Mushroom Polenta: Creamy, Hearty, And Full Of Flavor
Imagine this: creamy polenta, roasted baby bella and shiitake mushrooms, crunchy walnuts, pungent blue cheese and a big ol’ ribeye steak. That is our idea of a simple, elegant steakhouse meal at home, and this mushroom polenta is the perfect side dish for the occasion!
A lifetime ago, before kids, my husband and I enjoyed a dish reminiscent of this at Union Square Cafe in NYC. It’s a bunch of humble ingredients, but they come together in a show stopping way. We love to enjoy this on cool fall and winter evenings with a double pour of Pinot Noir.
First – What Is Polenta?
Polenta is made from boiling finely ground cornmeal (pulverized dried corn) into a porridge-like consistency. It hardens as it rests; once cooled, polenta is firm enough to be cut into squares (shoutout to parmesan polenta fries!), fried, grilled etc. For mushroom polenta , however, we’re aiming for a creamy, pourable texture.
Ingredients For Mushroom Polenta With Blue Cheese
For the roasted mushrooms:
- Baby bella mushrooms
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Kosher salt
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sherry vinegar — the not-so-secret ingredient that gives the mushroom polenta its signature flavor!
For the polenta:
- Fine yellow cornmeal
- Water
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
How To Roast Mushrooms
Roasting mushrooms is seriously easy and takes mere minutes to prep.
- Prep the mushrooms. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Combine cleaned mushrooms (stems removed from shiitakes, all others are less fibrous and tough, so if you want to leave them on you can!) in a large bowl with 2 thinly sliced shallots, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp sherry vinegar, and ½ tsp Kosher salt. Place in a skillet or baking dish, then add 1 head of garlic (halved) and 4 sprigs fresh thyme.
- Roast the mushrooms. Cook for ~30 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden brown, have crispy exteriors, and tender centers.
P.S. Your house smells amazing now. Oven roasted mushrooms ‘da best!
Creamy Parmesan Polenta
If you like a super creamy polenta, look for fine yellow cornmeal. You can totally use a coarser ground cornmeal, but it will have a different texture.
To make polenta:
- Stir in cornmeal. Bring 4 cups water and 1 tsp Kosher salt to a rapid boil in a sauce pan. Whisk in polenta, stirring continuously for a few minutes until it’s absorbed all water. Lower the heat to a simmer, then cover.
- Cook until creamy. The polenta will cook for ~30 minutes. Give it a good whisk every 5 minutes, then re-cover and walk away.
- Finish the polenta. When fully cooked, add a few pats of unsalted butter and some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Whisk again, then pour into a bowl for serving.
Assemble The Mushroom Polenta
At this point, you’re just combining the various elements.
- Discard thyme leaves and garlic skin, then top parmesan polenta with roasted mushrooms, shallots, and any pan drippings or sauce.
- Sprinkle with blue cheese or gorgonzola and crunchy walnuts, then generously drizzle with high quality extra virgin olive oil and some flaky sea salt.
You can serve mushroom polenta as shown below or you can give it a good mix so everything is incorporated before serving.
FAQs About Mushroom Polenta
- Is polenta gluten-free? It sure is! Polenta is made from ground corn, which is naturally gluten-free. Mushroom polenta is a great side dish or hearty vegetarian entrée to serve to folks who avoid gluten.
- Can you make mushroom polenta ahead of time? With a little planning, yes! The mushrooms can absolutely be made ahead of time with no real change to texture or flavor from reheating. For the polenta, you’ll want to reheat it on a stovetop over medium heat with a few splashes of water, milk, or butter added in to help loosen it up again. Polenta is creamy when it comes off the stove initially, but firms up as it rests. You may need to season with additional salt if you end up adding a lot of water, so don’t forget to taste before serving!!
- Can I use other types of mushrooms? Of course! Any roasted (or even sautéed!) mushrooms will work.
- I don’t like blue cheese — what can I use instead? If blue cheese is too pungent, try gorgonzola dolce which is much sweeter. Otherwise, you can mix in anything from chevre (goat cheese) to feta to fontina cheese. I bet a wine soaked cheese would be a fantastic addition!
