This creamy mushroom polenta is so warm and comforting! A simple vegetarian dinner that can be made in under 30 minutes. Cozy and delicious, perfect for busy weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This
Mmmmmmmmm…..what is better than a comforting bowl of creamy mushroom polenta? I have been making this creamy mushroom polenta for years in my catering business and in our vegetarian restaurant.
This rustic, Northern Italian meal is easy to make and a lovely way to showcase wild mushrooms, keeping things simple while highlighting mushrooms and their rich, umami taste. It is one of our favorite weeknight meals when we crave something cozy, comforting, and quick!
What are the best Mushrooms to use?
We love making this with wild mushrooms like chanterelles, porcini or morels if you can find them. But “tame,” store-bought mushrooms, like shiitake mushrooms, maitake, oyster, portobello, cremini, or even simple button mushrooms, work great too!
Mushroom Polenta Ingredients
- Mushrooms: Chanterelles, morel mushrooms, button mushrooms, cremini, maitake, shiitake, or portobellos.
- Polenta: Fine ground cornmeal or medium ground cornmeal. Medium ground may take a little longer to cook.
- Sage leaves: To give the mushrooms even more of a woodsy, earthy flavor.
- Shallot and garlic cloves: These aromatics add savory depth of flavor to the mushrooms.
- Wine (optional): We like using cooking sherry (sherry wine, not vinegar!). Or use your favorite dry cooking white or red wine.
- Cold water: Or use milk, or chicken or vegetable stock (or broth) to cook the polenta. If using water add salt.
- Extra virgin olive oil: To add a bit of richness to the polenta and to sauté the mushrooms. You can use unsalted butter (or vegan butter) if you prefer—or a mix of both!
- Cheese (optional): Pecorino cheese, parmesan cheese, creamy goat cheese, or any other melty cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, or provolone. Or use vegan cheese!
- Garnish (optional): A drizzle of truffle oil is especially nice! As well as fresh herbs like basil, Italian parsley, or fresh thyme.
How to make Mushroom Polenta
Step one: Start the polenta. (Alternatively, try our Instant Pot Polenta!) To a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, add cornmeal, cold water (start with 3 1/2 cups water), and kosher salt. Whisk to create a slurry.
Step two: Cover the pot and heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally until it just reaches a simmer. Whisk well, cover, and reduce heat to low for 15-20 minutes. Cook until the grains “open up” and have a creamy consistency without any lumps. Medium-ground cornmeal will take a little longer!
Tip: Start preparing the mushrooms while the polenta cooks to save time!
Step three: Check the consistency, adding more water if needed. You want it creamy, but not runny (so the mushrooms can sit on top nicely without sinking down).
Step four: Whisk in the olive oil (or butter) and add any optional cheese. Taste and adjust for salt and add freshly ground black pepper. Turn off the heat and cover until ready to serve.
Step five: Cook the mushrooms. Add oil to a large skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Make crispy sage leaves: add whole sage leaves, turning after 15-20 seconds. Remove right before they turn golden. Transfer to a paper towel.
Step six: Using the same skillet, reduce to medium heat and add shallots, garlic, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and sauté 7-8 minutes, until mushrooms release their liquid. Lower heat if needed. Allow the liquid to cook off so the mushrooms can get golden and brown. If using wine or sherry, add to the pan and allow it to cook off. Add chopped sage at the end, toss, and cook for a minute. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Step seven: Use a wooden spoon to divide the creamy polenta among bowls and spoon the mushrooms over top. Sprinkle with crispy sage leaves and if you are feeling extra luxurious, drizzle a little truffle oil overtop just before serving. Then inhale.
mushroom polenta Variations
- Add protein: For extra heartiness, you could top it with a poached egg, a piece of fish or chicken, or even something really meaty like a tender lamb shank or braised beef short rib.
- Use other veggies: You can add any type of sautéed veggie or roast vegetables depending on what’s in season.
