This simple and delicious mascarpone polenta comes together in just under an hour and is baked in the oven for a fuss-free experience! As if polenta couldn’t get any better, the addition of mascarpone provides a rich creaminess to this dish. Serve it alongside my mushroom bourguignon or kale caesar salad for a hearty dinner!
Okay, so this mascarpone polenta has definitely got to be my new favorite side dish! It’s nourishing, filling, and oh so creamy. There’s a touch of sweet corn from the cornmeal, and the mascarpone really adds an extra level of deliciousness.
Best of all, I use a very clever trick I learned from the comments of a New York Times recipe that makes the cooking process a snap! No more constant stirring, no more overly lumpy, goopy polenta. So thanks to Mary K for her brilliant method that I’m about to share with you.
A Primer on Polenta
Polenta is an Italian dish of cornmeal boiled in liquid to a creamy, porridge-like consistency. Polenta is typically consumed in this thick, porridge-like state or sliced and deep-fried. It’s hearty, rich, and creamy, with tender but not gritty grains of cornmeal.
Key Ingredients
Polenta: It can be a little confusing to shop for polenta because there are so many varieties of cornmeal. I highly recommend looking for a medium grind yellow cornmeal or a product labeled ‘polenta’. Avoid instant or quick-cooking varieties, as these lack flavor.
Mascarpone: Mascarpone is a soft Italian spreadable cheese, with a similar texture to cream cheese. Mascarpone differs from whole milk ricotta cheese in that it’s made with cream, while traditional ricotta is made with leftover whey.
You can typically find this cheese in the deli/cheese section of most major supermarkets and specialty grocery stores.
Milk: I do not recommend using all milk, as I think it’s too rich, but whatever milk you have, whether it’s whole milk, 2%, or skim, is totally fine.
How to Prevent a Gritty Texture
Gritty polenta can happen in one of two ways: either you purchase the wrong type of cornmeal or you haven’t cooked it long enough.
When cornmeal, or any grain, is heated in liquid, the starch granules in the grain begin to swell and slowly absorb the water. The result is a mixture with a viscous, somewhat gelatinized texture.
If you’ve ever cooked polenta and noticed it was still quite gritty, this is because the cornmeal grains have not fully absorbed the water. If you continue to cook the polenta, they will eventually become tender. Point being: polenta takes time!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1 – Add your cornmeal, water or stock, milk (if using), salt, pepper, and a bit of butter to a dutch oven. Stir to combine.
Step 2 – Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the cover, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. At this point, the mixture will still look quite loose.
Step 3 – Continue baking and checking for doneness until polenta is cooked through. Be patient here, time is everything.
Step 4 – Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the cheeses and butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately!
Recipe FAQs
Leftover polenta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 5 days.
You can reheat a single serving of leftover polenta in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval. Just make sure to add a splash of milk or water to thin it out. For larger servings, reheat on the stove with a splash of milk or water to help thin it out.
Leftover, chilled polenta can be sliced cold and then fried in olive oil until crispy and browned on the outside and warm on the inside. It’s great served with a marinara-style dipping sauce!
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to cover your dutch oven while it’s baking. This prevents a skin from forming on top of the polenta!
- Serve while still hot. As soon as it starts cooling down, it begins to thicken.
- For a lighter polenta, replace the milk with water.
- For a slightly looser, softer polenta, use a ratio of 1 cup cornmeal to 5 cups liquid. Keep in mind the more liquid the polenta has, the longer it will take to cook. Do not use anything less than 1 cup cornmeal to 4 ½ cups liquid, or it will be too thick (and the grains may not have enough time to cook before absorbing all of the liquid).
- Cooking polenta is a bit of an art and science. Stick to the ratios in the recipe, but use your intuition – if it feels too thick, add more liquid. Too thin? Keep cooking it until the liquid evaporates.
Did you try this recipe?
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Mascarpone Polenta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium grind yellow cornmeal
- 3 to 3 ½ cups water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 1 ½ cups milk, for a lighter polenta, replace the milk with water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
Instructions
- Set a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 °F or 177 °C.
- In a heavy oven-safe dutch oven, combine 1 cup medium grind yellow cornmeal, 3 to 3 ½ cups water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock (3 ½ cups for a softer, looser finish), 1 ½ cups milk, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a generous pinch of Black pepper in a pot. Whisk for a few seconds until cornmeal is incorporated into the liquids. Top with 1 tablespoon butter.
- Place the pot in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, covered.
- Carefully remove the cover and stir the polenta with a wooden spoon.
- Bake the polenta, covered, for an additional 15 minutes, then check for doneness. When done, the polenta should have absorbed all of the water and have a creamy consistency. The grains should feel tender without being gritty.
- If the polenta still tastes gritty and/or not all of the water has been absorbed, continue baking until cooked through, checking every 5 – 10 minutes. It may take an additional 30 minutes, depending on the type of polenta you have.
- If the polenta is cooked through but feels too thick, you can thin it out with water to your desired consistency.
- Once the polenta is cooked through, remove from the oven. Immediately whisk in the ½ cup mascarpone cheese, ½ cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir until the mascarpone is fully melted.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Polenta is typically made with water, milk, or stock, and you can choose what combination you’d like depending on your mood. If you’re looking for something lighter (and to be fair, polenta is already pretty rich, so lighter is definitely relative!) with a stronger corn flavor, go with all water. Want a lighter polenta with a meaty or vegetal flavor? Use stock. Want a richer polenta? Use a half and half mix of water and milk.
- Make sure to cover your dutch oven while it’s baking. This prevents a skin from forming on top of the polenta!
- Cooking polenta is a bit of an art and science. Stick to the ratios in the recipe, but use your intuition – if it feels too thick, add more liquid. Too thin? Keep cooking it until the liquid evaporates.
- Serve the polenta immediately. As soon as it starts cooling down, it begins to thicken.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This will be my third time making this. It’s incredible!! I make it with the 3 cups of chick stock so it firms up as it cools then I can grill it up the next day!!
Yay! So happy to hear that Izzy!! That’s such a cool idea to grill it the next day – I’ll have to try it some time!
Just put this in the oven. There is this error: the # of T doesn’t adjust when the number of servings is adjusted. 8 servigs calls for 2 T before putting in the oven and 2 with the cheeses, not 1 T each time. The ingredients list cha
Hi! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. It should be fixed now – apologies!
This polenta is fabulous! I served it with beef braciole and the combination really worked. Baking it could not be easier! And with 6 dinner guests,I was able to enjoy their company without having to stand at the stove and stir for half and hour!
An added bonus was not having to worry about burning the bottom! Many thanks!
Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for leaving a comment! That sounds like a lovely combo. So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
This was outstanding. Never made polenta in the oven before.
So glad you enjoyed! The oven method is such a game-changer.