I’m bringing you a warm bowl of creamy polenta with mushrooms because I felt like you needed some rich hearty comfort food. Let’s face it, we’ve had some rough weeks to get through this year. Last week was probably one of the toughest.
We all got through it but I felt like everyone may need a little comfort food in their life right now.
This rich and creamy polenta is topped with sautéed mushrooms seasoned and thyme (one of my favorite herbs). This is one of my favorite Meatless Monday recipes. At just over 400 calories, this vegetarian recipe makes a perfect weeknight dinner especially when the weather is cold.
Best of all it’s comfort food you don’t have to feel guilty about!
What is polenta?
Polenta is a porridge of boiled cornmeal known as peasant food that originates from Northern Italy. This cornmeal is similar to grits but polenta is coarsely ground cornmeal whereas grits are ground much finer.
It can be served creamy, which is my favorite way to enjoy polenta. However, polenta can also be cooked, cooled until firm and cut into wedges, or rounds at which then it can be baked, pan-fried, or even grilled.
Polenta is often served as a soft, thick mush like this recipe or it can be topped with a hearty ragù, meat or plain with cheese.
How To Make Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms
- Begin with the mushrooms. Put the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter begins to foam, fresh mushrooms, thyme, and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender; about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the polenta. Polenta is a little tricky to make because it tends to absorb most of the liquid right away, versus near the end of cooking like other grains. The most important thing is to ensure the polenta doesn’t stick while ensuring that it cooks long enough. So, make sure you stay with it and stir it every couple of minutes or so.
- Bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the polenta to form a smooth slurry. Reduce the heat and cook slowly, whisking occasionally for 30 minutes. You will probably have to add more water to keep the porridge soupy before the polenta is ready. When the polenta is creamy, stir in the parmesan cheese. Mix well.
- To serve, divide the polenta among 4 serving bowls and top with the mushrooms. Serve hot.
David and I both love this recipe. If you make this creamy polenta with mushrooms, please leave us a comment and rating below!
Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms
Ingredients
The Mushrooms:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces Portobello mushrooms cleaned, cut into quarters
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
The Polenta:
- 1 cup polenta
- 2 cups water + more as needed
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
The Mushrooms
- Begin with the mushrooms. Put the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter begins to foam, fresh mushrooms, thyme, and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender; about 10 to 15 minutes.
The Polenta
- Meanwhile, make the polenta. Bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the polenta to form a smooth slurry. Reduce the heat and cook slowly, whisking occasionally for 30 minutes. You will probably have to add more water to keep the porridge soupy before the polenta is ready. When the polenta is creamy, stir in the butter and parmesan cheese. Mix well until the cheese and butter have melted.
Serving:
- Divide the polenta among 4 serving bowls and top with the mushrooms. Serve hot.
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