4 cups water (substitute chicken stock or beef broth)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup 35% cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To serve:
freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Parmesan cheese
black pepper
Takes ,
serves 6.
Instructions
Stir garlic powder together with cornmeal.
Pour water or stock into medium-sized saucepan. Stir in salt. Bring to a boil.
Add cornmeal to liquid in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to eliminate any lumps. Add pepper then reduce temperature to low. Stir constantly while the polenta cooks, about 10 minutes for finely ground cornmeal, 15 minutes for medium and 20 for coarse.
Remove from heat. Add butter and cream and stir until blended and butter melts. Add Parmesan and stir again. Garnish with more Parmesan, freshly chopped parsley and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups water (substitute chicken stock or beef broth)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup 35% cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To serve:
freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Parmesan cheese
black pepper
Directions
Stir garlic powder together with cornmeal.
Pour water or stock into medium-sized saucepan. Stir in salt. Bring to a boil.
Add cornmeal to liquid in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to eliminate any lumps. Add pepper then reduce temperature to low. Stir constantly while the polenta cooks, about 10 minutes for finely ground cornmeal, 15 minutes for medium and 20 for coarse.
Remove from heat. Add butter and cream and stir until blended and butter melts. Add Parmesan and stir again. Garnish with more Parmesan, freshly chopped parsley and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese
5 / 5. 1
Seasoned cornmeal slowly cooked and finished with butter, cream and grated Parmesan cheese…
CREAMY POLENTA WITH PARMESAN is your next side dish game changer!
The idea for this recipe started a few years back with a luncheon my family was planning. We needed a gluten-free side dish, so we crafted a simple polenta dish and it was very well received. If you’ve never heard of or prepared this popular side dish from Northern Italy, you’re in for a terrific treat. This CREAMY POLENTA WITH PARMESAN is the one to make and it may even become a staple in your side dish repertoire.
Before we list a few essential tips, here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions about polenta:
Can you make polenta with any cornmeal? Yes, any yellow cornmeal – fine, medium or coarsely ground – can be used to make polenta. We suggest looking for 100% stone-ground cornmeal where some of the corn kernel’s hull and germ remain. This keeps more of corn’s nutrients intact.
What’s the ratio of cornmeal to liquid? We’ll share tips on the types of liquid you can use to make polenta, but the ratio is 1:4, cups cornmeal to cups water or other liquid.
Is polenta healthier than pasta or rice? Polenta is high in both protein and fibre. Compared to pasta, rice and even potatoes, polenta is lower in calories and fat.
Disclaimer: We add butter, cream and Parmesan to this recipe which may raise a few health-conscious eyebrows. But remember: everything in moderation. Polenta is a welcome change to the same ol’, same ol’, and we know you’re going to love it!
Here are some additional tips on making CREAMY POLENTA WITH PARMESAN:
INGREDIENTS
Only eight ingredients are needed to make this simple side dish recipe. The cheese, cream and butter are common items in the dairy section that are easy to pick up on your next shopping trip. All of the other ingredients are standard pantry fare. We’ll chat about cornmeal in the next section but the takeaway on the ingredients is… simple!
CORNMEAL
As mentioned off the top, you use any grind of cornmeal made from yellow corn. White corn or hominy is most often associated with making grits, so let’s stick with yellow cornmeal for this recipe. The grind of cornmeal you use for this recipe will produce vastly different finished side dishes. Using fine cornmeal will create a polenta with a smoother, soft consistency. Medium cornmeal will hold more shape and the texture will be more like oatmeal, while coarse-ground cornmeal yields a mush that holds shape and texture on the tongue.
Regardless of the grade of cornmeal, let’s not forget the health and nutrition benefits of it. Cornmeal is high in fibre and protein and is also low-fat, cholesterol-free and a great source of carbohydrates, calcium and potassium. It’s also gluten-free, but double-check that the brand you’re purchasing is processed in a gluten-free facility.
