Description
Creamy polenta is the Italian answer to mashed potatoes, except it is smoother, more versatile, and makes a better canvas for just about anything you put on top of it. Pile it high with a mix of roasted seasonal vegetables — zucchini, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms — and finish with a drizzle of balsamic and shaved Parmesan. This is the kind of deceptively simple dinner that tastes far more sophisticated than the work involved.
Ingredients
Units
- 1 cup coarse-ground polenta (not instant)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread on a large baking sheet in a single layer.
- Roast 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until the vegetables are caramelized and tender.
- While the vegetables roast, bring the water and milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta in a thin, steady stream.
- Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 25 to 30 minutes until the polenta is thick, creamy, and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- Stir in the butter, Parmesan, remaining salt, and pepper. The polenta should be pourable but thick — add a splash of milk if needed.
- Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls. Top with the roasted vegetables, drizzle with balsamic glaze and remaining olive oil, and finish with shaved Parmesan and fresh basil.
Notes
- Use coarse-ground polenta, not instant. Instant polenta cooks fast but tastes like wallpaper paste compared to the real thing.
- Stir the polenta frequently and patiently — lumps form when you rush it or walk away. The texture should be silky and smooth.
- Polenta thickens dramatically as it cools. If reheating, whisk in warm milk a tablespoon at a time until it loosens back to a creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 395
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 710
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 14
- Cholesterol: 30