Parmesan polenta is a creamy polenta recipe flavored with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic. It’s a quick and comforting side dish.
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Cornmeal is turned into polenta by simmering medium or coarse cornmeal with water. The ratio is one cup cornmeal to four cups of water. Seasoned with salt and butter, it can be served from the pot. Or you can dress it up even further with some eggs and cheese baked in a casserole dish. Adding fresh garlic to the cheesy polenta makes the kitchen smell amazing as it bakes! Serve my parmesan polenta like you would pasta or mashed potatoes as a side dish.
More recipes with cornmeal
Ingredients for parmesan polenta
- Stone-Ground Cornmeal – This recipe will not yield the same results or flavor without it. Don’t substitute white or steel ground cornmeal.
- Water and Salt – For cooking the cornmeal. You could use vegetable broth or chicken stock instead of water if you’d like.
- Flavorings – A combination of grated Parmesan cheese, unsalted butter, two beaten eggs and two cloves of fresh garlic. Use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the absolute best flavor.
- Additions – Add a little fresh rosemary and cracked black pepper for a sophisticated taste.
Instructions
In a 3-4 quart nonstick saucepan, combine the cornmeal, water and salt. Cook over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. I don’t bring it to a full boil. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just about every 10 minutes. Simmer for 40 minutes until it is thick with a creamy texture.
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the butter and garlic and stir until the butter is melted. Stir quickly as you add the beaten eggs and stir until well incorporated. Add the Parmesan and stir until well combined. Pour the polenta mixture into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 – 45 minutes, just until the middle is set. Serve immediately.
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Serving suggestions
Serve polenta in place of pasta or mashed potatoes. It’s delicious with roasted and slow cooked meats. Here’s some of my recipes to turn this polenta into a complete meal –
Storage directions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Once the mixture is cold and solid, you can slice it into portions to make polenta cakes or polenta fries. Simply pan-fry the cold polenta in a little oil in a pan on the stovetop.
Kitchen tools
- The 3-quart nonstick saucepan I used for cooking the cornmeal
- The best garlic press in my opinion
Video
Parmesan Polenta
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 4 oz Parmesan cheese 1 cup grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease an 11x7 casserole dish and set aside.
- In a 3-4 quart nonstick saucepan, combine the cornmeal, water and salt. Cook over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. I don't bring it to a full boil. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just about every 10 minutes. Simmer for 40 minutes until it is thick with a creamy texture.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add the butter and garlic and stir until the butter is melted.
- Stir quickly as you add the beaten eggs and stir until well incorporated. Add the Parmesan and stir until well combined.
- Pour the polenta mixture into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 - 45 minutes, just until the middle is set. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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