Description
A comforting and creamy polenta recipe cooked gently with water and milk, enriched with butter and Parmesan cheese, and optionally flavored with fresh herbs like rosemary or parsley. Perfect as a warm side dish or base for various toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Liquid Base
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup milk
Polenta
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup coarse or medium-grind cornmeal
Additions
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or parsley, optional
Instructions
- Boil liquids: Bring the water and milk to a boil in a heavy-duty saucepan or small Dutch oven. Stir in the kosher salt.
- Add polenta: Gradually sprinkle the cornmeal into the boiling liquid while whisking constantly to prevent lumps and ensure smooth texture.
- Simmer and stir: Reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover, and cook the polenta for 35 minutes, stirring approximately every 10 minutes to avoid sticking and encourage a fluffy consistency.
- Finish polenta: When thick and pulling away from the pan sides, remove from heat and stir in butter, Parmesan cheese, and additional salt to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy polenta onto plates, garnish with fresh rosemary or parsley and extra Parmesan if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- For firmer polenta suitable for frying or grilling, reduce liquid to 3 ½ cups and cool the cooked polenta in a baking dish before slicing and pan-frying in olive oil.
- Replace some or all of the water with stock or broth for a richer flavor.
- You can substitute milk with unsweetened plant-based milk for a dairy-free version, although texture may vary slightly.
- If you only have fine table salt, use half the amount of kosher salt indicated since it is denser and saltier by volume.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
