Soft cheesy polenta is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a main course or a side dish. It is made with cornmeal, water, and milk, and can be flavored with a variety of ingredients, such as cheese, herbs, and vegetables. Polenta is a great way to use up leftover cornmeal, and it is also a good source of fiber and protein. In this article, we will provide you with a few tips for making the best soft cheesy polenta, as well as a few different recipes that you can try.
Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!
QUICK AND CHEESY POLENTA
Polenta is a delicious, easy-to-prepare corn dish, similar to grits. I love it for its quick prep time and creamy goodness. Try this quick and cheesy polenta recipe for a great dinner.
Provided by Jessica Fisher
Categories Side Dish
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the broth, milk, and salt. Bring to a low boil.
- Stir in the polenta and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add more water if necessary to prevent sticking.
- Stir in the butter and add the cheese in small amounts, stirring to incorporate well. Season to taste with pepper and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 369 kcal, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 13 g, Fat 19 g, SaturatedFat 12 g, Cholesterol 49 mg, Sodium 1364 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 3 g, ServingSize 1 serving
SOFT, CHEESY POLENTA
Using quick-cooking polenta is a convenient shortcut. This makes a great accompaniment to Pork Chops with Roasted Peppers.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Quick & Easy Recipes
Time 10m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Combine broth and salt, and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta, changing to a wooden spoon as the mixture thickens, and cook 5 minutes.
- Stir in butter and cheese, and season with pepper.
QUICK-COOKING SOFT POLENTA
Serve this quick-cooking dish with our Osso Buco.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Quick & Easy Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- In medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add polenta in a slow steady stream, whisking continuously. Whisk until thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and cheese, and stir. Season with salt and pepper; serve warm.
CHEESY POLENTA CASSEROLE
A fairly quick and simple recipe that utilizes store bought sauce and polenta to save time for busy folks. This casserole is VERY rich, so use small servings. Feel free to add more ingredients to the simmering sauce to suit your own tastes.
Provided by DOCTOR KITTEN
Categories Side Dish Grain Side Dish Recipes Polenta Recipes
Time 50m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 8x8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in green pepper, garlic, and green onions; cook until the pepper softens, about 3 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix together fontina and provolone in a bowl. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the polenta slices in the dish, top with 1/3 the fontina and provolone mixture. Spread a thin layer of sauce over cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top casserole with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 233.2 calories, Carbohydrate 22.3 g, Cholesterol 25.2 mg, Fat 10.8 g, Fiber 2.9 g, Protein 11.5 g, SaturatedFat 5.7 g, Sodium 808.7 mg, Sugar 7.4 g
CHEESY POLENTA
This versatile side dish would work great along with pork, chicken, beef or fish. The trick is to slowly add the cornmeal and whisk constantly to avoid lumps.
Provided by dadrules
Categories Side Dish Grain Side Dish Recipes Polenta Recipes
Time 35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, until creamy, lifting the lid and stirring every 3 or 4 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pot from stove, stir in pepper and butter. Gradually stir in cheese. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 231.6 calories, Carbohydrate 18.4 g, Cholesterol 37.9 mg, Fat 14.1 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 8.2 g, SaturatedFat 8.3 g, Sodium 658.4 mg, Sugar 3.8 g
CHEESY POLENTA
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Time 22m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the cheese, milk, butter, and parsley. Stir until the butter and cheese have melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.
SOFT PARMESAN POLENTA
Steps:
- In a medium-size saucepan, bring the milk, 2 cups water and bay leaf to a boil. Season generously with salt, almost to the point of over seasoning. How do you know that you are there? TASTE IT! When it has reached a boil, slowly whisk in the polenta in small sprinkles. Once all of the polenta has been incorporated, reduce the heat to medium and immediately switch over to stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook the polenta until it begins to pull away from the pan, adding water to loosen it up if it becomes too thick.
- When the polenta is thoroughly cooked, it should look creamy and not feel gritty on your tongue. Remove it from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and mascarpone.
CHEESY POLENTA
Adapted from a recipe by "dadrules" at allrecipes.com. This can be modified by addition of any herb that suits your main dish - basil, tarragon, sage, thyme and marjoram are all excellent additions. You can substitute any semi-hard, smooth-melting cheese for the Cheddar; Asiago and Italian Fontina are both excellent choices.
Provided by DrGaellon
Categories Grains
Time 25m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a pot, combine milk, broth, salt and cornmeal. Place over medium-high heat and whisk constantly until liquid is boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes until creamy, stirring every 3-4 minutes to prevent sticking and burning.
- Remove from heat. Stir in pepper, butter, cheeses and optional herbs.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 224.2, Fat 14.2, SaturatedFat 8.5, Cholesterol 39, Sodium 682.1, Carbohydrate 15.3, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 3.5, Protein 9.2
TRIPLE-CHEESE SOFT POLENTA
Categories Cheese Side Quick & Easy Oscars Cornmeal Bon Appétit Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Combine 2 3/4 cups broth and cornmeal in heavy medium saucepan. Place over medium heat. Cook until mixture leaves sides of pan, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in all cheeses and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with additional stock if desired.
DREAMY POLENTA
I grew up eating polenta, so it's a must at my holiday gatherings. Traditional recipes require constant stirring, but using my handy slow cooker allows me to turn my attention to the lineup of other foods on my spread. -Ann Voccola, Milford, Connecticut
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 5h10m
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Generously grease a 5-qt. slow cooker with 1 tablespoon butter. Add milk, cream, 6 tablespoons butter, cornmeal, salt, rosemary and pepper; stir to combine., Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until polenta is thickened, whisking every hour. Just before serving, whisk again; stir in cheese and remaining butter. Garnish with additional rosemary if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 444 calories, Fat 29g fat (18g saturated fat), Cholesterol 100mg cholesterol, Sodium 379mg sodium, Carbohydrate 29g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 13g protein.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the polenta will be. Look for fresh, organic cornmeal, and use a flavorful broth or stock.
- Cook the polenta slowly and stir it often: This will help to prevent the polenta from sticking to the pot and will also allow it to develop a smooth, creamy texture.
- Season the polenta to taste: Polenta is a blank canvas that can be flavored with a variety of ingredients. Try adding herbs, spices, cheese, or vegetables.
- Serve the polenta immediately: Polenta is best when served hot and fresh. If you need to make it ahead of time, you can cook it and then reheat it gently over low heat.
Conclusion:
Polenta is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is easy to make and can be customized to suit your own taste. With its creamy texture and mild flavor, polenta is a great way to add variety to your meals. So next time you are looking for a new and exciting dish to try, give polenta a try. You won't be disappointed!
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