This 4-ingredient Parmesan Polenta is a simple and delicious Italian classic. Perfect for any meal, it’s creamy, comforting, and pairs well with everything. If you haven’t tried polenta yet, it’s a tasty cornmeal porridge that’s super easy to make.
I like to make my polenta with parmesan and butter to make it extra creamy. You can also use milk instead of water if you want it richer. It’s easy to make and perfect for beginners. You can also grind the cornmeal finer or boil it in milk for a smoother texture.
Polenta goes well with veggies or meat, like a chicken stew, or you can eat it on its own with some caramelized onions. For a fun snack, you can cut thicker polenta into slices and fry them until crispy.
Try making polenta and see what you like best. Don’t forget to share your recipes with friends!
🥘 Needed Ingredients:
- Cornmeal: The base of our polenta. If you’re out, coarse ground grits or semolina work too. Semolina will make it a bit smoother.
- Milk: Adds creaminess. You can use a mix of water and heavy cream, or vegetable broth for a savory twist. Non-dairy milks like almond or oat milk work too.
- Butter: Makes it smooth and rich. Use olive oil for a different taste, or margarine for a dairy-free option. Ghee is another great option.
- Parmesan: Adds a sharp, nutty flavor. Pecorino Romano is a good substitute. Asiago works too. For a non-dairy option, try nutritional yeast.
👩🍳 Step-by-step Directions:
Quick Note: Polenta to Water Ratio: I usually use the proportion of ¼ of cornmeal to water. That means if you will go with 1 cup of cornmeal, then, you will need 4 cups of water or milk.
Take a deep, thick-bottomed pan to avoid burning the polenta. I use a non-stick pan to be safe. Pour the water into the pan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Before the water gets hot, pour in the cornmeal and mix well.
Add salt right after that. Keep stirring until the water starts boiling to avoid lumps and get a creamy, smooth polenta. When it starts to boil and thicken, reduce the heat to low.
Add butter or olive oil.
Quick note: Olive oil gives a slightly spicier taste, while butter makes it creamier. Choose based on the flavor you want.
Mix well.
Cover the pan and simmer on low heat for about 30-40 minutes.
At the end, add Parmesan or your preferred cheese. Blue cheese gives an interesting flavor. Consider what you’ll serve with the polenta and choose the cheese accordingly.
Mix well and serve hot. If it cools, the polenta will harden and take the shape of the pan.
Enjoy your meal.
🍽️ Serving Ideas:
- Rustic Italian Dinner: For a cozy dinner, serve polenta with beef ragu, sautéed spinach, and crusty bread. Spoon polenta into a bowl, top with ragu, arrange spinach on the side, and add a slice of bread. Garnish with Parmesan and basil.
- Elegant Appetizer: Impress your guests with polenta topped with caramelized mushrooms, truffle oil, and fresh thyme. Serve in small dishes or ramekins for a sophisticated touch.
- Comforting Side Dish: Pair polenta with roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash, plus herbed goat cheese. Spread polenta on a platter, arrange veggies on top, and add dollops of goat cheese. Sprinkle with parsley.
- Savory Breakfast Bowl: Top polenta with a poached egg, crispy bacon bits, and sautéed cherry tomatoes. Scoop polenta into a bowl, place the egg on top, and scatter bacon and tomatoes. Finish with chives and black pepper.
- Vegan Delight: Serve polenta with grilled zucchini, bell peppers, and eggplant, drizzled with balsamic glaze and sprinkled with toasted pine nuts. Garnish with fresh basil for a vibrant vegan meal.
♻️ What to Do With Leftovers?
As the polenta thickens after it cools down, you can’t enjoy its creaminess as in the beginning when it was freshly cooked. But this doesn’t mean that you should throw away the leftovers. No, at all. I have a “secret sauce” for you.
After the polenta leftovers have cooled down, you can take a knife, and cut it into slices. Then, take a pan, and fry these slices of polenta until they will obtain a nice crispy color.
Now you can serve those crispy polenta fries as a delicious snack.
🤔 Answering Your Questions:
Is Polenta Healthy?
If we are referring to the original polenta recipe that was made using only cornmeal, salt, and water, then it is relatively healthy. If we will take into consideration modern recipes where it is added different cheeses, butter, and milk, we will have some more calories that we should take into account.
What Polenta is Made of?
Polenta is a corn porridge made from boiled cornmeal using only salt and water. Usually, it is made from coarsely ground yellow corn, but you can find recipes using and the finely-grounded yellow or white corn. Additionally, you can add parmesan, and butter and replace the water with milk to make it even creamier.
What Does it Taste Like?
It has a taste of corn porridge but it is a little bit mild. As the polenta has a neutral taste, you can add different spices or other ingredients to make it exactly to your taste. Because of its neutral taste, you can serve it with almost any type of meat or fish.
Difference Between Polenta and Grits?
The main difference between those is that polenta is made from flint corn while grits are made from dent corn. As for the taste, they are almost the same because both are made from corn, the single difference will be the texture. The grits will be creamier in texture.
Does Polenta Thicken as It Cools?
Yes, as polenta cools down, it will become thicker. Because of that, it is recommended to eat while it is still hot.
📋 Recipe Card:
Easy 4-ingredient Parmesan Polenta
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Cornmeal
- 4 Cups Water or Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Butter or Olive Oil
- ½ cup Parmesan to taste
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
Instructions
- We will use the proportion of 1/4. That means if you will go with 1 cup of cornmeal, then, you will need 4 cups of water or milk.
- Pour the water into the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately, still in cold water, pour cornmeal and mix well.1 Cup Cornmeal, 4 Cups Water
- Add salt. Keep mixing until the water starts to boil. When the water starts to boil, set the fire to a minimum.1 teaspoon Salt
- Add the butter or olive oil.2 Tablespoons Butter
- Mix well.
- Cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 30-40 minutes.
- In the end, add parmesan or other types of cheese that you prefer.½ cup Parmesan
- Mix well and serve while the polenta is still hot.
- Enjoy your meal.
Quick Note
I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑
Notes
- For the polenta, use a water ratio of 1 cup of corneal to 4 cups of water or milk.
- If you want a more flavorful taste, the first step may consider frying a little bit of the cornmeal in a pan for about 5-7 minutes at medium heat (You will smell the fried corn).
- If you fried the cornmeal in the beginning, then you should use a deep pan to avoid hot splashes. Also, as the corneal will be hot, you will need to use hot water to avoid differences in the temperatures between the cornmeal and water.
- When you will pour the cornmeal into the pan with water, add it little by little and mix continuously to avoid forming lumps.
Nutrition Estimates
If you enjoyed this recipe, please give it a rating and leave a comment! Share how you made the recipe and any tweaks you tried. Your feedback helps others and keeps our community growing!
Pooja Mandal
This seems like such a simple and delicious recipe. Just a few ingredients and your meal is set. Will definitely be trying it this weekend.
Alyssa Hixenbaugh
I love how simple yet tasty this recipe is! I’m looking forward to trying it out! 🙂
Mihaela | The World is an Oyster
I have to admit that I’ve never made a creamy one, but mamaliga is always a must with sarmale:)) I love the idea and will try next!
Helena Espindola
just made this, turned out so well!!
Dora
You nailed it! My polenta was perfection. Thank you!
Al Morris
Hard to go wrong with this recipe and it tastes delicious.
One thing, though, I think the recipe suggests far too much time on the stove. If the liquid is close to boiling, about 10 minutes should be enough. Low heat because it might send bubbles of the mix skyward otherwise. And keep a lid on it.
Maybe I’m using a quick cook ploenta.