Lately, every time I walk through the grocery store or hear an update about a friend’s garden, I’m in awe of the abundance of colors and flavors that burst from the earth this time of year. Summer ingredients demand little from us as home cooks, yet their rewards are great. It’s as if summer is showing off by not showing off. I’ve been stockpiling our kitchen with zucchini and tomatoes lately, the result of being a seasonally-obsessed bargain shopper who can’t resist a pretty piece of produce or a good deal. Zucchini and tomatoes offer both. My Roasted Zucchini recipe is another wonderful way to utilize any leftover zucchini you have sitting around! Last week, I was in the mood to try something new with my latest vegetable buy, when I spied an ingredient on my shelf that, like zucchini and tomatoes, is unpretentious in every way but can be served up as something extraordinary: polenta.
Polenta is coarse-ground cornmeal that, when cooked properly, transforms into the dinner equivalent of a soul-affirming bear hug. Polenta is lusciously creamy, warm, and every time I eat it, it surprises me anew with just how fulfilling and delicious something as simple as ground corn can be. If your feelings towards polenta aren’t warm and fuzzy like mine (do the words lumpy and bland come to mind?), I’m willing to bet my last summer tomato that you haven’t had it cooked properly yet. This creamy polenta recipe will change your mind. If your feelings towards polenta are warm and fuzzy, but you perceive polenta as a heavier indulgence meant only for now and then, this recipe will change your mind about that too. I’ve kept the creamy texture and the comforting feel that makes polenta its marvelous self, but lightened up the recipe with a few easy tweaks.
How To Make The Best Creamy Polenta (Healthier!)
Perfect, Creamy Polenta, PART ONE: Stir.
Pour the polenta into the pot sloooooowly, then stir, stir, stir. You don’t need to knock your arm off, but you don’t want to walk away either. This part takes 5 to 10 minutes, that’s all! Turn on a podcast, call your grandma, or dance to a little Taylor Swift while you wait. The time will be up before you know it.
Perfect, Creamy Polenta, PART TWO: Mind Your Cooking Liquid.
Traditional polenta recipes call for cooking the polenta in either chicken broth or water, then stirring in something along the lines of heavy cream or a stick of butter (or both) at the end. My trick to creating the same creamy feel without the cream is almond milk.
Perfect, Creamy Polenta, PART THREE: The Finishing Touches.
Now that we’ve nailed the creamy texture, let’s talk about the final flourishes that give creamy polenta its punch. Traditional polenta recipes usually call for stirring in Parmesan and butter at the end. Instead of doing the creamy polenta with cheese, I opted for nutritional yeast which is loaded with nutrients and tastes surprisingly “cheesy.” I regularly use it in place of Parmesan (especially in omelets and on roasted veggies), and you can use it in any one of these recipes with nutritional yeast too. No nutritional yeast on hand? Feel free to swap Parmesan or omit it. For the butter: use a little, not a lot. I found two tablespoons to be the right amount for the polenta to taste indulgent without feeling heavy or greasy. To make the polenta dairy free, swap a vegan butter alternative. Now, time to top the polenta off, summer veggie style!
What to Serve with Creamy Polenta
Roasted Vegetables. On its own, creamy polenta makes a wonderful side, but I wanted to extend it to a full meal, so I piled it high with roasted summer veggies. The combination of zucchini, tomatoes, and shallots was bright and exactly right for the season.Grilled Vegetables. I think this would be delightful with grilled vegetables too.Tomato Sauce. I can see this dish being paired with a fresh summer tomato sauce in place of pasta too.
How to Store and Reheat this Polenta
To Store. Store leftover polenta and vegetables separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.To Reheat. Rewarm the polenta gently on the stove with a splash of broth, water, or almond milk to thin it as needed. Stir often, until heated through. Reheat the vegetables in a small skillet over medium heat or in a 350 degree F oven.
