This versatile side dish would work great along with pork, chicken, beef or fish. The trick is to slowly add the cornmeal and whisk constantly to avoid lumps.
I agree with using shaved or grated parm in place of cheddar. Also, I put the cornmeal into cold liquid, whisking as I do and then I bring it to the boil, then simmer. Otherwise, I always get lumps.
Read MoreI wanted to like this one, but unfortunately I couldn't get past a bite or two. I had no problems with lumps and it was creamy but after sitting for a few minutes it took on a weird texture. The husband said it was okay and the little guy ate a few bites. I won't be making this one again.
Read MoreI agree with using shaved or grated parm in place of cheddar. Also, I put the cornmeal into cold liquid, whisking as I do and then I bring it to the boil, then simmer. Otherwise, I always get lumps.
I have been looking for a polenta like this, it was FAR OUT! Really creamy and delicious.... although I did modify this a little bit. Instead of cheddar I used shredded parmesan and next time, I will use a courser grain corn meal (or use what's called "polenta" which is even courser ground) and mix it while the water is cold so that it doesn't clump as much. Also, I used the chicken broth as another reviewer mentioned, since it gives it a richer flavor. I think I will also try adding a little bit of sage to make it herbed polenta. Great side dish with cumin & oregano seasoned porkchops and braised kale!
Wonderful! Another use for Polenta is to pour it onto a pan while warm and let it set up in a thin sheet. When cool, slice up into small squares or strips for use in casseroles. Endless possibilities... A favorite is ground beef and taco seasoning, layered with cheese and sour cream/plain yogurt. Yummy!
I changed the recipe a bit and it turned out great. I cut the milk in half and replaced it with heavy cream, and then instead of 4oz of cheddar I split that up between asiago and parmesan cheeses. I did add a bit more polenta so it would firm up so I could grill it. The grill gave it a great extra flavor boost.
WOW. I had no idea what to expect, since I never have had polenta before, but WOW. It's like mashed potatoes, only with corn. Absolutely delicious. Wouldn't change a thing. What a great side dish to serve with anything!
Polenta made with cheddar and milk is not the traditional polenta I grew up with but this was a delicious variation, particularly for more Classic American entrees.
I substituted chicken broth for the water, as suggested, and added about a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese along with the cheddar. It was very good, but next time I'll use less salt. Good basic recipe. Very rich and tasty.
Loved it - a nice side dish change from mashed potatoes. Used chicken stock instead of water as others suggested and used skim milk since that is the only kind we drink. Also substituted parm. cheese for the cheddar. Added corn meal to liquid then boiled - cooked much faster this way! Will make again.
The flavor reminds me of 'home'. We like ours very creamy, so I used chicken broth (organic-otherwise it's a container of chicken tinged salt water) and lots of it- also almond milk (it's what we use) and parm, black pepper, no salt needed. It sets up fast, keep stirring. I added a hunk of butter. Just keep adding liquid until it looks right. It makes a ton-be prepared to have fun with leftovers!
Pretty good recipe, but substituting chicken stock for the water is the key.
Absolutely one of my favorites. I love cheese and add extra most of the time. This one is a keeper!
I also substitute chicken broth for the water. I added half sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese. I noticed that with the chicken broth which generally has salt in in and the cheddar cheese which can be salty, and I didn't catch that the butter I used was NOT unsalted, and the fact that with the kosher salt added, I thought the polenta was way too salty. Next time I will use unsalted butter and omit the kosher salt. I did add a pinch of sugar and I think that helps balance out the flavors. I had this with pork rolled up with capacola and a demi glaze sauce. Marvelous! I even used the leftover polenta for breakfast the next morning. Pancake syrup goes great with it!
The jury is really out on this one. I followed the recipe, yet it turned into a gluey mess with in minutes of adding the corn meal...I'm not sure what went wrong? So, though it was a very unappetizing consistency, it tasted....ok. It's kind of like a blank slate; it tastes like butter & cheese & grain? It's worth giving a shot and I may try again to see if I can determine what went wrong and try to get a result like the yummy looking photo attached to this recipe!
