Creamy Polenta Recipe with Roasted Beets - Love and Lemons (2024)

FAQs

Why is my polenta not creamy? ›

Cook the Polenta Longer

I always thought my polenta looked done after 15 or 20 minutes of cooking, but just because it's thickened doesn't mean the cornmeal has cooked through. Keep on cooking until it tastes creamy, corny, and a little bit sweet. That extra time makes all the difference.

In Italian cooking, polenta is made with water. Some more Americanized recipes will prompt you to start with milk or stock, but (in my opinion) they are wrong. Hydrating your polenta with water will allow the flavor of the corn to shine, and it will allow each individual grain to absorb salt more readily.

Pour the cornmeal into the water gradually – NOT all at once – and whisk constantly as you do it. The constant whisking will evenly disperse the cornmeal grounds in the water, so they won't have a chance to clump together. It'll thicken as it sits.

Fortify your base. Polenta is usually made with water or milk, which results in a more neutral flavor. Next time you make it, try using a liquid with a little more personality: stock, either vegetable or otherwise, and coconut milk will both add depth to the final dish.

Sprinkle in cornmeal while whisking (water does not have to be boiling). Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Let boil, stirring frequently, until polenta thickens enough that it starts to spit.

In Italy, polenta is often eaten family-style from a large platter or wooden board, allowing guests to serve themselves at the table. Polenta, slow simmered ground corn, is eaten in many ways, as a main or side dish. It can be served simply, with just butter and cheese, or topped with sauce.

Polenta is high in protein and fiber, but compared to rice, pasta, or potatoes, it's much lower in calories and fat, yet still provides a source of complex carbs that are much-needed for energy. So, why not to try polenta out for your next meal?

Polenta is often used to substitute grains like pasta and rice, as it's lower in calories and is a source of complex carbohydrates. Because complex carbohydrates aren't broken down as quickly as simple carbohydrates, it's ideal for individuals watching their blood sugar levels.

In a large, deep saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. While whisking constantly, add polenta in a slow, steady stream. Reduce heat to medium, cook until thickened, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in cheese, heavy cream, and butter.

Whether you choose to use water or stock, or add butter and cheese, to keep your polenta creamy and pliable it needs to be served immediately – steaming hot from the pan. “Polenta is the perfect accompaniment to a flavourful, hearty ragu, grilled meats or sausages,” says the Florence-based food writer Emiko Davies.

Do you have to stir polenta constantly? ›

Instead of constant stirring, a quick, vigorous initial stir—always with a whisk, not a spoon—quickly releases enough starch from the corn that little stirring is needed after that. Then the grains should cook low and slow—no supervision needed.

Since polenta and grits are both made from ground corn, you can use them interchangeably. Bear in mind that grits are higher in starch than polenta, so if you sub in polenta for grits, you won't have to stir it as frequently, but it won't cook up as creamy as grits.

We prefer degerminated cornmeal, in which the hard hull and germ are removed from each kernel (check the back label or ingredient list to see if your cornmeal is degerminated; if it's not explicitly labeled as such, you can assume it's whole-grain).

Instead of laboring over the stovetop for nearly an hour, constantly stirring, you simply boil broth, gradually whisk in polenta, and wait. As the polenta sits, the hot broth gently, gradually cooks and swells the grains, and 45 minutes later, all that's left to do is whisk in the cheese and butter.

Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender. Turn off heat and gently stir 2 tablespoons butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.

What is the difference between white and yellow polenta, you may ask. White polenta, made from ground white cornmeal, tends to have a more delicate taste with finer grains than the slightly heavier yellow polenta.