Creamy Polenta With Garlic Mushrooms
Soft, creamy Parmesan polenta topped with garlicky browned mushrooms in a thyme and white wine sauce. A cosy vegetarian dinner that comes together in 45 minutes.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
45 min total 4 bowlsEasy
Photo: Lablascovegmenu · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Creamy polenta is pure comfort: coarse cornmeal simmered slowly with milk and water until it is soft and spoonable, then enriched with butter and Parmesan.
Topped with a savoury ragout of browned mushrooms, garlic, thyme and a splash of white wine, it becomes a hearty, elegant vegetarian dinner.
Equipment you'll need
- Heavy saucepan
- Large skillet
- Whisk
Tips for success
- Whisk constantly as you add the polenta; lumps are hard to fix later.
- Polenta firms up as it cools; loosen it with hot water or milk just before serving.
- Do not crowd the mushrooms, or they will steam instead of browning.
Substitutions and variations
- Use instant polenta and follow the package timing for a 10-minute version.
- Top with a fried egg or crispy chickpeas for extra protein.
- Use olive oil, plant milk and nutritional yeast for a dairy-free version.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate the polenta and mushrooms separately for up to 4 days. Firm polenta can be sliced and pan-fried.
To reheat: Reheat polenta over low heat, whisking in hot milk or water until creamy. Rewarm the mushrooms in a skillet.
Recipe
Creamy Polenta With Garlic Mushrooms
Soft, creamy Parmesan polenta topped with garlicky browned mushrooms in a thyme and white wine sauce. A cosy vegetarian dinner that comes together in 45 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 bowls
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Polenta
Mushrooms
Instructions
Step 1: Start the polenta
Bring the milk, water and salt to a simmer in the saucepan. Slowly pour in the polenta while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
Step 2: Cook slowly
Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring every few minutes with a wooden spoon, for 25 to 35 minutes until thick, creamy and no longer gritty. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
Step 3: Brown the mushrooms
Meanwhile, heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer (in batches if needed) and cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then stir and cook for 5 minutes more until browned.
Step 4: Finish the mushrooms
Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
Step 5: Finish the polenta
Stir the butter and Parmesan into the polenta and adjust the seasoning.
Step 6: Serve
Spoon the polenta into bowls and top with the mushrooms and extra Parmesan.
Cuisine: Italian · Course: Dinner
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 15 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugars
- 8 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/polenta-with-mushrooms
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