Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese

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A creamy polenta recipe with Parmesan cheese. It’s simple, soft and so delicious! Cheesy polenta is a perfect base or side dish for savory roasted vegetables or slow-cooked meat sauces.

This polenta recipe makes perfect homemade polenta with Parmesan, with a creamy texture that has just the right amount of butter and cheese. I’m sharing my go-to basic creamy polenta recipe, which is full of buttery, cheesy goodness. Read on to learn more about how to make polenta.

Once you master this easy method, you’ll be whipping up cheesy polenta whenever a craving hits. It really is a simple process that requires just a few ingredients, a good heavy pot, whisk and/or a wooden spoon.

Key ingredients:

• Cornmeal: Polenta is made with a type of cornmeal that’s ground to a medium or coarse consistency. You might hear the word “polenta” used interchangeably to describe both the dish and the cornmeal used to make it, which can be confusing, but remember they are basically the same thing. I use stone-ground or coarse cornmeal for a rustic texture.
• Butter: I love good high butterfat cultured butter as a finishing touch, but any unsalted butter will work in this recipe.
• Parmesan Cheese: If you can, use a chunk of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself for the very best flavor and that extra hit of umami. I suggest buying your cheese at a store that grinds it in house — that way you’ll know it’s super-fresh.

Types of cornmeal to use for polenta

Polenta is usually milled from a special variety of field corn — dent corn or flint corn. It’s not the same type as the sweet corn we eat off the cob. You can use the types of cornmeal listed below interchangeably depending on your preference and availability.

Cornmeal for polenta ranges from coarse-textured “grits” to a more refined, medium-grind cornmeal. I don’t recommend using fine ground cornmeal to make polenta because will turn out sticky and pasty.

• Stone-ground: My personal fave, stone-ground cornmeal can be yellow or white, and is produced by literally grinding corn between two millstones. Stone-ground cornmeal makes a rustic polenta with a bit of texture, as it still has the bits of the whole grain, including the hull and germ. It has deep corn flavor.
• Coarse:  Coarse cornmeal is somewhat gritty, similar to stoneground in that it has bits of grain visible. Coarse-ground cornmeal has a noticeable corn flavor and nubby texture.
• Medium: This type of cornmeal is ground to a finer consistency than coarse or stoneground kinds, with the kernel sifted out. If you prefer a super-smooth polenta and very creamy texture, this is the one to use.

What about instant polenta?

• Instant polenta is a product that’s either very finely ground or has been pre-cooked and then dried before packaging. It’s more of a convenience food, and won’t work for this from-scratch polenta recipe.

How to make creamy polenta

• The classic ratio for polenta is one part cornmeal to four parts liquid. Because this recipe includes some milk, it tends makes a thicker, creamier polenta. During multiple rounds of recipe testing, I settled on a 5 parts ratio of cornmeal to liquid for the perfect texture.

Cooking tips

• To make this creamy parmesan polenta without the need for constant stirring or sticky mess, choose a heavy-duty Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan. One that has 3 or 4 quarts capacity is ideal. A sturdy pan will retain heat better, allowing the thickened polenta to cook at a low temperature without sticking or scorching.
• To avoid lumpy polenta: Bring the liquid to a boil, then gradually add the cornmeal in a thin stream — you can do this either by pouring it out of a small bowl or measuring cup with a spout or with your hands, letting the grain fall through your fingers. Pour in the polenta with one hand while whisking with the other (this your chance to practice hand-eye coordination).
• Be generous with the butter and Parmesan cheese when you make polenta. It’s a perfect neutral canvas for cheesy, creamy additions!

What to pair with polenta

• Keep it simple and dish up a bowl of polenta, then top with a simple marinara sauce recipe with canned tomatoes.
• Spoon over some roasted vegetables or mixed sauteed mushrooms.
• Creamy polenta is the perfect landing pad for a pile of my juiciest meatballs recipe, or fall-apart tender braised short ribs.

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Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese Recipe

Karen Tedesco

This step-by-step creamy polenta recipe shows you how to make the best cheesy polenta, a creamy, comforting dish to serve with braised meats, roasted vegetables or savory tomato sauce.

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4.82 from 223 community reviews

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Whole Grains

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 cups (1 l) water
• ▢ 1 cup (250 ml) milk
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt *see note on salt below
• ▢ 1 cup (160 g) coarse or medium-grind cornmeal
• ▢ 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
• ▢ ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• ▢ 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or parsley, optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

• Bring the water and milk to a boil in a heavy-duty sauce pan or small Dutch oven. Stir in the salt.
• Gradually sprinkle the polenta into the pan while whisking at the same time. Keep whisking until all the cornmeal is incorporated and any lumps are smoothed out.
• Turn the heat to a very low simmer, cover and continue to cook the polenta for 25-35 minutes, and up to 45 minutes. Stir the polenta every 10 minutes or so. Be patient, and keep cooking until it's thick, fluffy and pulls away from the sides of the pan when you run a spoon around the edges.
• When it’s done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese and additional salt to taste if needed.
• Serve warm, sprinkled with rosemary and additional cheese, if desired.

Karen’s Notes and Tips

Variations:

• If you want fry or grill leftover polenta, reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe to 3 1/2 cups, which will produce a thicker consistency. To make polenta cakes, pour the freshly made hot polenta into a baking dish or sheet pan. Spread the top evenly, cool and refrigerate until firm. Slice or cut into portions with a cookie/biscuit cutter. Pan-fry in a cast iron or non stick pan with a little olive oil until brown on both sides.
• Use stock or broth in place of some of the water for richer flavor. Milk adds a somewhat creamier texture, but it can be substituted with your choice of water, stock or unsweetened plant-based milk if you prefer.
• Note on salt: This recipe calls for kosher salt, which has larger, fluffier granules and less sodium per volume than fine table salt. If you don’t have kosher salt, reduce the amount in the recipe by half.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal Carbohydrates: 19g Protein: 6g Fat: 10g Sodium: 328mg Fiber: 1g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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• 30 Minute Recipes
• Gluten Free
• Italian
• Whole Grains

Hey, I’m Karen

Creator of Familystyle Food

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I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.