29 Best Polenta Recipes - Cooking Light

Photo: John Autry

Whether baked, grilled, fried, or served creamy, polenta is a delicious gluten-free addition to your menu. Polenta's grits-like consistency comes from boiling cornmeal in water. Once your polenta is ready, it can be baked, grilled, fried, or served as a creamy addition to any course. Our editors love polenta triangles for appetizers, polenta casserole for family night, and polenta with Italian-Style Beef for those evenings when they crave comfort food.

Start Slideshow

1 of 31

Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives

Look for stone-ground polenta or grits for this dish. Admittedly, they take a bit longer to cook, but the results are worth it, adding a creamier texture and hearty, nutty flavor to the dish.

2 of 31

Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

Photo: Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr

Polenta is made when cornmeal is boiled in water, resulting in a grits-like consistency. Once this warm dish is made, it’s baked, grilled, fried, or served creamy, making it one of the most versatile dishes. Served as a side dish or main, we have 29 of the best recipes that feature just about every way to enjoy polenta.

Make this meal in forty minutes or less by chopping the herbs while the chicken cooks, and preparing the green beans while the polenta cooks. Instead of tarragon, you can use fresh sage or more thyme.

3 of 31

Polenta Toasts with Balsamic Onions, Roasted Peppers, Feta, and Thyme

Photo: Justin Walker

View Recipe: Polenta Toasts with Balsamic Onions, Roasted Peppers, Feta, and Thyme

The polenta and onions may be prepared a few days in advance.

4 of 31

Goat Cheese Polenta with Sautéed Kale

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Goat Cheese Polenta with Sautéed Kale

We love the versatility of this 25-minute entrée. It's a hearty choice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

5 of 31

Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette

Photo: Jason Wallis

View Recipe: Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette

This meal is not just a pretty plate. It's quick, delicious, and will no doubt become a family favorite.

6 of 31

Oven-Fried Tilapia with Cheesy Polenta

Photo: Brian Woodcock

View Recipe: Oven-Fried Tilapia with Cheesy Polenta

Ready in just 40 minutes, Oven-Fried Tilapia with Cheesy Polenta is a delicious and easy way to add fish to your weekly menu. For a crunch in the breading, toast the panko first.

7 of 31

Polenta-Sausage Triangles

Photo: José Picayo

View Recipe: Polenta-Sausage Triangles

Prepare polenta through step 2 up to two days ahead. Before serving, let the dish stand at room temperature one hour, cut polenta into triangles, and toast them at mealtime. Pork sausage gives them a wonderfully familiar, stuffing-like flavoring.

8 of 31

Sausage and Polenta Breakfast Casserole

Photo: Johnny Miller

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sausage-polenta-breakfast-casserole

Creamy and savory collide in a wonderful way. Everyone gathered around your table will love this one.

9 of 31

Skirt Steak with Gorgonzola Polenta

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Skirt Steak with Gorgonzola Polenta

Serve this meat-and-starch combo with steamed haricots verts or a mixed green salad. Garnish with fresh thyme.

10 of 31

Sausage Ragu over Creamy Polenta

Sausage Ragù over Creamy Polenta Budget Cooking Recipe

Photo: Johnny Autry

View Recipe: Sausage Ragù over Creamy Polenta

Turkey sausage and bottled marinara combine for a healthy, quick, and affordable twist on this Italian classic. Our readers gave it five stars and rave that this dish is creamy and delicious. Opting for turkey sausage over pork sausage cuts the fat and calories nearly in half. Serve with a romaine salad tossed with red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Price: $2.45 per serving

Pantry Checklist:
• Sweet turkey Italian sausage
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Lower-sodium marinara sauce
• Whole milk
• Instant polenta
• Pecorino Romano cheese
• Black pepper
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley

11 of 31

Cabernet Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Cabernet Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta

Don’t skip the gremolata. It melds all the elements and adds bright notes to a hearty dish. Larger ribs will obviously take longer in the oven to get fork-tender, and one of the big ones will be a serving.

12 of 31

Italian-Style Beef with Polenta

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Italian-Style Beef with Polenta

This hearty meat sauce with cheesy polenta is a nice change from spaghetti.

13 of 31

Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables

Savory blue cheese polenta topped with delicious veggies makes for a comforting and satisfying meal.

14 of 31

Polenta Squares with Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Polenta Squares with Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts

Our polenta squares are impressive and delicious. These are also tasty with chopped, dried figs or cranberries in place of the currants.

15 of 31

Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Polenta

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Mushroom and Sausage Ragù with Polenta

This hearty entrée features a mushroom and sausage ragù (Italian meat-and-tomato pasta sauce) served over creamy polenta. Cook the polenta while the ragù simmers so everything will be ready and hot at the same time.

16 of 31

Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

To make this a quick and simple dinner, look for tubes of prepared polenta in the refrigerated part of the produce section, or prepare our Creamy Polenta a day ahead.

17 of 31

Balsamic-Glazed Pork Chops and Polenta

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Balsamic-Glazed Pork Chops and Polenta

Reduce the vinegar while the polenta simmers so the entire meal is ready and hot at the same time.

18 of 31

Fontal Polenta with Mushroom Sauté

View Recipe: Fontal Polenta with Mushroom Sauté

This hearty recipe is a rich and comforting dish that will satisfy any savory cravings. Fresh herbs and creamy fontina cheese up the flavor quota and add even more dimension to the mushrooms.

