Easy Polenta Recipe — Quick, Creamy & Made From Cornmeal
Creamy stovetop polenta made from basic cornmeal — just 5 ingredients, one pot, and about 15 minutes. Rich and buttery on its own, and the perfect base for braised meats, roasted vegetables, or a fried egg.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 341kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock vegetable stock or water will also work
- 1 cup cornmeal
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup butter
Instructions
- Add the stock (or water), cornmeal, and salt to a medium sized saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.
- Bring the cornmeal mixture to a boil, stirring consistently. Lower the heat and continue stirring until the polenta has thickened, which should take around 15 minutes.
- Taste the polenta and, if needed, add additional salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat. Add the butter, and any additional seasonings you’d like. (Thyme, rosemary, chives, cheese, etc.)
Notes
- Don’t use instant polenta. Instant polenta is typically ground very finely and won’t produce a good texture. You want a medium or coarsely (stoneground) ground cornmeal for this recipe.
- Standard ratio: 4 parts liquid to 1 part cornmeal. Scale up or down from there.
- Start the cornmeal in cold liquid and bring everything up to temperature together — this is the easiest way to keep polenta lump-free.
- Stir often. This will prevent the polenta from boiling over the top of your pot and from sticking to the bottom or burning.
- For a thicker polenta, cook it for slightly longer, until the porridge reaches your desired level of consistency.
- For cheesy polenta, stir in half a cup of finely grated parmesan off the heat.
- For extra richness, replace one cup of the stock with whole milk.
- Serve this dish immediately. Polenta will start to thicken the more it cools so be sure to serve it as soon as you take it off the stovetop.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of added liquid over low heat.
- To make vegan, omit the butter and finish with a drizzle of good olive oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 2mg
