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Polenta is such a magical food. It can be creamy and light, dense and cheesy, or even firm enough to fry or grill. Yes, youve heard of it, but what is polenta, exactly? Ahead, youll learn some of the most popular ways to eat polenta and find out exactly what this cornmeal concoction is.
Polenta is a dish that originated in Northern Italy and is made of coarsely ground yellow cornmeal. Its super versatile and can be prepared in so many different ways. It only takes a few pantry staples to cook it too: All you need is water or broth, butter, salt, and pepper. Most packages have a simple recipe on the back you can follow to whip up the perfect polenta side dish. Once you have your polenta, give Ree Drummonds Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta a try! “Making polenta is the easiest thing in the world, and can be a nice complement to many meat dishes,” she says.
Polenta is sold in a few different forms, so keep your eye out for which one you want at the grocery store. Regular polenta can take up to 40 minutes to cook and requires constant stirring, while “instant” or “quick-cooking” polenta can be made in minutes. Purchasing instant polenta can really cut down the cooking time, but some say that these versions arent as flavorful as standard polenta. Polenta can also be bought fully cooked in log-shaped packaging (similar to a tube of cookie dough). This type of ready-made polenta can be sliced off and sautéed, fried, or grilled.
There are two types of polenta: traditional and instant. Traditional polenta is made with coarsely ground cornmeal and takes up to an hour to cook with frequent stirring. Instant polenta, on the other hand, is made with pre-cooked, dried and finely ground cornmeal, and takes just minutes to prepare.
What makes polenta different from cornmeal?
Polenta and cornmeal are almost exactly the same product, except for one thing: the consistency of the grain. Polenta is much more coarsely ground, which makes the end product less mushy, and it has a little more bite to it than cornmeal. Cornmeal is very finely ground, so it can end up mushy or soupy if you prepare it like polenta.
Bob’s Red Mill Organic Corn Grits/Polenta
Polenta tastes a lot like corn, since thats what it is! It has a similar flavor to grits and is even comparable to the flavor of cornbread (but not the texture).
How to Make Perfect Polenta | Serious Eats
FAQ
What is the difference between quick cooking polenta and regular polenta?
What is a substitute for quick cooking polenta?
What is polenta made of?
What are 2 types of polenta?
How do you cook polenta?
Traditional-style polenta grains will be medium- or coarse-ground for the best texture. Polenta is traditionally cooked slowly on the stovetop in water, milk, or stock and then mixed with butter, salt, pepper, and occasionally Parmesan or another cheese.
Polenta vs Grits: Which is healthier?
Polenta are quite healthy as compared to grits. Polenta is high in complex carbohydrates, thus help you keep full for a long time. It is diabetes friendly, does not lead to the spike in the blood sugar levels. Polenta is a gluten-free grain. It is rich in antioxidants thus aiding various health benefits. It helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
What is homemade polenta?
At its core, polenta is really just cooked cornmeal. Unlike the store-bought cornmeal mush tube, homemade polenta is creamy and smooth and can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen pantry. It’s a delicious buttery, corn-flavored dish that can be used as a base for many Italian dishes.
What can you do with polenta?
Use polenta to make a pound cake or a Dutch baby, or add some to the topping of a cherry cobbler to give it more texture. Polenta can also be used to bread ingredients; try using it in oven-fried chicken, and take a tip from Yotam Ottolenghi and use polenta as the crust on crispy fish cakes.