Parmesan Mushroom Polenta | Joyful Healthy Eats

If you’re like I used to be and feeling a little skeptical about the whole polenta thing, you really need to try this recipe! Here’s what makes it so good.

• Comfort food, but a little bit fancy. Maybe it’s because it’s Italian, but even though this is total comfort food (like Mashed Potatoes!), it feels elevated and has a way of making a weeknight dinner much more special.
• The most delicious mushrooms. Sautéing the mushrooms with butter and oil gives them SO much flavor; the liquids cook off and you’re left with meaty, succulent mushrooms flavored with sweet-and-savory shallot and woodsy fresh thyme. 
• Cheesy, creamy polenta. Polenta is all about the flavors you add to it and in this recipe, we add butter and Parmesan, which makes it rich, creamy, cheesy, and slightly nutty. (It also pairs well with pesto in these Pesto Polenta Bites with Tomato Bruschetta!)

What You’ll Need

This recipe is a fun way to use some of the unique mushroom varieties you might find at the farmers market or specialty grocery stores! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Parmesan Polenta:

• Vegetable broth – This adds more flavor to the polenta than water alone.
• Polenta – Be sure to buy the dry kind, not the kind that’s sold in tubes, which is already cooked.
• Salt 
• Water
• Unsalted butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use that and just add less salt.
• Shredded Parmesan – Shred it yourself from a block of Parm if you have time. The flavor and texture are so much better!

Thyme Mushrooms:

• Olive oil
• Shallots – Yellow onions are the best substitute for shallots if you can’t find them.
• Mushrooms – I used a combination of baby bella and hen of the woods mushrooms in the photos, but I’ve also made this with shiitake mushrooms. That said, beech mushrooms or other wild mushrooms will work too.
• Unsalted butter – Adding butter to mushrooms makes them rich and flavorful. Don’t skip it! 
• Garlic
• Fresh thyme – Sage and rosemary also pair well with mushrooms if you happen to have those on hand instead.
• Salt

How to Make Mushroom Polenta

Get ready for a cozy, satisfying meatless dinner! Here’s what you’ll need to do.

• Bring the broth to a boil. Add the broth to a saucepan and bring it to a boil, then slowly whisk in the polenta and salt.
• Simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk in 1/2 cup of water and continue to simmer another 15 minutes.

• Soften the shallots. Add the oil and shallots to a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for a minute or two, until the shallots are softened and translucent. 
• Sauté the mushrooms. Stir the mushrooms into the skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the butter, garlic, thyme, and salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes more, until the mushrooms are browned.

• Finish the polenta. Stir in the butter and Parmesan.
• Serve. Place the polenta in a serving bowl and top with the mushrooms. Garnish with additional Parmesan and thyme.

Tips and Variations

These pointers will make sure your mushroom polenta turns out perfect.

• Slowly whisk in the polenta. You don’t want to dump it into the broth all at once or you’re likely to end up with clumps! Whisk it in sloooowly.
• Stir frequently. This is important for a creamy consistency and for keeping the polenta from sticking to the sides and bottom of the pan.
• A low simmer is key. If the heat is too high, the polenta will bubble and spatter all over your stove.
• Make it meaty. Cook crumbled sausage with the mushrooms for a meatier version of this recipe.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze leftovers in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
• To reheat: Polenta solidifies when it cools. You can work with this and eat it that way—kind of like a polenta cake topped with mushrooms—or you can restore the original creaminess by stirring in broth before reheating. I recommend warming this up in the microwave, but if you add the broth, you can also warm it in a pan on the stove over medium-low heat.

More Meatless Meals to Try