How to Make Polenta

August 8, 2023

by HelloFresh How to cook

Contents

If you’ve ever seen polenta topped with slow-cooked Italian sauces, tucked into a slice of orange polenta cake, or snacked on a crunchy polenta chip, you’ve probably come away wondering – what exactly is polenta?
In this guide, you’ll find the answers to all of your polenta questions, as well as guidance on how to cook and use this tasty ingredient.

What is polenta?

Polenta is a dish commonly cooked in Italian cuisine. Often referred to as the ‘ultimate Italian comfort food’, with one taste of simmered hot polenta on a cold day, it’s easy to see why. Polenta is used in both sweet and savoury dishes and can be used as a gluten-free alternative to flour. It adds moisture and flavour to cakes and puddings, but it also makes a great breadcrumb substitute for crusts and frying.

What is polenta made from?

Polenta is made from finely ground corn, which is sometimes referred to as cornmeal (cornmeal is how it’s typically referred to in the USA). The ‘corn’ is yellow maize, although polenta can also be made with white maize. It’s not quite a grain, but it can be used as a rich and tasty base for dishes in the same way. It has a sunny yellow colour, a slightly sweet taste and comes in a variety of grades, ranging from coarse to fine in texture, depending on what you’re using it for in your dish.

How to make polenta

There are a couple of ways to cook polenta, as well as making instant polenta, ready-made polenta or quick-cook polenta if you don’t fancy standing over a pan. However, the most common way to cook polenta is as follows:

Measure out 1 part polenta to 5 parts of water (for example, 100g of dried polenta to 500ml of water).
Place the water in a pan with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
Add your polenta to the water once boiling.
Keep stirring your polenta throughout (not constantly, but every couple of minutes). This will help it evenly absorb the water and stop it from sticking to the pan.
Cook the polenta for 45 – 50 minutes, or until it’s soft, smooth and all the water is absorbed. If you do a quick taste test, you shouldn’t be able to detect any crunchy uncooked polenta grains. If some still remain, add a little more water and keep cooking. The ideal texture for polenta should be soft but not runny – similar to scrambled egg or cake batter.
Finish with some butter and cheese, and serve.

How to make polenta cake

Polenta cake is delicious, moist and a real treat to have on a warm summer’s day. Below are steps to make a traditional orange polenta cake.

For this recipe, you will need a 20cm round tin with a loose bottom.

Ingredients:

250g unsalted, softened butter
250g golden caster sugar
4 medium eggs
140g fine yellow polenta
200g self-raising flour
Zest and juice of two large oranges

Steps:

Start off by zesting and juicing your oranges, then set them aside for later.
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees (fan) or gas mark 3.
Beat together the butter and golden caster sugar until fluffy and pale.
Add one egg at a time to the mixture, beating in until fully incorporated.
Sift the flour and fold in gently.
Add the polenta, orange zest and juice, folding into the batter so it’s evenly spread through.
Place in your greased and lined baking tin, and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean with a few crumbs.
Turn it out onto a wire cooling rack and let it cool right down.

Bonus: You could whip up a quick orange icing to drizzle over the top if desired. Simply mix orange juice and icing sugar together until you have a soft dripping consistency, then swirl over the cake for an extra burst of sweetness.

How to make polenta chips

These polenta chips are perfect for outdoor dining; crispy on the outside but sticky and savoury on the inside.

Ingredients:

250g quick cook polenta
1L of vegetable or chicken stock
50g parmesan cheese
50g butter
Dried herbs (such as thyme, chives or parsley)
Salt
Olive oil

Steps:

Prepare the quick-cook polenta with the stock. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir through the parmesan cheese, dried herbs and butter.
Transfer to a square baking tin and let the polenta cool and set (approximately 2 hours in the fridge).
Remove from the tin and cut into chips (to your preferred size and thickness).
Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. You can then either shallow fry them for extra crispy edges or bake them in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

All cooking appliances vary. These are guidelines only. Ensure the food is piping hot before serving. Do not reheat.

What to serve with polenta

Traditional polenta is served with lashings of butter and cheese, but you can also serve it with:

Tomato ragu sauce (either vegetarian or meat)
Mushroom and spinach cream sauce
Herb-crusted pork or lamb chops
Roasted butternut squash
Spicy corn and tomato salsa with fried chicken strips

HelloFresh Recipe Development Manager, Mimi Morely, shares her favourite way to serve polenta:

“For me, the best way to serve polenta is to mix it with cheese to create a sort of creamy, cheese porridge. This way, it acts as a delicious savoury bed for you to add all sorts of toppings such as garlic mushrooms, steak, chorizo and eggs.”