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Creamy Polenta

April 5, 2011

Polenta is a on the menu a lot in our house because it's fast to make, the kids love its texture and there are so many different variations on it I can make that range from savory to sweet. Although I usually like to pour the cooked polenta on to a cookie sheet and allow it to cool before the kids cut it into shapes, this soft polenta recipe is a dish they adore equally as much Breakfast Polenta or Polenta Cutouts.

Soft polenta has a consistency closer to that of Cream of Wheat or even oatmeal. Served under a piece of chicken, shrimp, fish, steak, or even on its own, this quick and creamy side dish is perfect for a busy night when you need something delicious on the table in less than 10 minutes.

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Creamy Polenta  (Serves 4)

  • Cook Time: 5 minutes,
  • Total Time: 5 minutes,

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup quick-cook polenta
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

  1. 1. Bring water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta, stirring continuously for about 2 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Reduce heat to a simmer.
  2. 2. Whisk in butter, cream cheese and parmesan until thickened and cook the polenta for an additional 3 minutes (or according to package directions).
  3. 3. Serve.
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Comments






  1. bunbunbaby

    May 29, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Reply

    I just made ths, added some herbs at the end, and it was delicious…BUT, i wound up with a few lumps in my polenta. I cooked it precisely as described, any ideas as to what happened?

    Thank you :)

  2. maquiberries

    May 27, 2011 at 12:42 pm

    Reply

    Hi, Thank you for stating this so simply and clearly…I really couldn’t agree with you more…and once someone does eat Real Food, the fake stuff is so very unappealing!!!

  3. car key programmer

    May 27, 2011 at 1:49 am

    Reply

    I take pleasure in, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. You’ve ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye

  4. Brandan WH

    May 2, 2011 at 11:38 am

    Reply

    Made this the other night-sooo good! Also used reduced fat cream cheeese and didn’t have have much of a problem with texture. Was pleasantly surprised that it all came out so smooth considering that i did not have the cream cheese at room temperature before adding to pot. Will definitely try this dish again as it seems to be a versatile side. Thanks!

  5. tracynord

    April 7, 2011 at 9:14 pm

    Reply

    I tried this today. It tasted really great, but the texture was gelatinous. Any suggestions? I used 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, maybe that was the problem.

  6. teddi

    April 6, 2011 at 2:11 am

    Reply

    where do you buy your polenta? I’ve tried trader joes, ralphs, albertsons…

    • Lisa

      April 6, 2011 at 6:28 am

      Reply

      Polenta is coarse cornmeal aka “grits”. I usually don’t get the quick cooking kind (Next time I’ll look for some for convenience). I like Bob’s Red Mill Corn Grits Polenta—mind you this is not a convenient product if you want to cook something in 10 minutes.

      • teddi

        April 8, 2011 at 1:35 am

        Reply

        awesome – thanks – I’ll look for that then! btw – I am a total fan of your website and my kids are too :-)

  7. Rose

    April 5, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    Reply

    I have never made polenta but want to give it a try. I would love it if you would post different variations for those of us not creative enough to figure it out for our selves :-) sweet, savory, bring it on!

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  9. Fabiana S

    April 5, 2011 at 8:46 am

    Reply

    I’ll make polenta for dinner tonight!
    I love WEELICIOUS!

  10. Tracy

    April 5, 2011 at 8:34 am

    Reply

    YES! I’m so excited to try it, thanks so much Catherine!

  11. Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama

    April 5, 2011 at 7:31 am

    Reply

    We love polenta topped with roasted vegetables. So good!

  12. Victoria

    April 5, 2011 at 6:40 am

    Reply

    Looks delicious, I want to cook more polenta and this has inspired me to get back to use it more. Thanks!

  13. Ruthann

    April 5, 2011 at 6:06 am

    Reply

    Can this recipe be made without the dairy? My DD and I are allergic to dairy and I was wondering if it would alter the texture or the taste? Thank you for your wonderful recipes!!

    • catherine

      April 6, 2011 at 6:11 pm

      Reply

      You can make this with rice milk, but it will not get the same creamy texture that it would have with the cream cheese or parmesan. It would change the taste though.

    • Kirsten

      April 5, 2011 at 12:15 pm

      Reply

      i make polenta using rice milk and it turns out great



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