I have not made this recipe, but I've made polenta often and it seems like it would work. Substituting water or chicken broth is my preference because I grew up not having a polenta that was so rich. Polenta has lots of possibilities: add cheese, cooked sausage or bacon, caramelized onions, a can of corn, whatever you like. Some people pour it out and let it set in a thin layer, then make a polenta lasagna. It's a great cold weather dish and a staple in the northern regions of Italy.
I have been making this recipe since I found it on this website 4 years ago! It is fantastic, and very simpe, yet makes an elegant presentation. I use half chicken broth and half milk, but I add the seasonings and 2 cloves of minced garlic to the liquids before heating, to infuse the flavors even stronger. I always double the recipe, or triple it, and never have leftovers. It is beautiful with Coq Au Vin, as the polenta soaks up all those wonderful juices from the chicken simmering away in wine for hours. For those who did not care for it when they tried it, I implore you to try again. It is a main staple on my entertaining menu. It gets rave reviews each time I serve it.
Perfect side dish for pork chops...I will try using the suggestions of others and use chicken broth in place of water and Parmesan cheese instead of cheddar the next time around, however it is good as is. Thanks!
Another trick to smooth polenta is to mix the dry corn meal with the water and pour it into the boiling milk (or water, stock, etc)whisking as it cooks.
This was very good and a nice change from mashed potatoes. I did what most reviewers suggested of mixing cornmeal into cold milk and water and then heating. It cooked up quick and then I added the butter and cheese and added salt and pepper to taste. Best to serve immediatley because it does set up as it cools and won't be as creamy. For those who don't know what polenta is it is like cream of wheat in consistency. The taste is mild allowing the cheese flavor to come through and dominate but not overpower.
love this recipe. it is absolutely delicious. when having other flavors with it, i find the cheddar cheese is nicer and milder than parm cheese. You will love it. i never liked polenta until i made this recipe. lovely dish.
I wanted to like this one, but unfortunately I couldn't get past a bite or two. I had no problems with lumps and it was creamy but after sitting for a few minutes it took on a weird texture. The husband said it was okay and the little guy ate a few bites. I won't be making this one again.
I made this pretty much to the 't' except I added about 1tsp of smoked paprika and the polenta took on a great flavor.
This is phenomenal! I've made this at least a dozen times. DH and the kids all love it, as do the other people I make it for. I didn't change a thing!
I only gave this 4 stars because I followed the other reviewers' advice and used 2 cups of chicken broth instead of water. Otherwise, the recipe is amazing.
Enjoyed it. I think I need to add some garlic and use a different cheese to please the palettes in my family. I will use this as a base and change it up until I get it just right for my house.
Good taste & consistency! I halved the recipe and used parmesean instead of cheddar. Also added some snipped fresh basil. Great side dish - filling!
This was my first time making and eating Polenta. The only thing I did different was using chicken stock in place of the water. I found it was a bit salty for me but I think it was due to me still adding the salt when I used stock. I really liked this found it was a nice replacement to the same old side dishes. Thanks for such an easy recipe..that I will be making again!
Tip about cooking Polenta. I sometimes make a plain polenta with cheese, but sometimes I add finely diced onions and pancetta/bacon. In the past when I added the polenta to the water, whether hot or cold, it would start bubbling, splattering and burn my hands. Now, I pour some olive oil with a pat of butter in a deep frying pan or pot, add the corn meal, stir for awhile, then add hot water. If I choose to add finely diced onions and pancetta/bacon, I saute those first, add the cornmeal and then the hot water. It's easier to stir the polenta in this way and I don't get burned anymore!
Holy cow! How is it I have never had this before in my life?! I used half park half Romano instead of cheddar and added about 1/2 tsp thyme and 3/4 tsp oregano and OMG! I mixed the corn meal w water and then added it to the milk and boiled. It cooked up SO fast! I also got impatient and added the cheese and butter while it was simmering which caused small cheese clumps. Oh so good! Plus it gave it a nice texture Imo :D devine! This is a keeper!
did half whole milk, half 1% milk, and left out the pepper, butter, and cheese. (using polenta as a base for sauce) it was good, but a little salty. would make it just 1 t salt.
