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    Home / Dinner / Polenta

    Polenta

    Golden cornmeal simmered into a soft, buttery porridge — the ancient backbone of northern Italian cooking.

    ⏱ 5 minPrep time
    🔥 40 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
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    Polenta - soft buttery golden cornmeal porridge with parmesan

    Polenta is golden cornmeal cooked into a creamy, buttery bowl of warmth. It’s humble comfort food that cradles stews and ragùs or stands proudly alongside roasted meats and mushrooms.

    A staple of northern Italy, polenta can be served soft and spoonable, or poured out, cooled, and sliced, then grilled or fried until crisp. Either way, finish with butter, Parmesan, and plenty of black pepper.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Bring the water or broth and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan.
    2. Whisk in the polenta in a slow, steady stream to prevent lumps.
    3. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until thick and creamy, about 35-40 minutes.
    4. Stir in the butter, Parmesan, and pepper until glossy.
    5. Serve soft, or pour onto a baking sheet, chill until firm, and cut into pieces to grill or pan-fry until crisp.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Use coarse-ground polenta, not instant, for real texture — and stir it often. Leftover polenta firms up beautifully for grilling the next day.

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    Recipe details

    Prep5 min
    Cook40 min
    Servings6
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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