Creamy polenta makes a nice side dish for a variety of entrées, especially when there’s a savory sauce to spoon on top. Give it a try in place of pasta or potatoes – it’s easy to prepare and makes a nice change of pace.
We’ve included three different recipes here, one for making polenta on top of the stove, another for preparing it in the Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker and a third for baking it in the oven.
Each one has its advantages but no matter which one you choose, the finished product turns out smooth, creamy and delicious.
Creamy Polenta: Stovetop Version
This recipe is our basic stovetop method for making polenta. It works consistently no matter what brand of cornmeal we use and it’s a great side to serve with “saucy” entrées.
We’ve also included a Garlic and Cheese variation below that’s our favorite to serve with Italian main dishes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium or coarsely ground yellow corn meal
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1-3/4 cups water or milk, plus more if needed
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
Instructions
- Combine the chicken broth, water (or milk), butter, salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the corn meal, whisking constantly until well blended.
- Continue cooking until the polenta starts to bubble.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking frequently until the polenta is smooth and creamy, about 20 minutes.
- If the polenta thickens too much during cooking, add more liquid (broth, water or milk) until you like the consistency.
- Just before serving, stir in the half-and-half and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Notes
Recipe Variation: Creamy Garlic and Cheese Polenta
Follow all the instructions above, but increase the chicken broth to 3-1/3 cups and add 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic.
Once the polenta has finished cooking, stir in 1/2 cup of shredded asiago cheese and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese along with the half-and-half.
Creamy Polenta: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Version
Our basic polenta recipe is easy to make in an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot). It turns out just as creamy and delicious as the stovetop version, but the pressure cooker eliminates the need for frequent stirring.
It’s a nice advantage as it frees you up to work on other dishes, but it’s worth noting that it won’t really save you any time.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium or coarsely ground yellow corn meal
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1-1/2 cups water or milk, plus more if needed
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
Instructions
- Press the sauté button on the pressure cooker and add the chicken broth, water (or milk) and butter.
- Allow the liquid to come to a simmer, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the corn meal, salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Cancel the sauté function on the pressure cooker, secure the lid on the pot and set the pressure valve to the sealed position. Program the cooker for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then open the valve to release the remaining pressure.
- Once you open the lid, if you feel the polenta is too thick, stir in a little extra liquid (broth, water or milk).
- Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, then stir in the half-and-half and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Creamy Polenta: Oven-Baked Version
Baking polenta in the oven is an easy, mostly hands-off method of preparing this versatile side dish and works out really well if you can afford the extra time it takes to cook.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium or coarsely ground yellow corn meal
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 3-quart casserole dish, preferably one with a lid.
- Add the cornmeal, chicken broth, water, milk, butter and salt. Stir to combine but don’t be concerned if it separates, the polenta will come together as it cooks.
- Cover the casserole with foil and place the lid on top. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
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