When substituting chicken broth for the water, as I did, remember to reduce the salt that's called for in the recipe. I didn't account for the salt already in canned broth, therefore mine was a tad salty.Added 2 cloves minced garlic to boil in the water and subbed parmesan for cheddar, to go with Italian dish osso bucco. This is a keeper!
Very tasty! I put in a few leaves of fresh basil and may add a Tbl of parm or something similar but pretty decent overall. Thanks
Delicious Delicious Delicious! I also added chicken stock instead of water and parmesan cheese instead of cheddar and it did turn out a bit salty because of this. We love salt so its not that big of a deal but next time if making those same adjustements I will cut back on the salt for sure. I served this with BBQ meatballs for the hubby and I had it with Sauteed Mushrooms on Arugala Salad and it was amazing.
My first time making polenta, so I didn't know what to expect. This was fantastic! I used nonfat milk, 2 Tbs butter, and parmesan cheese. My husband and I loved it. Thank you! :)
Not our favorite the first night. Maybe it is that we are not familiar with the texture. I put the leftover polenta (we had lots and I didn't want to waste it) in an 8x8 pan in the refrigerator overnight, then sauteed squares in olive oil, and added ragu and parm. Everyone loved it the second night and said to make it again.
What a wonderful basic recipe. There is so much potential. I am Italian and I've always added the polenta to cold liquid to prevent lumps and please use polenta grade grain for this recipe, it does make a difference.
I made this twice as instructed with water; it tasted great. Then I made it a third time following a suggestion here on the site, and added broth (I used low sodium vegetable instead of chicken). I wasn't crazy about the taste at first, as it tasted like more like broth than polenta, but after I added the cheese (I used grated parmesan instead of mozzarella) and pepper, it was excellent. The broth makes it much yellower in color. I also followed another suggestion and whisked in the polenta with cold liquids instead of hot, then brought it to a boil. I did that all 3 times and I had no clumping. Lastly, I cooked this on an electric stove. Be aware when you're letting it simmer after bringing it to a boil. Electric stoves take much longer to cool down, so even if you bring the heat down to low immediately after it hits the BP, it will continue to boil. I would suggest turning another burner on low, and moving it to that one to simmer.
Very good polenta recipe. Only took about 5 minutes to cook. I'm thinking if you substituted chicken stock for the water, it would make it 5 stars. But still, very tasty and will definitely make again.
Very good recipe. I have 3 quick comments: 1) TOO MUCH SALT!!! it could probably be cut in half. 2) You can reduce the butter by at least half and substitute 1% milk for the whole milk and hardly notice. 3) The other reviewers are right about parmesan (instead of cheddar) and adding soup stock (instead of plain water). ...Ah. One more thing: coarse corn meal *does* seem to make for a better texture.
Great recipe. Only problem I had was that my polenta did not stay creamy...it was too thick.
VERY good recipe! I love polenta in any form but this was the best!
this recipe was my first attempt at polenta. In order to prevent the typical "bland" taste, I added 3 cloves of finely minced fresh garlic just before adding in the cornmeal. I also increased the butter by 1 Tbs. Came out very very well. Fellow dinner guests, more familiar with Polenta found it to be very good. Thank you.
I'm not sure what to rate this because i've never had polenta before. I also added 4 oz of cream cheese instead of cheddar, because i'd seen a recipe on tv that used cream cheese instead of cheddar and it looked better. Also used chicken broth for the 2 cups of water. The consistency was smooth, but i didn't like it, and i'm not a picky eater at all.
Nice change of pace for a side dish. I used chicken broth instead of water and put the corn meal in the cold liquid and heated up together whisking to get the lumps out. It was very cheesy and a nice compliment to our grilled chicken & asparagus.
i loved this recipe, i was a little worried when it didn't call for parmesan cheese like i was so used to using. Very nice. My only recommendaton would be not to use sharp cheese if you don't want that strong of a cheese flavour. i'm going to be making it tonight and i'm going to try medium cheese this time.
This turned out great! It's a great basic recipe that I was able to modify to a low-fat/calorie side dish by using FF Milk, added some chicken like bouillion, didn't use butter and added just a touch of cheese...
I really liked how easy this polenta recipie was, no fuss and it turned out nice and creamy. I used this as a base for my meat loaf and it was an excellant sudstitute for mashed potatoes.
