I have a confession: I used to be bad at polenta. I would rush it, walk away from the pot, and end up with something lumpy and gluey that stuck to everything. It took me a while to understand that polenta rewards patience, and once I made peace with standing at the stove and whisking, everything changed.
This dish came out of a late summer evening when I had a ridiculous amount of grape tomatoes from the farmers market and no real plan. I threw them in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and some dried herbs and let them do their thing while the polenta cooked. When they finally burst and the juices pooled into the oil, I knew I had something worth repeating.
The cashew cream is what makes this feel genuinely rich and satisfying rather than a side dish that got promoted. You blend raw cashews with water until smooth and stir it in at the end. The result is a polenta with this silky, almost buttery quality without any dairy involved. And yes, scary, “vegan” – but focus on how delicious this is instead of the label. 
The tomatoes go on top still hot, all jammy and fragrant with basil, and the vegan parmesan finishes everything off with a little sharpness. It takes roughly 30 minutes and looks far more impressive than the effort involved.
How to Make Vegan Burst Cherry Tomato Polenta
Cook the Polenta and Stir in the Cashew Cream
Bring several cups of salted water to a boil. Slowly whisk in one cup of polenta, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the polenta is thick and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
Remove from heat and stir in a generous amount of cashew cream until smooth and creamy.
Cook the Grape Tomatoes with Garlic and Dried Herbs
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried parsley and cook briefly until fragrant.
Add the four cups of grape tomatoes and a bit of sea salt. Cook for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes burst open and release their juices into the pan.
Plate the Polenta and Top with the Burst Tomatoes
Spoon the warm polenta into shallow bowls.
Ladle the burst tomatoes and their pan juices over the top.
Finish each bowl with finely chopped fresh basil and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan before serving.
Vegan Burst Cherry Tomato Polenta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
This 30-minute vegan dish features creamy polenta infused with rich cashew cream, topped with tangy burst cherry tomatoes for a comforting yet bright meal.
Ingredients
- Several cups salted water
- 1 cup polenta
- Cashew cream (prepared by blending raw cashews and filtered water)
- Olive oil
- Minced garlic
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Dried parsley
- 4 cups grape tomatoes (or tricolor or heirloom)
- Sea salt
- Finely chopped basil
- Vegan parmesan
Instructions
- Bring several cups of salted water to a boil.
- Slowly whisk in one cup of polenta, whisking vigorously.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened.
- Stir in a generous pour of cashew cream.
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.
- Add minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried parsley; cook until fragrant.
- Add four cups of grape tomatoes and a bit of sea salt.
- Cook tomatoes for 6 to 10 minutes, or until they burst open.
- Spoon burst tomatoes over the warm polenta.
- Finish with finely chopped basil and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 8
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make cashew cream for the polenta?
Soak raw cashews in water for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, then drain and blend with fresh filtered water until completely smooth. A ratio of roughly 1 cup cashews to 1 cup water produces a thick cream. Adjust water for a thinner consistency.
Can I use instant polenta instead of traditional polenta?
Instant polenta cooks in about 5 minutes and produces a smoother, less textured result. Traditional polenta takes 15 to 30 minutes but has a more pronounced corn flavor and a heartier texture that works well under the weight of the burst tomatoes.
What type of tomatoes work best for bursting?
Small tomatoes with thin skins burst most readily. Grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or tricolor varieties all work well. Larger tomatoes take longer to burst and release more liquid, which can make the topping watery.
Cashew cream! Blended it the morning of and stirred it in at the very end like the recipe says. Silky in a way I didn’t expect from a non-dairy thickener.
Loved the burst of flavor from the cherry tomatoes with the creamy polenta!
I loved this!
Pretty solid.
Can I use canned tomatoes if fresh ones aren’t available, and if so, how will that affect the cooking time?
Not really, I mean you can, but this is really made for cherry tomatoes.