What To Serve With Mushroom Polenta
We eat this exactly as pictured for a simple, elegant vegetarian recipe, however, you could make this fancy schmancy by serving it with a perfect grilled steak.
Other serving suggestions:
- Grilled or roasted proteins: slow baked salmon, rotisserie chicken, pork chops, grilled shrimp — literally any simple entrée would work well!
- Salads and veggies: try our Well Seasoned house salad, roasted broccolini, or Sicilian cauliflower
Keep the other dishes simple. Mushroom polenta is hearty and flavorful and can shine all on its own.
Wine pairings!
As part of my Date Night In series, I’m offering up a few wine suggestions to serve alongside mushroom polenta.
Red wine: medium-bodied red, such as Pinot Noir or Syrah — the earthy flavors will play off the mushrooms beautifully.
Rose: ALL DAY. I am biased, but I feel like there’s not much rosé doesn’t go with. Look for something dry and not too sweet. AIX is great here!
White wine: rich, full-bodied whites, such as Chardonnay, Viognier, or Sauvignon Blanc.
If you make this Mushroom Polenta, please let us know by leaving a review below! Totally restaurant-worthy and perfect for a date night in or intimate dinner party!
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For more date night worthy dishes, check out the following recipes, always sure to impress!
- Braised beef pappardelle (date night perfection)
- 7 minute soy sauce eggs with sticky rice (shoyu tamago)
- Roasted golden beets with walnuts and arugula
- Lamb and mint pasta with ricotta cheese
- Easy weeknight slow baked salmon with herb shallot butter
Mushroom Polenta
Ingredients
For Roasted Mushrooms
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms cleaned and stems removed
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms cleaned and stems removed
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 head of garlic halved
For Polenta
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
For serving
- ¼ cup walnut pieces toasted
- ¼ cup gorgonzola or blue cheese
- 2 Tbsp high quality extra virgin olive oil for serving
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Prep the mushrooms. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Combine cleaned mushrooms (stems removed from shiitakes, all others are less fibrous and tough, so if you want to leave them on you can!) in a large bowl with 2 thinly sliced shallots, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp sherry vinegar, and ½ tsp Kosher salt. Place in a skillet or baking dish, then add 1 head of garlic (halved) and 4 sprigs fresh thyme.
- Roast the mushrooms. Cook for ~30 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden brown, have crispy exteriors, and tender centers.
- Stir in cornmeal. Bring 4 cups water and 1 tsp Kosher salt to a rapid boil in a sauce pan. Whisk in polenta, stirring continuously for a few minutes until it's absorbed all water. Lower the heat to a simmer, then cover.
- Cook until creamy. The polenta will cook for ~30 minutes. Give it a good whisk every 5 minutes, then re-cover and walk away.
- Finish the polenta. When fully cooked, add a few pats of unsalted butter and some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Whisk again, then pour into a bowl for serving.
- Assemble the mushroom polenta. Discard thyme leaves and garlic skin, then top parmesan polenta with roasted mushrooms, shallots, and any pan drippings or sauce. Sprinkle with blue cheese (or gorgonzola) and crunchy walnuts, then generously drizzle with high quality extra virgin olive oil and some flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Polenta: A coarser cornmeal can be used to make polenta, but it will result in a texture that is overall less smooth.
- Cheese substitute: Goat cheese or feta would be great!
- Make ahead mushrooms: Roasted mushrooms can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator. Reheat just before serving (stove top, microwave, or oven!).
- Make ahead polenta: Cook as directed. To reheat, return to a pot on the stove top and add water or milk (start with ½ cup, adding more as needed), then whisk and bring temperature up slowly. Continue cooking and adding more liquid as necessary until polenta is smooth and creamy again. Taste to adjust seasoning – more salt may be needed!
- Mushrooms: Use any mix or blend of mushrooms you like! The contrast in textures is what makes this so memorable — for that reason we recommend more than 1 variety of mushroom!
Let us know your thoughts!