Excellent, easy alternative to the store-bought logs, as well as to rice, potatoes & pasta. A bit bland to stand up as a side dish on its own, but great base for something saucy. I put the cold liquid, meal & salt (about half) in the pot and heated them together; no problem with lumps at all. Think I will add more meal next time to firm it up as it chills. Lends itself to lots of options for flavoring (garlic, mushrooms, SD tomatoes, etc.) Will be cooking this a lot.
I must have done something wrong, but I followed the directions and the ingredients to a tee, and my mixture was very watery when I was finished. I must have done something wrong, but this did not work out for me.
This was my first try at making polenta. It turned out awesome! Used low sodium chicken broth - reduced amount the butter and salt slightly. Also, used skim milk. Outstanding taste and consistency. Thank you!
I have made something similar for years. I usually use parmesan cheese and add some chopped garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Very tasty!
Wow, this was good! It ended up being really thick, but my husband and I both liked it. And he's not a fan of polenta!
I really liked this. Next time, I would like to refrigerate it and then fry it to see how it tastes. Served with Rosemary Braised Lamb Shanks, Sugar Snap Peas, garlic mashed potatoes, and broccoli with lemon, butter, pine nuts.
Tasty with parm instead of cheddar, as everyone else has found. However, mine took longer to cook than 20 min - more like 35? I think the key is not to just turn the heat to low, but to turn it only low enough that it still bubbles a little without totally boiling. I'll try it that way next time and see if 25 min is a bit more accurate. Served with a faux "meat" and veggie (zukes, carrots, and peppers) sauce that I let simmer while I prepared the polenta. It's one of my fiance's favorite dishes!
I never had luck with polenta recipes before this one. I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. Served with Coq au Vin alla Itaiana recipe from Allrecipes and Green Beans with Walnuts. That was an incredible dinner! Thank you for sharing!
Fantastic! I made modifications per other reviewers' suggestions and it turned out so very tasty. I used chicken broth instead of water, 3/4 cup half and half (all I had) and the rest (1 and 1/4 cup) light plain silk milk. Next time I will try with just the silk milk (lessen the fat content). I was tasting as I went and actually liked the flavor BEFORE adding the cheese better (I used parmesan, again.. all I had). I barely added any butter, as it tasted great already. I used to only buy the pre-made, squeezed-in-a-plastic-tubey-thing polenta. Never again!! ;-)
This was good but was a little lacking. I added a lot of milk after it finished cooking because it wasn't creamy like I had hoped. And even though I used sharp cheddar, there wasn't a whole lot of flavor, so I added a good pinch of garlic powder. It's a good base recipe, though.
Excellant recipes my mother made polenta for us as children and now and then when we visit.next time ill try to find real polenta instead of corn meal.
Instead of 2 cups whole milk and 2 cups water, I just used 4 cups of skim milk. I use less salt than what is called for, adding it to taste when the polenta is creamy. Also, I like to serve it with grated parmesan instead of cheddar, especially if your dinner features Italian flavors. This recipe was great and the instructions were very good. Enjoyed by all--thank you!!
This is the basic recipe for polenta, very simple and turns out just fine every time. I use parmesan instead of cheddar cheese so I usually cut the salt due to saltiness of the cheese. If you want it to be a little creamier as a base for meat and gravy you can stir in extra milk a little at a time during the first few minutes of whisking. It depends on what I am serving it with, sometimes I do add another half cup of milk. I leave it more firm if I am planning to use the leftover for a veggie lasagna or grilling it as a base for seafood with a creamy sauce. This dish is versatile, inexpensive and simple.
This was so good. I didn't have everything on hand so I made a few substitutions. I used quick cooking polenta for this recipe. I used 1/2 skim milk and 1/2 chick broth instead of whole milk. I also used goat cheese instead of cheddar.
This was my first time making polenta - so I wanted a simple recipe. Came out perfect. I made some modifitations to the recipe - broth instead of water, skim milk instead of whole and I used mild cheddar - because that's what I had in the house. I mixed the broth and milk with the polenta cold then heated and I had no problems with broth. Can't wait to make againand add in more ingredients.
I even took the risk of adding half of the butter and using 1% milk, and we still loved it! I did add some garlic powder, cayenne, and dry mustard to treat it more like a homemade mac n' cheese.
I thought this recipe was awesome, though I admit I made a couple changes. I used chicken broth instead of water, shredded parmesan instead of cheddar, and I actually used white cornmeal instead of yellow or polenta. It was GREAT!
Really good! I've never made polenta before and this was so easy. I garnished the top with some extra cheddar, and it was super yummy. In the future, I think I'll put a bunch of cheddar on top...it kind of melts into the top of the polenta. My 11 month old babies loved this, as did my husband. A real crowd pleaser! Thanks for the recipe!
Sooo quick and easy (and cheap!). It was ready 5 minutes after I incorporated the cornmeal. I left out the butter and added a tsp Creole Seasoning. We had this with Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish. Loved it.
I didn't have any cheddar so I went with Colby Jack, which is I think too mild of a cheese. I went ahead and added some browned garlic cooked in butter and the taste is pretty good, but not cheesy. Next time I'll use cheddar and re-review.
Loved the tips from other users. Mixed polenta in cold milk before adding, and used chicken broth instead of water. I topped it with meatballs in marinara sauce. Great gluten free alternative to pasta.
VERY GOOD!!! First polenta for me...but I think it just taste like grits! No problem there though...these were delicious!
This was tasty. I used chicken stock and parm cheese as suggested by others. The 1st night, we had it warm as is. I put the leftovers in the fridge overnight and planned to have it fried the 2nd night. I sliced it from the loaf pan and tried to fry it but it seemed to melt down and fall apart. I was never able to flip it. So I ended up scooping most of it out of the oil and we still had some crispy bits which were tasty but I think the basic polenta needs to be thicker in order to be able to fry it. I will try again next time by adding some more corn meal to the pot so it firms up more. Thanks for the recipe!
Wow. This was my first time making polenta, and it was so easy and so delicious that I cannot wait to make it again. The only changes that I made were to use 1% milk instead of whole, because it's what we had, and to add way more cheese, because I'm from Wisconsin and there is no such thing as too much cheese. I used a mix of Asiago, sharp cheddar and mild cheddar, and it was perfect. 10 star recipe!
The whole family raved! my tweaks were: chicken broth instead of water. Used half milk and half heavy whipping cream, then omitted the butter( needed to use it up after the holidays) used a mix of cheddar and Parmesan. I salted to taste after rather than adding a proscribed amount. i might add chives to top next time just for color, but otherwise a total winner!!!
I love this recipe, and have been using it for almost a year. I don't usually let the polenta simmer for 20 minutes...its usually more like 5 minutes. I stir like crazy up until I hit the point where I let it sit for 5 minutes, and it is cooked through and tastes good. I use whatever cheese it on hand, and it is delicious! This polenta combines well with the summer squash polenta recipe on here, or is great by itself. Store bought polenta has nothing on this recipe!!!
SO Easy & my first polenta! Just made it tonite to go with my chili. I accidently added the whole bag (8oz) of sharp cheddar cheese. It did not seem to make any difference in texture or taste. This cooked in 5 Minutes or less for me. I felt like it was missing something...some spice perhaps? I ended up coating it in cracker crumbs and did a quick pan fry, then served the chili over it. My husband said I should make it each time I make chili. 3 stars on taste as it is but giving it a 4 on potential.
this is super delicious. I use more cheese (because this is Wisconsin, after all, the dairy state!) I have instant polenta, which only takes about 5 minutes to cook, so it's super quick.
This recipe cuts down to 2 servings without a problem. I gave it only 4 stars because of the changes I made. I too swapped the cheddar cheese for parm. I also changed the cooking process after reading the reviews. I heated the milk. I stirred the corn meal into the water before adding it to the milk to prevent lumps. With these changes, this was amazingly tasty and creamy polenta. Thanks to the previous reviews for the great advice!
i used parmesan cheese instead of cheddar and it was excellent. nice and creamy. this was my first time trying polenta and i loved it!
Use Manchego and some fresh thyme to liven/fancy up the flavor! Also, definitely stir in slowly and wisk quickly, stir more often or it will brown on the bottom. Throw in some nice smoked ham and you've got a lovely Tapas dish!
