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    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Recipes

    Baked Polenta

    Published: Oct 1, 2020 · Modified: Sep 24, 2024 by Jenny Meier

    Jump to Recipe

    No more stirring polenta on the stove! This baked polenta recipe cooks all by itself in the oven. Baked polenta is creamy & comforting and everyone in the family can add their favorite toppings.

    Looking for a faster way to cook polenta? The recipe card at the bottom of this post also includes instructions for Instant Pot polenta.

    Creamy baked polenta in a bowl topped with melted cheese and roasted tomato slices.

    This baked polenta recipe takes all the work out of making polenta. Simply combine polenta, water and salt and let it bake in the oven for about 45 minutes. Then, stir in olive oil or butter, and if you really want it to taste amazing, add your favorite cheese.

    This polenta is creamy and rich with a buttery, mildly sweet corn flavor that pairs really well with toppings like roasted tomatoes, zucchini, roasted oyster mushrooms with garlic or sauteed delicata squash. You can also add pan-seared kielbasa sausage, pork and ricotta meatballs and/or Instant Pot bolognese sauce. The options are endless!

    You can use this polenta recipe to make creamy baked polenta served in a bowl. You can also use it to make baked polenta slices - simply pour the warm polenta in a dish and let it cool and set in the refrigerator. The cooled and firm polenta can then be sliced and served warm or cold.

    Looking for a sliced polenta recipe? Try sliced polenta and sausage.

    Jump to:
    • What is Baked Polenta?
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Baked Polenta Instructions
    • Tips for Perfect Baked Polenta
    • Polenta Toppings and Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe FAQ
    • Main Course Recipes to Serve with Polenta
    • 📖 Recipe

    What is Baked Polenta?

    Baked polenta can be one of two things. It can be polenta that cooks entirely in the oven and comes out like creamy and thick porridge (like this recipe). Or, it can be warm, cooked polenta that is poured into a baking dish and then chilled until firm and sliceable.

    Ingredients

    You only need three main ingredients to make creamy baked polenta: polenta, water and salt.

    The word "polenta" actually refers to the name of the dish, not the type of ground corn used an ingredient. However, to make sure you're buying the correct type of cornmeal look for packages labeled as "polenta" not "cornmeal." When ground cornmeal is labeled as polenta, it should mean that the cornmeal is ground to a coarse or medium texture.

    Labeled ingredients for this recipe.

    Optional ingredients that improve the flavor of polenta include butter or olive oil and cheese. These ingredients are added after the polenta is baked.

    Step-by-Step Baked Polenta Instructions

    For detailed instructions and ingredient amounts, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Polenta and water combined in a baking dish.

    Step 1: Combine polenta, water and salt in a baking dish with a lid, like a Dutch oven. Let the polenta soak for 1 hour on the counter. (This step is optional, but helps the polenta cook faster & have a creamier texture).

    Creamy polenta halfway baked in a Dutch oven.

    Step 2: Bake the polenta at 400F with a lid. There's no need to stir it. After 30 minutes, the polenta should be thickening and absorbing the water.

    Creamy baked polenta in a baking dish with butter and cheese.

    Step 3: After 40 minutes, taste the polenta to make sure it's done. Add butter or olive oil and grated cheese (optional). Let the polenta bake for a few more minutes without a lid.

    Creamy polenta with toppings like sliced baked tomatoes, herbs, cheese and butter.

    Step 4: Serve with toppings like roasted vegetables, fresh herbs and sour cream. You can also add proteins like shrimp, beef, pork or sausage.

    Tips for Perfect Baked Polenta

    • Soak the dried polenta: Soaking dried polenta in water for an hour before cooking helps the polenta cook faster and have a creamier texture.
    • Cook it long enough: If the polenta tastes bitter, it means it hasn't been cooked long enough.
    • Adjust the creaminess: If the polenta is too thick, simply whisk in boiling water or warm milk until it has the consistency you want.

    Polenta Toppings and Serving Suggestions

    Polenta is truly delicious with just butter and sour cream, but you can add a wide variety of toppings to add more flavor.

    • Fried egg or soft-boiled egg
    • Cheese, such as grated Cheddar, Parmesan or Fontina, crumbled feta or blue cheese
    • Creamy mascarpone cheese
    • Crumbled bacon
    • Sliced sausage
    • Sautéed kale or spinach
    • Pan-seared shrimp
    • Roasted vegetables, like zucchini, mushrooms or squash

    You can serve polenta as a side dish alongside main courses such as Instant Pot beef stew, Instant Pot vegetarian chili, pork and ricotta meatballs, Instant Pot black lentils, or pan-seared kielbasa sausage.

    Very creamy polenta in a bowl.

    Recipe FAQ

    Is Cornmeal the Same as Polenta?

    Polenta is a dish you make, not a type of ground corn. To make polenta, the main ingredient is cornmeal. Cornmeal is made by grinding dried corn kernels and is sold in three textures: fine, medium, and coarse. Traditionally, polenta is made from coarse ground cornmeal, and this is what a bag labeled as "polenta" should be. However, sometimes bags of cornmeal that are labeled as "polenta" are really medium-ground cornmeal. That's okay, too.

