Quick & Easy Cheesy Polenta Recipe (Only 25 Minutes!) (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to cook polenta for 30 minutes? ›

Pour in polenta steadily, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until polenta is thickened. It should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon. This can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes.

The difference between them comes down to the grain itself. Instant or quick-cooking polenta will be finely ground, resembling regular cornmeal, so that it can absorb the cooking liquid in just a matter of minutes. Traditional-style polenta grains will be medium- or coarse-ground for the best texture.

Pour the cornmeal into the water gradually – NOT all at once – and whisk constantly as you do it. The constant whisking will evenly disperse the cornmeal grounds in the water, so they won't have a chance to clump together. It'll thicken as it sits.

A ratio of five parts liquid to one part cornmeal by volume produces polenta that's fully hydrated and cooked through, without any little raw, gritty bits. An optional presoaking step helps hydrate the cornmeal and cuts down on actual cooking time.

Slowly pour the cornmeal into the pot, maintaining a boil and continuing to stir. This is basically prevents lumps and clumping. Once all the cornmeal has been added, reduce the heat to a low simmer and stir frequently until polenta gets creamy.

The typical ratio for cooking polenta is 1 cup cornmeal to 4 cups of liquid. One cup of cornmeal will produce about 3 cups of polenta. By itself, one cup of polenta contains about 145 calories, 1 gram of fat, 3 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and no cholesterol.

Yes, both grits and polenta are made from ground corn, but the main difference here is what type of corn. Polenta, as you can probably guess from the color, is made from yellow corn, while grits are normally made from white corn (or hominy).

Although the traditional version has a more rustic texture and pronounced corn flavor, I usually opt for instant polenta for convenience. It still delivers great taste, and you can't beat a side dish that can be whipped up in 10 minutes!

The Mix-Ins. In my opinion, the only things that should be added besides seasoning and milk are butter and Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. Personally, I think Pecorino Romano is the better choice here. It has more of a sharp funk than Parmesan, plus a much creamier texture that melts more readily into warm polenta.

It can be served simply, with just butter and cheese, or topped with sauce. It is often spread out to dry a bit and then baked, fried or grilled. There is a lovely painting by Pietro Longhi, 1740, in the Ca' Rezzonico museum in Venice depicting just-cooked polenta being spread onto a linen cloth to dry.

Why do Italians love polenta? ›

Folks wanted what they wanted. To say that 18th-century Northern Italians loved polenta wouldn't be wrong, but it also wouldn't be the complete picture. They chowed down on polenta largely because they had to — especially in agrarian regions of Italy which relied on corn as a staple crop.

After placing the polenta into the pan, don't touch it until a crust has formed. When the crust forms it will release from the pan. If you play with it, you won't get a crust to form and it'll come apart.

Surprisingly, polenta (which is none other than yellow cornmeal) is a powerful source of antioxidants like phenolic compounds, which can help reduce inflammation.

Polenta can be cooked to be creamy and thick, or allowed to set and then sliced. Serve it instead of pasta, rice or potatoes. Use in place of breadcrumbs to coat chicken or fish when frying. Uncooked polenta makes a delicious addition or gluten-free alternative to flour in cakes, biscuits and pastries.

minus the cooking, and use only fresh ingredients. This Polenta recipe uses fresh yellow corn kernels (rather than ground up dried corn kernels) and yellow squash as the main ingredients. It tastes every bit as good as the cooked version and literally takes a few minutes to make.

Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with ½ cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep polenta soft enough to stir. Put a spoonful on a plate, let it cool, then taste.

In fact, it's one of the easiest raw entrees I've ever created. The polenta is nothing more than corn and pine nuts whipped together in the food processor, and the topping is a quick little salad of cherry tomatoes and kale.