My creamy parmesan polenta has a smooth, luscious texture with a nutty, cheesy taste. It’s is a year round favorite, but we especially love it in the fall and winter when it’s cold outside (my current obsession is serving it with tarragon roasted chicken!).
You can enjoy polenta in just about any dish that calls for mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. We love it as a side dish with grilled meats and roasted vegetables, though you can easily serve it as a main course with meatballs and marinara sauce (or a homeamde ragu), roasted chicken, or even poached eggs. And don’t worry, I’ll share my restaurant tips for preventing it from seizing on ya!
Be sure to check out more of my easy side dish recipes, including Pumpkin Polenta, Mushroom Polenta, and these irresistible Parmesan Polenta Fries (the very best use for leftover polenta!).
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Low-sodium chicken broth: Though milk, water, or vegetable broth can be used.
- Kosher salt: To season the cornmeal.
- Fine, medium, or coarse ground polenta: Also labeled cornmeal, polenta is simply ground corn (meaning it’s naturally gluten-free). Cornmeal can be coarsely ground or finely-ground, and it can come from white corn or yellow corn.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: We recommend Parmigiano Reggiano for best flavor, but you can substitute with Pecorino Romano, Gruyere, or Asiago cheese..
- Unsalted butter: A few tablespoons of butter are added at the end to bring it all together.
- Mascarpone cheese: This adds another level of creaminess to the polenta!
A few optional add-on’s: fresh herbs, such as chives, sage, tarragon, basil, or oregano; freshly ground black pepper, to season.
Feel free to experiment with adding chopped vegetables, other herbs, or spices.
How To Make Creamy Polenta
- Bring a pot of chicken broth to a boil, then season with Kosher salt.
- Gradually whisk in the cornmeal, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
- Reduce the heat to medium low, then allow the polenta to cook, stirring frequently, about 20-25 minutes. The mixture will thicken and the cornmeal should become tender.
- Stir in the butter and grated Parmesan cheese until fully incorporated. This is also when you’ll add fresh herbs and mascarpone cheese, if using. Season to taste, then serve immediately!
To Prevent The Polenta From Seizing
Return the saucepan or pot to a stovetop over medium heat, then add a generous splash of milk or heavy cream. Stir until the liquid is absorbed and the polenta loosens up. Finish with an additional 1-2 tablespoons of butter.
Repeat as needed, but be careful not to add too much liquid, or you’ll end up with polenta soup.
Expert Tips For Creamy Polenta
- Stir often! While polenta doesn’t require as much stirring as a risotto, you want to make sure there are no lumps. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Use a high-quality Parmesan for the best flavor.
- If the polenta is too thick, you can add more broth, milk, or water.
- For an even creamier texture, you can cook cornmeal in milk or heavy cream instead of chicken stock or broth. We add plenty of Parmesan cheese, so find the polenta creamy enough to not need this, but you can choose your own destiny, so to speak.
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Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: Follow the instructions as written, then store leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days. If you do have leftovers, consider making our polenta fries!
- Reheat: To reheat leftover polenta, warm it in a saucepan on a stove top with a generous splash of milk or chicken broth. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. We recommend finishing with a tablespoon or two of butter.
- To freeze: Allow the polenta to cool completely to room temperature, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in a fridge, then reheat as instructed above.
How To Serve
Parmesan polenta can be served as a side dish, main course, or breakfast. Our breakfast polenta with pesto and poached eggs is one of our favorite savory meals during summer!
We love to top polenta with roasted mushrooms, vegetables, grilled chicken, sausage, or meatballs. Be sure to try our mushroom polenta recipe next! It’s a great substitute for mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice!
Indulgent and creamy, this easy polenta recipe is sure to become a favorite in your house. It’s humble and comforting, yet never fails to impress friends and family. You’re gonna love it!
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Creamy Parmesan Polenta (that won’t seize up!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal polenta fine, medium, or coarsely ground are fine
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock though milk, heavy cream, or water can be used
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¾ cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp mascarpone cheese
- 2 Tbsp optional: finely chopped herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, or tarragon — you can use a variety of mixed herbs
Instructions
- Cook the polenta. Combine 1 cup cornmeal, 3 cups chicken stock, and 1 tsp Kosher salt in a medium sauce pan, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir until thick and creamy, about 20 minutes.
- Flavor the polenta. Stir ¾ cup grated Parmesan, in 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp mascarpone, and 2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (if using) until very well mixed and butter and cheese has melted. Taste, adjust seasoning, then serve immediately!
Notes
- Use traditional (not quick cooking) polenta.
- Keep the polenta moving. While you don’t need to stir as consistently as you would with risotto, if you don’t stir often, you risk scorching the bottom of the pan or having lumps.
- Polenta cools (and seizes) quickly, so serve immediately for creamiest results! If the polenta does seize, return the pot to medium heat, then add a few tablespoons of milk or heavy and an additional tablespoon of butter, if needed, to loosen it up.
- To make-ahead: Follow the instructions as written, then store leftovers in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: To reheat leftover polenta, warm it in a saucepan on a stove top with a generous splash of milk, cream, or chicken broth. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. We recommend finishing with a tablespoon or two of butter.
- To freeze: Allow the polenta to cool completely to room temperature, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in a fridge, then reheat as instructed above.
This is the first time I’ve made polenta and it wasn’t bland! This is definitely my go to polenta recipe from now on. Delicious!
No bland polenta here! Cheesy, creamy goodness! xo, Ari