LIQUID
We made this CREAMY POLENTA recipe using boiling water that’s been salted. This is a similar approach to cooking pasta. That said, we invite you to try the recipe using a healthy vegetable broth or something with more flavour like chicken broth, chicken stock, beef broth or beef stock. Using the latter is suggested when pairing this side dish with a meat or poultry main course, just remember to reduce the quantity of salt from two teaspoons to one. Some store-bought broths or stocks are often prepared now with reduced sodium, so look for those. Then you can adjust the taste of the dish right before you serve.
SEASONING
We included both garlic powder and black pepper in this recipe, adding pleasing layers of flavour that pair well with the cornmeal, cheese and butter. Feel free to leave them out if you’d prefer or experiment with other seasonings like paprika, cayenne and allspice. Additionally, you can also add dried herbs like oregano, parsley and basil into the mix too.
ADD SLOWLY
If there’s one essential tip about making polenta, it’s to make sure you add the cornmeal to the boiling liquid in a slow, even stream, whisking it until combined. Following this instruction will ensure that your polenta has a creamy consistency without lumps. Sorry the above image is blurry, it’s an action shot, LOL! Watch this VIDEO to see this tip in practice.
TEXTURE
We prepared the dish for this recipe using fine-ground cornmeal. The grains swell and thicken as the cornmeal cooks in the saucepan, yielding a very soft texture. We achieve this by reducing the stovetop temperature from a moderate-high heat to a simmer. As the polenta cooks, stir it gently in the pan using a wooden spoon, making sure to get right to the bottom and edges of the pot, cooking everything evenly. This will take about 10 minutes for finely ground cornmeal, 15 minutes for medium, and 20 minutes for coarse.
CREAMINESS
Remember, this recipe is titled CREAMY POLENTA for good reason. The Parmesan cheese in a creamy parmesan polenta achieves not only the taste, but also adds to that creaminess. The other secret is to stir in both butter and 35% cream, AKA whipping or heavy cream, into the cooked polenta.
These two dairy products blend in perfectly to create a silky, creamy texture to the dish. They also prevent the polenta from firming up and setting too quickly.
SERVE
Serve hot polenta as you would mashed potatoes. You can add a dollop or two onto dinner plates or soup plates, then add a saucy main like our BEEF or LAMB STEW or our SHEET PAN PEPPERS AND TOMATOES. You can also serve it transferred into a serving bowl garnished with more grated Parmesan, a sprinkle of black pepper and chopped flat-leaf parsley.
A nice combination for all the vegetarians out there is to serve this polenta recipe topped with sautéed mushrooms.
Yet another wonderful way to enjoy our CREAMY POLENTA WITH PARMESAN is to top a dollop of it with our BRAISED SHORT RIBS. Don’t forget to add a ladle or two of the sauce over the ribs… is anyone else’s mouth watering?
The most important point when serving: polenta needs to be enjoyed pronto, so dig in everybody!
This wonderful homemade meal idea is so tasty, we suggest you PIN it to a favourite pasta, dinner or weeknight meal idea board on PINTEREST or BOOKMARK this tab on your browser for easy access. SHARE it with friends so they can make it too. We’d also appreciate seeing pics of all the delicious dishes you’re making these days. Use #weekendatthecottage when you post those pics on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks!
CREAMY POLENTA WITH PARMESAN CHEESE is creamy, cheesy, corny and delicious!
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Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups water (substitute chicken stock or beef broth)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup 35% cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To serve:
freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Parmesan cheese
black pepper
Directions
Stir garlic powder together with cornmeal.
Pour water or stock into medium-sized saucepan. Stir in salt. Bring to a boil.
Add cornmeal to liquid in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to eliminate any lumps. Add pepper then reduce temperature to low. Stir constantly while the polenta cooks, about 10 minutes for finely ground cornmeal, 15 minutes for medium and 20 for coarse.
Remove from heat. Add butter and cream and stir until blended and butter melts. Add Parmesan and stir again. Garnish with more Parmesan, freshly chopped parsley and black pepper. Serve immediately.
