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Polenta with cheese and butter, served with grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese
Rich cheesy polenta served as a comforting side dish

Creamy polenta with cheese and butter

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Side Dishes
Polenta is the pillar of Northern Italian cuisine, the transformation of simple cornmeal into a princely side dish. Many are afraid of it because 'it gets lumpy' or 'it's tasteless', but the secret lies in patience and ample fat. The corn starch granules need time to absorb water and swell to creaminess. Butter and cheeses not only add flavour, but conjure a silky texture from the grits.
🕒 Prep Time 5 mins
🍳 Cook Time 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 35 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 450 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Thick-bottomed pot (so it doesn't catch)
  • Whisk (for lump-free results)
  • Wooden spoon

Allergen Information

⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Boil the water with the salt in the pot. When boiling, turn the heat down.

Tip: The water should be salty like the sea, because cornmeal 'swallows' a lot of salt.
2 ✓

Continuously stir the water with a whisk with one hand, and pour the polenta in a thin stream with the other. This 'raining in' is the key to being lump-free.

Tip: If you dump it in all at once, the outer layer gels immediately, trapping dry powder inside (lumping).
3 ✓

Switch to a wooden spoon, and cook the polenta on the lowest heat for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick.

Tip: It is good when the grains no longer crunch under your teeth, and the mass pulls away from the wall of the pot (full hydration).
4 ✓

Pull off the heat. Stir in the cold butter and parmesan. Stir vigorously until completely uniform and shiny.

Tip: Stirring in cold butter (mounting) creates an extra creamy emulsion.
5 ✓

Finally fold in the mozzarella too, but don't overmix this, so it creates nice cheese strings.

Tip: Serve immediately, because it starts to skin over and set within minutes.

Recipe FAQ

What do I do if it got lumpy?
Don't despair! Take off the heat and blend with a stick blender until smooth.
Why did it go hard while cooling?
It is a natural property of polenta to set upon cooling (gelation). You can slice and fry it when this happens.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Polenta (cornmeal, not instant!)
  • 4 cups Water
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tbsp Cold butter
  • 50 g Parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 50 g Mozzarella cheese (grated or torn)