Wow! This is a terrific basic creamy polenta recipe. I added chopped sundried tomatoes, asiago and goat cheeses, a few tablespoons of honey, basil and a few red pepper flakes. Introduced "something new" to the family and they all had seconds. I used it as a base on the plate and placed stuffed flank steak rolls on the top
Just made this tonight for dinner. I used a 1/2 cup polenta, 1 cup 2% milk, 1 cup salt reduced chicken stalk, 1/2 tsp crushed rosemary and 1/2 tsp crushed thyme melted salted butter with the milk, left out the salt brought this to a boil then added the polenta in a slow stream while stirring constantly when slightly thickened I added 1/2 cup real grated parmesan cheese and the pepper. It came out amazing and enough for 4 people. Serving it with roasted vegetables (butternut squash, mushrooms, onions and broccoli) with a poached egg on top. Garnished with shaved parmesan. Yummy!
Very good and easy recipe! Used chicken broth instead of water and 2% milk. Otherwise made according to recipe.
For my first time making polenta I must say I Aced it! This was delicious and very rich and creamy. I only added 3 tblspn of butter & half of the amount of cheesed. I didn't use cheddar cheese but I did however use Parmesan cheese. If you use salted butter try not to use so much butter in the water. Vice versa
The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. I've been making this for a long time. Adding 3 tbsp. or more of chopped scallions to the water/broth is nice. I've used a shredded four-cheese blend with lots of success. I even serve this for breakfast! Spreading the mixture in a cookie sheet to cool and then cutting into triangles or squares is a great way to use extra polenta. Lightly fry the triangles in a bit of butter or olive oil and you have a nice, new side dish.
Yummy! Loved this recipe. I changed it a bit. I added 1/2 tsp. less salt and instead of water, used vegetable broth. I also substituted one of the cups of milk for rice milk. Noboby knew the difference.
This tasted so good with water that I can only imagine how great chicken broth will be for next time. I made the 4 serving version of this with skim milk. I put the polenta into cold liquid,then boil as suggested and did not have a single lump. Around 13 mins of cooking I had to bump the heat up to medium because it was not solidifying. I think I might cut down the butter next time, but the sharp cheddar cheese was excellent.
While I did alter it somewhat to meet our dietary needs, YUM!!! I used 1/2 Yu rice milk, 1/2 soy cup creamy soy = milk.I reduced the olive oil margarine to 2 tablespoons. Also, I added a bit more aged cheddar, and 1/4 c. chopped pickled jalapenos. I also used perhaps a teaspoon more corn meal, and I cooked it a bit longer...I am letting it cool in a shallow loaf pan, and depending on the consistancy, I will either broil it after brushing it with melted butter, or cut it into squares, and fry till crisp on both sides...we're having it with vegetarian chili, tonight...but I already snuck at taste, and...YUM!!! Thank you!
Really good. I used chicken broth instead of water. Instead of cheddar cheese, I used parmesan & romano. Really good flavor.
Perfect. I like to add chopped parsley for a little flavor and color. This is a wonderful basic that should be in every recipe box. Thanks!
Wonderful recipe! I used mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar cheese. I served the polenta with the "Polenta with Italian Sausage" recipe on here. Yum!
Fantastic! My store was out of polenta so I used corn meal. I also added extra cheese. Not sure why but mine was finished cooking after 3-5 minutes even on low. I poured it into a small bowl, let it firm, then when I turned it out onto a plate it kept a nice round shape and was easy to slice rather than scoop. A crowd pleaser!
This was my first time to try to make my own polenta...DELICIOUS!! I used chicken broth instead of water and used Bob's Red Mill Grits (Polenta). It only took about 4 minutes to cook...and I didn't think it needed any butter! The leftovers are in the refrigerator so that I can make crispy polenta cakes tomorrow night!!!
I used this with a hard goat cheese. I was going to skip the butter, but the flavor was harsh and it seemed really thick. I added 2 tbs of butter and that solved those problems. This is definitely a keeper. One thing is you have to constantly stir it. Mine cooked up in less than 10 minutes.
