Italian

Serving

Italian Kid-friendly

Polenta

Name: Polenta
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 250g (1.5 cups) coarse or stone-ground yellow cornmeal; 1.5 liters (6 cups) water or light chicken broth; 2 tsp fine sea salt; 60g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, cubed; 50g (1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

A dish of boiled cornmeal that may be served as a hot porridge or allowed to cool and solidify.

45 minutes

Serves 4

16 min prep

25 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Good to know

One-pot

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners

Instructions

6 steps

1
Boil the Liquid: In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or copper pot, bring the water or broth to a vigorous boil. Add the sea salt.
2
Whisk in Cornmeal: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Slowly pour the cornmeal into the boiling water in a thin, steady stream while whisking continuously and vigorously to prevent any lumps from forming.
3
Simmer and Stir: Once all the cornmeal is incorporated and the mixture begins to bubble and spit, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Switch from a whisk to a long-handled wooden spoon.
4
Cook Patiently: Cook the polenta for 35-45 minutes, stirring deeply every 4-5 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to prevent scorching. The polenta is ready when it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pot and the grains are tender and no longer gritty.
5
Mantecatura (Enriching): Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the cubed butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Beat vigorously until the butter is completely melted and the polenta is incredibly creamy and glossy.
6
Serve: Serve immediately as a soft, hot porridge (perfect under stews or braises), or pour it into a greased baking dish to cool, set, and later be sliced and grilled or fried.

Polenta — plated and served — Serving moment. How Polenta looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

78/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 64

Budget-friendly 64

Great leftovers 93

Pantry-friendly 64

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

435

Calories

16 g

Protein

53 g

Carbs

19 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Polenta is northern Italy's cornmeal porridge, a peasant staple that became a regional cornerstone after corn arrived from the Americas in the 16th century. For generations it was poured onto a wooden board at the center of the table and eaten communally, soft and steaming or later cut firm and grilled. It is the canvas of the Italian north, served creamy under braises or crisped into slabs alongside cheese and mushrooms.

Listahan note

This version aims for the creamy, slow-stirred style enriched with butter and Parmigiano, the kind you spoon under a stew. It also notes how to set and grill the leftovers so nothing goes to waste.

Technique cues

Rain the cornmeal into the liquid in a slow stream while whisking so it disperses; dumping it in at once guarantees lumps.
Cook it longer than you think, stirring often over low heat, so the corn loses its raw graininess and turns silky.
Stir in butter and cheese only at the end off direct heat so the fat emulsifies smoothly into the porridge.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Get any braise or topping going first since polenta needs near-constant attention once the cornmeal goes in.
Make-ahead: Pour cooked polenta into a sheet pan to set firm; the next day you can cut and grill or pan-fry the slabs.
Leftover move: Cut chilled set polenta into wedges and sear them crisp in oil, then top with cheese or a fried egg.
Cleanup rhythm: Fill the polenta pot with hot water to soak immediately, since dried-on cornmeal is stubborn to scrub.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

coarse cornmeal

main body

Purpose: Stone-ground corn gives polenta its sweet flavor and the slightly toothsome texture that defines it.

Handling: Measure it ready to pour so you can add it in a steady stream while whisking.

Adaptation: Instant polenta cooks in minutes but lacks depth; avoid fine cornflour, which goes pasty.

water or stock

cooking liquid

Purpose: The liquid hydrates the corn and carries flavor; stock makes a savory base for braises.

Handling: Bring to a gentle simmer and salt it before adding the cornmeal so the grain seasons from within.

Adaptation: Part milk makes it richer and creamier if serving it as a soft side.

butter

richness

Purpose: It rounds out the corn's edges and gives the finished polenta a glossy, luxurious mouthfeel.

Handling: Cut into pieces and beat in at the end so it melts evenly.

Adaptation: Olive oil keeps it dairy-light; mascarpone makes it extra plush.

Parmigiano-Reggiano

savory depth

Purpose: Its salt and umami transform plain cornmeal into a craveable, savory base.

Handling: Grate fresh and stir in off the heat with the butter.

Adaptation: Pecorino adds more bite; Grana Padano is a gentler, budget-friendly option.

Technique notes

A wide, heavy pot spreads the heat and reduces sticking and scorching on the bottom.
If it thickens too far before it is fully tender, loosen with a ladle of hot water or stock and keep cooking.
For grilled polenta, chill the set slabs thoroughly so they firm up and hold their shape on the grates.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free option: Finish with olive oil and nutritional yeast instead of butter and cheese for a savory, plant-based version.
Weeknight shortcut: Use instant polenta to get a creamy bowl on the table in under ten minutes, then enrich with butter and cheese.
Lower-sodium direction: Cook in unsalted stock and lean on a small amount of sharp cheese to season instead of added salt.

Serve alongside

Braised short ribs or osso buco
Sauteed mushrooms with garlic and thyme
Sausages with peppers
Gorgonzola crumbles and walnuts
A glass of Barbera
A robust Nebbiolo
Sparkling water with lemon

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Soft polenta firms up as it cools, so refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to four days and reheat with extra liquid to loosen. Set polenta keeps well chilled and is best reheated by grilling or pan-frying. It can be frozen in slabs for up to two months and crisped from thawed.

Equipment

A wide, heavy-bottomed pot
A sturdy whisk and a wooden spoon
A sheet pan for setting leftovers
A grill pan or cast-iron skillet for crisping

Make this household-aware

Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.

Get the app