Creamy Parmesan Polenta with Mushrooms
Creamy Parmesan Polenta with Mushrooms is rich, buttery, and ready in 35 minutes. Silky smooth polenta topped with garlicky mushrooms cooked in butter and thyme. Simple ingredients, big flavor, pure comfort.
Servings: 6
Calories: 366kcal
Ingredients
For the Polenta:
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, low sodium
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal polenta
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream or milk
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Mushrooms:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms cremini, shiitake, oyster, etc., sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups broth and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in 1 cup cornmeal, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, ½ cup Parmesan, ½ cup heavy cream, and pepper to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound mushrooms and sauté 6 to 8 minutes until golden. Add 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon thyme, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute more. Stir in parsley if using.
- Spoon the creamy polenta into bowls and top with the garlicky mushrooms. Add an extra sprinkle of Parmesan for good measure.
Notes
- Polenta: Use medium or coarse ground cornmeal for a bit of bite. Instant works too, just follow the packet directions for timing.
- Broth: Chicken broth gives deeper flavor, but vegetable broth makes it vegetarian friendly.
- Cheese: Always use freshly grated Parmesan. The pre-grated kind doesn’t melt right and can make the texture grainy.
- Mushrooms: Feel free to use a mix of cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms for lots of flavor. Don’t crowd the pan and let them brown before stirring.
- Make ahead: Polenta thickens as it cools, but it reheats beautifully. Just stir in a splash of broth or milk and warm gently until smooth again.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg
