Creamy polenta, a pillar of classic Italian cucina povera, has a reputation for being fussy and labor-intensive. But it doesn't have to be that way! Instead of standing over a hot stove, stirring and stirring, you can pop a skillet in the oven and make easy, creamy baked polenta. While your polenta gently cooks in the oven you're free to prep other elements of your meal, or just kick back with a glass of wine. Win-win!
This post may contain affiliate links. There is no cost to you, but if you buy something from these links I may earn a small commission, which helps keep my stove hot and small pantry stocked–thank you!
Baking polenta is nothing new, but I think the ratios and timing are really dialed in here. This recipe is actually based on my recipe for goat cheese polenta with smoked trout, just simplified. I prefer to use a tall-sided skillet instead of a Dutch oven, because the surface area seems to regulate the cook time and moisture evaporation better. Plus, it's easier to make a smaller amount of polenta in a small skillet. Small Dutch ovens are not a common kitchen tool--even my smallest is too big for a two-person serving!
Core Ingredients
I love polenta. It's little more than coarse cornmeal cooked in liquid, but it's a terrific base for everything from short ribs to sautéed greens and a poached egg! You can tweak and customize this baked creamy polenta recipe to complement almost anything.
Coarse Polenta
Good quality polenta should taste like...corn! The main factor that sets good polenta apart from “bad” polenta is age. Like any grain, once the whole kernels are milled into polenta flavor starts to fade. The coarse polenta you can buy in any grocery store is just fine to use, but if you’re in the mood to treat yourself you should seek out small batch brands.
Smaller batches mean more frequent milling, which means you’ll be buying fresher product than what’s been languishing on grocery store shelves. I recommend either Hayden Flour Mills or Maine Grains (non-affiliate links).
Water, Stock, or Milk
Any liquid can be used to gently simmer your polenta. Use something that tastes good, since the polenta will absorb the flavors. In other words, boxed stock is fine, but if you don't like the taste it will ruin your polenta. Better safe than sorry: take a quick taste of your stock before committing to it. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with using water. It will make the polenta flavor clearer. Milk won't overpower the corn flavor either, but it will amp up any cheese you might add.
Finishing Touches
Finely grated Parmesan and butter are common final additions. They round out the flavor and help to make the texture nice and creamy. You can use any type of cheese that melts well. Keep in mind that firmer cheeses like Parmesan or aged cheddar will melt better if grated more finely. Super soft fresh cheese like goat cheese can just be roughly crumbled and stirred right in. Herbs are another nice touch-- pick what complements your meal best.
Basic Method
Combine your ingredients
Grab an oven-safe skillet that has tall sides. I generally use one of my cast iron skillets, but I also recommend a stainless steel sauté pan. (An older model of this KitchenAid sauté pan with a lid is probably our most-used pan in our entire kitchen!)
Mix everything--polenta, your liquid of choice, and a half teaspoon kosher salt--in the skillet and pop it in the oven. Ta da! Zero prep time. Let it bake until the polenta is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. All you need to do is give it a stir once or twice to make sure it's cooking evenly and that nothing is sticking.
Stir in finishing touches
Once your polenta is cooked, whisk in the butter and your chosen cheeses. At this point, let your creativity take over! You can leave it simple and classic, or you can stir in herbs, toasted spices, or anything that strikes your fancy. If it starts to firm up before you serve it, just whisk in a bit more hot liquid right before scooping it into bowls.
Expert Tips and Tricks
Ingredient Swaps
- Water vs Stock vs Milk: You can use any liquid here. Water will let the flavor of the polenta shine through the most clearly, but you may end up wishing for more salt. Stock can complement whatever you'll be serving with the polenta. You might choose a vegetable or mushroom stock for serving with confit mushrooms, seafood stock for serving with seared scallops, or a chicken stock to pair with grilled chicken thighs. Or mix and match! Pick milk if you really want to amp up the effect of butter and cheese.
What to Avoid
- Forgetting to stir your polenta: Baking polenta cooks it with ambient heat from all sides, which means less work for you. However, you do need to stir it once or twice so that the grains in the middle of the pan cook at the same rate as those on the bottom and the surface. And, as the polenta thickens, the bottom layer that touches the pan is more likely to start sticking. A few good stirs helps prevent this.
- Using fine cornmeal: This isn't the end of the world. You can use any type of cornmeal to make a porridge. However a finer grind is going to absorb a different amount of water and cook at a different rate. If you swap in something that isn't polenta, be prepared to tinker and adjust.
Why this Recipe Works
- Ambient heat: Stove-top polenta has to fight against the direct heat of the burner. It’s a constant battle against scorching and sticking. Cooking the polenta in an oven uses ambient heat to cook gently from all sides, dramatically reducing the amount of work needed from you.
FAQs
The main difference is the type of corn traditionally used. Polenta is usually made with flint corn, while grits are made from slightly softer dent corn. If you can only find one or the other that’s okay. Both will get the job done.
Absolutely. Remember to increase the size of your skillet to accommodate a larger volume of polenta. If you end up needing to use a Dutch oven for a very large batch, you may find your cook time to be a longer. A deeper pot changes the surface area and evaporation rates, so be prepared to budget that into your scheduling.
Yes, but the effect won’t be quite the same. You can use olive oil or vegan butter in place of regular salted or unsalted butter. For the goat cheese, I recommend exploring different types of vegan/dairy-free cream cheese or sour cream. You may have access to new types of vegan goat cheese, which could be fun to play with.
Yes. Let it cool completely in its container. You can pour it into a freezer bag and let it freeze flat for easy storage, or you can pour it into a freezer-safe tupperware. When you thaw the polenta it will likely have leached out a lot of liquid. Gently reheat in a lidded pan, stirring often, to reincorporate everything. If necessary, whisk in more liquid the same way you would for reinvigorating firmed up refrigerated polenta. Adding a bit more cheese and/or butter will also help regain any lost creaminess.
You can, but I strongly recommend cooking polenta in something that is both oven safe and stove-safe. The reason is that polenta will stiffen significantly and quickly once it starts to cool. If your polenta has begun to set up before you are able to serve it, you can pop a skillet over low heat and rewarm while whisking. If you've used a baking dish you don't have that option. You'd have to return it to the oven, which you probably already turned off!
Looking for more easy essential recipes to add to your repertoire?
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Essential Recipe: Easy Oven-Baked Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup coarse polenta
- 2 cups water, stock, or milk
- Kosher salt
- 1-2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- Grated or crumbled cheese, to taste, Optional
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Arrange your racks so that the upper-most rack is in the middle of the oven. This will make it easier to check and stir the polenta as it bakes.
- Step 1In an oven-proof medium skillet, mix together the polenta, water/stock/milk, and ½ teaspoon salt. For a standard style skillet with sloped sides, a 10-inch size works best to prevent spills. If you have an 8-inch skillet with taller sides, such as a cast iron pan or sauté pan, that will do nicely as well.
- Step 2Transfer to the oven and bake, stirring once or twice, until the polenta has absorbed all the liquid, 30 to 35 minutes. Taste to make sure the grains of the polenta are completely tender. If the polenta is still a bit toothsome, stir in ¼ to ½ cup water and continue to bake until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender.
- Step 3Remove from the oven and stir in the butter to taste. Add the cheese, if using, and stir until melted and evenly distributed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or set aside in the skillet and gently rewarm when ready to serve (see Tips below).
Extra Notes:
This post may contain affiliate links. There is no cost to you, but if you buy something from these links I may earn a small commission, which helps keep my stove hot and small pantry stocked–thank you!
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