    Can I use finely ground cornmeal to make polenta?

    No. Don't use finely ground cornmeal to make polenta; it won't turn out. Also, don't use Masa Harina. Masa Harina is cornmeal made from corn kernels that have been soaked in lime water. It is used for tortillas and tamales, not polenta.

    What is sliced polenta?

    You can buy pre-cooked sliced polenta that's sold in tubes at the grocery store. If you're looking for a recipe that uses sliced polenta, then try my Turkey Meatballs Baked with Polenta and Mozzarella.

    You can also make your own sliced polenta by pouring baked polenta (or Instant Pot polenta) into a greased 8x8 pan and chilling it in the refrigerator until it's solid and sliceable.

    Main Course Recipes to Serve with Polenta

    • plate of shredded pork shoulder
      Cider-Braised Pork
    • cooked sauerkraut, kielbasa and onion in a bowl
      Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
    • Bowl of spaghetti with lentil bolognese sauce
      Lentil Bolognese
    • a bowl of vegetable stew made with potatoes, carrots and mushrooms garnished with dill
      Instant Pot Vegetable Stew with Mushrooms, Potatoes and Carrots

    If you try this recipe for Baked Polenta please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how the recipe turned out in the 📝 comments section below. I love hearing from readers!

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    📖 Recipe

    Baked Polenta Recipe

    Creamy polenta with toppings like sliced baked tomatoes, herbs, cheese and butter.
    Print Recipe
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    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 2 reviews

    No more stirring polenta on the stove! Oven-baked polenta cooks all by itself in the oven. It's creamy and comforting and everyone in the family can add their favorite toppings.

    I often roast a sheet-pan of vegetables tossed in olive oil while the polenta bakes so I can serve roasted vegetables on the side. 

    The 1 hour of prep time is for soaking the polenta for 1 hour in water before it bakes. This is optional, but helps it cook faster and have a creamier texture. 

    • Author: Jenny Meier
    • Prep Time: 1 hour
    • Cook Time: 40
    • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
    • Category: One Pot Meals
    • Method: Baked
    • Cuisine: Italian
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 cup polenta
    • 4 ¼ cups water
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • Optional: 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter (I prefer butter)
    • Optional: 1 to 2 cups grated Cheddar, Fontina or Parmesan or crumbled feta or blue cheese
    • Optional: Sour cream or mascarpone cheese

    Instructions

    1. Soaking the polenta is optional, but helps it cook faster with a creamier consistency. To soak, combine the polenta with the water and salt in a baking dish with a lid (like a Dutch oven). Let the polenta soak at room temperature for 1 hour. 
    2. Heat the oven to 400F. 
    3. Bake the polenta for 40 minutes with a lid. Don't stir. 
    4. Taste the polenta to see if it's done. It should be creamy and the water should be absorbed.  The flavor shouldn't be bitter. If it's bitter, it's not ready yet.
    5. If it's done, stir in butter or olive olive and cheese. Let it bake a few more minutes without a lid. 
    6. If the consistency is too thick for you, whisk in a small amount of boiling water or warmed milk. 
    7. When the polenta is done, add salt as needed and top the polenta with your favorite toppings. 

    Notes

    Oven-baked polenta needs to be made with medium or coarse ground cornmeal, which should be labeled as "polenta" on the package. This recipe was tested with Bob's Red Mill polenta. 

    To make sliced polenta, pour the warm cooked polenta into an 8x8 or 9x9 square pan. Let it chill in the fridge until firm. 

    Instant Pot Polenta Recipe

    Combine 3 ¾ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt in the Instant Pot. Add 2 tablespoons of either butter or olive oil. Press the "saute" button and bring the water to a boil. When the water is boiling, whisk in 1 cup of polenta. Seal the lid and cook for 9 minute at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally (for about 20 minutes). Use a spatula to mix the polenta well, loosening it from the bottom of the pot. Stir in cheese if you like!

    Please rate and review this recipe!

    Your reviews help other readers. They also help me provide the best recipes possible. Thanks!

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Carole

      October 05, 2024 at 6:26 pm

      Where has this recipe been all my life?!?! No more stirring until my arm is dying?! The results on this polenta are perfectly creamy! Love, love, love! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Jenny Meier

        October 07, 2024 at 6:13 am

        Thanks for letting me know, I'm so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    2. Susan Renee Hennings

      February 19, 2024 at 6:16 pm

      I made polenta a couple of days ago and wanted some toppings for the remainder. Thanks for the ideas.

      Reply
      • Jenny Meier

        February 20, 2024 at 8:14 am

        You're welcome, hope you enjoyed your meal!

        Reply
    3. Paget

      February 18, 2023 at 6:37 am

      Very easy and good and you don't have to stand at the stove stirring. I added shredded cheddar at the end and served it with shrimp étouffée.

      Reply
    4. S.

      June 22, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      Love polenta! Thanks for the topping ideas.

      Reply

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    Kitchen Skip foodblogger and recipe developer Jenny Meier

    Hi, I'm Jenny!

    I'm a food blogger with a culinary degree and a busy Mama of two who now works full-time in education. I create easy dinner recipes for busy parents like you!

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