Mascarpone Polenta

5 from 7 votes

This mascarpone polenta is rich and nourishing with subtle notes of sweet corn, creamy mascarpone cheese, and hints of black pepper. It's delicious enough to serve for date night yet simple enough to enjoy when you're craving comfort food after a long day at work.

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Servings: servings

Calories: 437kcal

Author: Karishma Pradhan

Equipment

1 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven

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