Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese Recipe
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.
Equipment
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
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.
Video
Notes
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: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 6gFat: 10gSodium: 328mgFiber: 1g
