Creamy Italian Polenta Recipes

CREAMY PARMESAN POLENTA

Steps:

• Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and very slowly whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Switch to a wooden spoon, add the salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring almost constantly, for 10 minutes, until thick. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan thoroughly while you're stirring. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, creme fraiche, and butter. Taste for seasonings and serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

BASIC POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.

CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Add water and salt to large sauce pan and bring to a soft boil.
• Slowly whisk in polenta. It's important to go slowly and continually whisk so you don't get lumps.
• Turn heat to low and allow polenta to gently simmer while continually whisking.
• When polenta starts to thicken, stop whisking and cover sauce pan.
• Allow polenta to simmer with a lid on for 30 minutes, stirring every 5-6 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, turn off the heat and add butter.
• When butter is halfway melted, stir in the parmesan cheese.
• Replace the lid on the pot and allow to sit off the heat for 5 minutes
• Taste the polenta and adjust seasoning if necessary.

INSTANT POT POLENTA

Steps:

• Method One - Directly Cook Polenta in Instant Pot: Add ingredients in Instant Pot in the following order. Add 1 tsp (7g) fine salt, 4 cups (1L) to 4½ cups (1.125L) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Add in 1 cup (195g) coarsely ground polenta. Do NOT Mix!With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes. Remove the lid carefully.*Pro Tip: To avoid the "Burn" Error, it's best to use Method 2. You don't have to worry about anything sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Method Two - Pot in Pot Polenta: Add 2 cups (500ml) water, a trivet in the larger Instant Pot inner pot. Add ingredients to your smaller stainless steel pot in the following order: add in 1 tsp (7g) fine salt, 1 cup (195g) coarsely ground polenta. Add in 4 cups (1L) to 4½ cups (1.125L) unsalted chicken stock. Place the smaller pot on the trivet. *Pro Tip: If you don't have a low-profile trivet, place the smaller pot directly in the water. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 15 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes. Remove the lid carefully.
• Add Butter & Season: The polenta will look a bit watery at first. Add in 2.5 tbsp (36g) unsalted butter, then mix until desired consistency with a whisk. Optionally, mix in ½ cup to 1 cup (32g - 64g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• Season & Serve: Taste and season polenta with more salt if necessary. For reference, we added 1 to 2 small pinches of salt. Serve this soft & creamy polenta immediately with your favorite main dishes, sauces, or veggies.

EASY VEGAN POLENTA (SUPER CREAMY!)

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.
• Once boiling, add in salt and stir to dissolve, then turn heat to medium.
• While whisking, slowly and continuously pour polenta into your water over the course of about 1 minute. Take it slow! This ensures that there will be no lumps in your cooked polenta.
• Once all of your polenta is in the water, continue whisking until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Then turn heat down to low and cover. The polenta should be gently bubbling but not fully simmering. Set a timer for 30 minutes and be sure to whisk the polenta every 5 minutes or so to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• After 30 minutes, test your polenta. It should be soft and porridgy, with no lumps or graininess. If you want your polenta slightly thicker, let it cook for another 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat and stir in vegan butter. Taste again and add more salt or butter if you want more savory or salty flavor. Enjoy!
• Polenta is a great base for sautéed veggies like asparagus or wilted greens, or with roasted garlic and baby tomatoes. Optionally, garnish with fresh basil or parsley, vegan parmesan, and/or more vegan butter.
• Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding more water and/or vegan butter as needed to rehydrate. Or, save leftovers for making polenta fries!