Creamy Polenta Recipe
Published June 21, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious Creamy Polenta Recipe is a classic Italian side dish made with slow-cooked corn meal in stock and finished with butter and cheese. You will love how simple it is to prepare and how well it goes with any main entree.

In my house, we love having a variety of side dishes, especially during big holiday meals, because they make every gathering feel even more special. If you want to take your side dish recipe game to the next level, try my macaroni and cheese or my delicious homemade dinner rolls.
Polenta
Polenta is a Northern Italian dish of cornmeal cooked in liquid until it becomes cornmeal mush. Technically, mush is a mixture of cornmeal cooked with liquid and is commonly served with butter or syrup for breakfast. They’re the same, and the words can be interchanged.
It is essentially the Italian version of the Southern classic grits. The cornmeal used in this dish is a different breed of corn cut differently, so it’s not a perfect 1-to-1 comparison. However, the flavor profiles are very similar, and the method is similar. It can be served hot or cooled until it becomes firm. Then, cut it into triangles or squares and fry them.
I really enjoy making this creamy polenta because it’s one of those versatile Italian side dishes that pairs beautifully with just about any main course. Check out my favorite serving suggestions, they’re tried-and-true classics that my family and friends absolutely love!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Onion – Use red, white, yellow, or sweet onion. Shallots can also be used. In addition, you’ll also need some whole garlic cloves
- Cornmeal — Yellow medium to coarsely ground cornmeal is classically used, but it can also be finely ground if that’s all that is available.
- Liquid – Chicken stock is best to use. However, you can use vegetable stock, water or brodo.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content.
- Cheese – Since this is a Northern Italian dish, Parmigiano Reggiano is the traditional cheese. However, you can substitute with pecorino Romano, ricotta salata, or fontina.
- Herbs – This is optional and not classic, but I usually finish my creamy polenta with a garnish of flat-leaf parsley.
How to Make Polenta
Caramelize: I heat a small amount of olive oil in a 6- or 8-quart pot, then add the chopped yellow onion and finely minced garlic. I let them cook low and slow for up to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn soft and golden brown.

Simmer: Once the onions and garlic are golden brown, I pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.

Whisk & Cook: As soon as the stock reaches a boil, I slowly pour in the cornmeal, whisking vigorously and constantly to prevent any clumps from forming. Once it’s fully incorporated, I reduce the heat to medium-low and keep stirring, this step is key to achieving a smooth, creamy texture. The polenta needs 15 to 20 minutes to cook properly, and patience here makes all the difference.

Finish: Once the creamy polenta is fully cooked, it should be smooth and free of any crunch. I then stir in whole butter, Parmigiano cheese, salt, and pepper, mixing until everything melts together.

Garnish & Serve: I like to finish it off with a sprinkle of Parmigiano for extra richness and a touch of minced fresh parsley to brighten up the flavors.

chef tip + notes
The key to making the best creamy polenta is to whisk continuously as you pour in the cornmeal, ensuring a smooth, lump-free texture. I keep the heat at medium-low and stir consistently, this helps the cornmeal absorb the liquid evenly, creating a rich, velvety finish.
- Cornmeal Preference: I like using medium-coarse cornmeal for polenta because it gives a slight graininess, which I think adds to the texture.
- Best Additions: Onions, butter, and cheese are my go-to ingredients for bringing depth and richness to a basic polenta recipe.
- Butter vs. Olive Oil: If I’m out of olive oil, unsalted butter works just fine for cooking the onions.
- Flavor Boost: For extra depth, I love caramelizing mushrooms or root vegetables, this recipe is flexible, so you can customize it however you like.
- Polenta vs. Grits: The difference? Grits are made from white hominy corn, while polenta comes from coarser yellow cornmeal, giving it a heartier texture.
- Creamy vs. Classic: For super creamy polenta, I use a 4:1 liquid-to-cornmeal ratio; for a more traditional texture, I stick with 3:1, which is what I used here.
Serving Suggestions
Serving my creamy polenta is always satisfying because I know my family and friends can’t get enough of it, especially when I pair it with my slow-braised short ribs or my fall-of-the-bone Osso Buco, for a classic, comforting dish.
It also goes perfectly with my pan seared salmon, particularly when I add a side of roasted vegetables for a well-rounded meal.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 1 hour ahead of time. Keep it covered in a pan before serving.
How to Store: Store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of polenta back into a medium-size pot over low heat with a 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Once it starts to heat, stir the stock into the polenta. You may need more chicken stock depending on how much polenta you are reheating.
More Side Dish Recipes
Video
Creamy Polenta Recipe

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/2 small diced small yellow onion
- 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 6 cups of chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
- 2 cups of medium ground cornmeal
- 2 ounces of unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
- sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic until they are browned, which takes about 3 to 7 minutes.
- Pour in the liquid and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling pour in the cornmeal while vigorously stirring with a whisk to ensure no clumps are formed, about 15 to 20 minutes. When the cornmeal is poured in, turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Finish off the polenta by stirring in butter, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until completely combined. Cook for a further 5 minutes over low heat. Garnish with parmesan and parsley.
- Serve hot, enjoy!
This recipe made me look like a polenta pro even though I’m a first-timer.
It was so delicious! Perfect as-is but it could easily accept modifications and added flavors and still be great. I chilled it into bars and made “polenta fries” with a marinara dipping sauce. Yum!
Need six stars for this recipe. Made it for the first time last week. Enjoyed so much, making again this week. I put in pyrex dish and chilled. Sliced half inch pieces and browned. Served with fresh chopped tomatoes, basil, a bit of garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. I did not even want to eat my main. This is a fantastic recipe and easy to follow. Thank you. Big fan.
Fantastic recipe!! We are a family of six from the US but in Brazil for a year – in “shelter at home” during pandemic and polenta is a staple here in Brazil. I had never cooked it before and it turned out amazing!! I made enough for three meals so I’ll top it each night with something different:) Or maybe pan fry some on day three and top with meat and marinara. Thanks so much!!
Delicious easy recipe
Thank you!!
I remember my grandmother substituting part of the water with milk and using a cup of parmesan cheese. What does this do to the recipe?
It would maybe make it a little creamier but with all the butter and cheese I already have in there probably not much.
Wow!! Absolutely delicious! You made it so simple and easy to follow. Thank you! 👏I added mushrooms to the onions and garlic and it was a huge success! 👏
Delicious!!!!
I never made polenta before tonight. Looked up this recipe and used onions and garlic, leeks and mushrooms and grated cheese. Wow. It was awesome. Thanks I’ve now got a new starch for my dinner rotation!
oh man the added stuff you put in there sounds amazing! So glad you love this recipe 🙂
Last week was the first time I made polenta and the recipe was easy to follow and the end result was delicious! I am about to make it for a second time with some sautéed pinto beans! YUM! Thank you for sharing this tasty recipe.
Kaye this is amazing thank you so much for the kind words and giving it a try!
Wow! This turned out fantastic. I served it in a shallow bowl with roasted veggies on top. So yummy. I can’t wait to put braised lamb or beef on top of it or on the side.
So happy this turned out so well for you, thank for trying it out!!
Yum! This is almost exactly how I make my risotto – but I need to try polenta soon!! Love it!
same technique 🙂
Do you have to stir it the whole 15-20 minutes?
No but keep an eye on it especially at the beginning because it will clump.