Creamy Parmesan Polenta with Tomato Salad
This creamy parmesan polenta recipe topped with a vibrant tomato salad makes a a great side dish or simple vegetarian lunch. Create it from scratch or use a great shortcut.
Servings (change as needed): 3 Main (or 6-7 Sides)
Ingredients
Polenta
- 1 cup Polenta or Cornmeal , Note 1 and 2 (I use Bob's Red Mill Cornmeal)
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)
Herbed Tomato Salad
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, Note 3 and 4 (San Marzano preferred)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon finely chopped herbs (any combination of chives, thyme, oregano, parsley, basil, etc)
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (or more to taste) - optional
- squeeze of lemon
- salt and black pepper to taste
- pinch of sugar
Instructions
- MAKE POLENTA: Boil water with salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in polenta/cornmeal, whisking constantly to avoid lumps for 1-2 minutes. Lower heat to a simmer. Keep whisking until polenta starts to thicken, about 4-5 minutes. Cover and cook, whisking every 4-5 minutes to avoid sticking on bottom of pan. (When polenta gets thicker, switch to wooden spoon or other spoon to stir. ) Polenta is done when it's creamy, thick and not grainy. Total time for cooking should take about 30-40 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in butter and Parmesan. Taste and add salt if needed.
- MAKE TOMATO TOPPING: While polenta is cooking (and between stirs), drain tomatoes and squeeze them a bit to eliminate most of juices. Roughly chop and place in bowl. Add oil, herbs, salt, pepper, lemon and chili flakes (if using). Combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- SERVE: To serve family style, scoop Polenta onto a platter and top with tomatoes. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Polenta/cornmeal to buy: Buy consistent grind or stoneground medium-to-coarsely-ground cornmeal. Or you can get a package labeled Polenta which will contain the correct ground cornmeal. To reduce the cooking time, soak the cornmeal/polenta in the water for a few hours ahead of time. Then bring to a boil and go from there.
- Variations for cooking the polenta:
- Omit the Parmesan cheese.
- Add olive oil instead of butter in the last stage.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of pesto.
- For extra richness, use chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable stock or vegetable broth instead of water.
- You can also add extra flavor with fresh herbs, pesto, etc.
- To use fresh tomatoes instead of canned: You can substitute the canned tomatoes with fresh summer tomatoes like beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes best. Field tomatoes will be fine too. Use about 2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) or 4-5 medium tomatoes, drained, squeezed and chopped to yield about 3 cups/600 grams.
- Variations for the tomato salad
- You can substitute some of the fresh herbs with dried herbs, but I suggest using at least one fresh herb.
- Add a teaspoon of Balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sugar,
- Other good additions are minced garlic cloves, chopped olives, a squeeze of lemon juice or capers.
- Make Ahead: If Polenta is made ahead, it will begin to harden. To restore to looser creaminess, add some water and rewarm on stove or in microwave, stirring as needed.
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1540mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1060IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 283mg | Iron: 5mg