Polenta
Polenta is a dish of cooked cornmeal. It is delicious topped with your favorite tomato sauce or with an assortment of grilled vegetables. Chilled, firm polenta may be served cut into triangles alongside chili or other hearty stews. Leftover polenta may be cut into strips or triangles, coated in seasoned bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, and fried in olive oil. Like pasta, the possibilities for this versatile…
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 4 cups water
- Salt to taste
Steps
- Bring water to boil in heavy saucepan. Add salt.
- Pour cornmeal into water in steady stream, whisking constantly with stainless steel whisk.
- Reduce heat to slow simmer. Keep whisking until it starts to boil.
- Cover. Cook 45 min, stirring every 2–3 min with wooden spoon in same clockwise direction. If too thick, add hot water or skimmed milk for creamier porridge. Check salt frequently.
- To eat hot from pan, put a tablespoon of water in deep ceramic dish. Scrape polenta into it. Serve with big wooden spoon.
- Microwave method: boil water on stove. Pour into large microwave-safe bowl with salt.
- Pour cornmeal into water in steady stream, stirring constantly.
- Microwave on medium power 2–5 min, longer for larger serving. Remove. Stir vigorously to prevent lumps.
- Repeat until polenta is thick. Proceed as above.
- Quick method: boil water. Add salt and cornmeal. Microwave on medium power 5–8 min, depending on quantity.
- Remove from microwave. Stir vigorously to smash all lumps.
- Repeat to thicken further. Stir and blend in remaining lumps.
Notes from the original
- Just before you take the polenta off the heat (i.e. when it's almost done), stir in any of the following:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter and ½ cup grated cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2–3 cloves of minced garlic, and ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (drained if in oil)
- ½ cup canned sweet corn kernels and ¼ cup sliced green Spanish olives
- 1 minced seeded jalapeño chili and ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter and ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese, topped with caramelized onions
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Polenta” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-06-21, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.






