditional Italian dish.

How to avoid lumps?

Do not dump all cornmeal at once into the liquid. Wait for the liquid to come to a boil. Slowly add cornmeal into boiling liquid while constantly whisking. This will get rid of the clumps.

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close up view of polenta in bowl
polenta in bowl with creamy texture
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📋Creamy Polenta

Jyothi Rajesh
Cheesy creamy polenta is an excellent base for saucy dishes like short ribs, Italian sausages, ragu, and roasted vegetables. It’s a perfect compliment for any meal and comes together pretty quickly. Stone-ground yellow cornmeal is cooked in a seasoned aromatic broth and finished with a generous amount of butter and cheese. Eat it as it is or pair it with protein dishes like short ribs Italian sausages or ragu.
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 422

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 cups chicken stock beef stock, or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup medium ground cornmeal
  • Salt and ground pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions
 

  • In a large saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil.
  • Sauté diced onion and minced garlic, do not let it brown (mine slightly browned due to cooking on high heat and I was trying to shoot).
  • Pour stock and milk into the pan. Add fresh thyme and bay leaf.
  • Wait for the liquid to just begin to boil, simmer heat, and slowly add the cornmeal while whisking constantly.
  • Whisk rigorously.
  • Cover and simmer cook for 20-35 minutes (depending on the texture of your cornmeal), whisking frequently. Polenta will be done once it pulls clean from the sides of the pan.
  • Once polenta is cooked, taste and add seasoning (salt and ground pepper) as per taste, butter, and Parmesan cheese.
  • Mix well until cheese and butter are fully melted.
  • Serve hot as a side dish for any heaty meaty saucy dishes like short ribs, stew, ragu, and Italian sausages.

Video

Notes

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 15gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 485mgPotassium: 469mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 490IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 243mgIron: 2mg
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Recipe Notes

  1. Use the right cornmeal, the texture depends on the type of cornmeal you choose. Medium coarsely ground polenta is best.
  2. Avoid lumps. Slowly add cornmeal into boiling liquid while constantly whisking. This will get rid of the clumps.
  3. Polenta on its own is bland. Add flavor to it by cooking it in stock and season well. Onion, garlic, fresh thyme, and bay leaf add tons of flavor to the broth and hence the polenta.
  4. Remember creamy polenta thickens as it sits. Serve it right away to enjoy the best texture. If you are not planning to serve immediately, and if the polenta has thickened, reheat it on the stove on low heat adding very little water, milk, or stock, and stir to break any lumps in it until you get the desired consistency.

Created by Jyothi Rajesh

Thank you for stopping by.

I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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