19 of 31

Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika and Parmesan Polenta

Photo: Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika and Parmesan Polenta

This fish is like the chicken breast of the sea: an American favorite. It’s lean, mild, and pleasantly firm. Creamy polenta complements spice-rubbed fish. Cooking polenta in milk and cheese enriches it with both flavor and calcium.

20 of 31

Smoky Shrimp and Parmesan-Polenta Cakes

Photo: Beau Gustafson

View Recipe: Smoky Shrimp and Parmesan-Polenta Cakes

Invite company over for this gourmet-inspired dish that's a snap to make. Smoked paprika, available in supermarkets, is nice to spice up sour cream, eggs, or rice. Its pungency offsets the shrimp's sweetness. Serve with bagged prewashed salad greens splashed with vinaigrette.

21 of 31

Mushroom Polenta Canapés

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Mushroom Polenta Canapés

Nutty Gruyère cheese complements earthy mushrooms in these canapés. Make these a day ahead by preparing and chilling the polenta and mushroom mixture. When ready to serve, broil the polenta for a quick time saver.

22 of 31

Two-Corn Polenta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Cheese

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Corn kernels and polenta layer texture and flavor in this dish. Serve with green beans and grilled pork.

23 of 31

Italian Beef and Polenta Casserole

Photo: Oxmoor House

If you're cooking for one or two, the leftovers make great lunches and dinners throughout the week. Serve with a mixed greens salad.

24 of 31

Grilled Polenta with Tomatoes and White Beans

Photo: Oxmoor House

View Recipe: Grilled Polenta with Tomatoes and White Beans

To keep this recipe quick and easy yet deliver attractive grill marks, we used a grill pan instead of firing up an outdoor grill. If you don't have a grill pan, use a nonstick skillet.

25 of 31

Broccoli Rabe with Polenta Croutons

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

View Recipe: Broccoli Rabe with Polenta Croutons

Crisp Polenta Croutons add flair to this simple Broccoli Rabe side dish.

26 of 31

Polenta with Tomato-Braised Beans

Photo: Randy Mayor

The method from this Italian dish of stirring the polenta vigorously between sessions of cooking the grain covered for a few minutes produces superior results.

27 of 31

Cauliflower Steaks with Maitake Mushrooms and Browned Butter-Caper Sauce

Photo: Tara Donne

View Recipe: Cauliflower Steaks with Maitake Mushrooms and Browned Butter-Caper Sauce

Nearly a full meal and absolutely satisfying—a knife-and-fork dish that highlights the vegetables. Maitake mushrooms, aka hen-of-the-woods, have a robust, nutty flavor that particularly complements the dish. If you can't find them, sub in a handful of another favorite mushroom.

28 of 31

Soft Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sauté

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Soft Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sauté

This is an easy and versatile side dish. The polenta is topped with a quick sauté of wild mushrooms (or use exotics, like shiitake and oyster, if wild are not available). If you replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, this side dish can serve four as a vegetarian entrée. Garnish with sage sprigs.

29 of 31

Creamy Two-Cheese Polenta

Oxmoor House

Tired of rice and pasta? Give this quick, creamy polenta a try for a dish similar to cheese grits.

30 of 31

Creamy Polenta

Photo: John Autry

Saving leftover polenta will solidify and can be used to grill, fry or roast. Make the polenta creamy again by warming it with a little broth, water, or milk.

Replay gallery

Account

Our Best Polenta Recipes

1 of 31

Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives

1 of 31

2 of 31

Stuffed Chicken and Herb Gravy with Creamy Polenta

2 of 31

3 of 31

Polenta Toasts with Balsamic Onions, Roasted Peppers, Feta, and Thyme

3 of 31

4 of 31

Goat Cheese Polenta with Sautéed Kale

4 of 31

5 of 31

Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette

5 of 31

6 of 31

Oven-Fried Tilapia with Cheesy Polenta

6 of 31

7 of 31

Polenta-Sausage Triangles

7 of 31

8 of 31

Sausage and Polenta Breakfast Casserole

8 of 31

9 of 31

Skirt Steak with Gorgonzola Polenta

9 of 31

10 of 31

Sausage Ragu over Creamy Polenta

10 of 31

11 of 31

Cabernet Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta

11 of 31

12 of 31

Italian-Style Beef with Polenta

12 of 31

13 of 31

Blue Cheese Polenta with Vegetables

13 of 31

14 of 31

Polenta Squares with Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts

14 of 31

15 of 31

Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Polenta

15 of 31

16 of 31

Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

16 of 31

17 of 31

Balsamic-Glazed Pork Chops and Polenta

17 of 31

18 of 31

Fontal Polenta with Mushroom Sauté

18 of 31

19 of 31

Grilled Tilapia with Smoked Paprika and Parmesan Polenta

19 of 31

20 of 31

Smoky Shrimp and Parmesan-Polenta Cakes

20 of 31

21 of 31

Mushroom Polenta Canapés

21 of 31

22 of 31

Two-Corn Polenta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Cheese

22 of 31

23 of 31

Italian Beef and Polenta Casserole

23 of 31

24 of 31

Grilled Polenta with Tomatoes and White Beans

24 of 31

25 of 31

Broccoli Rabe with Polenta Croutons

25 of 31

26 of 31

Polenta with Tomato-Braised Beans

26 of 31