- Serve mushrooms with a different base: If you love the sagey mushrooms, try serving them with pasta, couscous, rice, or mashed potatoes!
Chef’s Tips
- Cleaning your mushrooms: Use a damp paper towel or clean dish cloth to wipe off dirt. Rinsing the mushrooms can add too much moisture.
- Add wilted baby spinach: For the added nutrients! Add to the pan as the mushrooms are nearly finished.
- Save prep time: You can make our Instant Pot Polenta for a less hands-on cooking method. And it helps to start the mushrooms while the polenta cooks!
Storage
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Gently reheat on the stovetop with a little oil or butter.
FAQs
They are both made from ground corn and can be used interchangeably. Grits are higher in starch and may require more frequent stirring.
Polenta is rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals! It is also low in calories and fat.
It has a mildly sweet, corn flavor. It also soaks up flavor well, particularly cheese, sauces, and whatever toppings are added.
The reason I love this recipe is the flavors are so simple that it allows the unique flavor of wild mushrooms to shine. When paired with a creamy bed of soft polenta, to me they are the perfect comfort food.
I hope you love this as much as I do! Let us know in the comments below.
xoxo
More polenta recipes you may like
Mushroom Polenta Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 3-4
- Category: Vegetarian Main, gluten-free,
- Method: stove-top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This creamy mushroom polenta is so warm and comforting! A simple vegetarian dinner that can be made in under 30 minutes. Cozy and delicious, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Creamy Polenta
- 1 cup polenta (fine ground cornmeal or medium ground cornmeal)
- 3 1/2 – 4 cups cold water (or milk)
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
- fresh cracked black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 – 1/2 cup pecorino cheese, parmesan cheese, creamy goat cheese, or any other melty cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella or provolone. Add more to taste.
- Optional garnish: fresh herbs- basil, Italian parsley, thyme.
Sagey Mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 sage leaves
- 3 cups mushrooms, cleaned -chanterelles, morel mushrooms, button mushrooms, cremini, miatake, shitake or portobellos
- 1–2 tablespoons oil or butter (a mix is nice)
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2–4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 2–3 tablespoons wine- totally optional (cooking sherry is nice- sherry wine, not sherry vinegar!)
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (or sub 1 teaspoon dried sage, rosemary or thyme)
- Garnish- a drizzle of truffle oil ( optional- but worth it! )
Instructions
- Make the Creamy Polenta: Place cornmeal in a medium heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven and whisk with the cold water and salt to create a slurry.
- Cover, and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until it just reaches a simmer (no need to boil); whisk well, cover again, and lower heat to low heat for 15-20 minutes, cooking until the grains “open up” and have a creamy consistency. (Fine-ground cornmeal will cook faster than medium-ground cornmeal.)
- Add more water to create the consistency you want. I like it creamy but not runny- so any toppings easily sit on top and don’t sink down.
- Whisk in the olive oil or butter, and add the optional cheese. Remember to wait to add any fat, until after the grains have fully cooked.
- Taste and adjust salt and add pepper. Turn off the heat and cover until ready to serve.
- Make the crispy sage: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place sage leaves in the oil, turning after 15-20 seconds, and remove right before they turn golden. Set on a paper towel
- Sagey Mushrooms: Lower heat to medium. To the same skillet add shallots, garlic and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and saute 7-8 minutes until mushrooms release their liquid, lowering heat if necessary. Let the liquid cook off and allow the mushrooms to brown a little. At this point, you could splash with a little wine or sherry, letting this cook-off too- optional. Add the chopped sage right at the end and cook for one minute. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Divide the creamy polenta among bowls, and spoon the mushrooms over top. Top with the crispy sage leaves and a drizzle of Truffle oil . Enjoy!
Notes
I also love adding wilted baby spinach to this for extra nutrients. Feel free to add the spinach to the mushrroms towards the end, letting it gently wilt. So tasty!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (1 cup polenta, ½ cup mushrooms)
- Calories: 381
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 682.2 mg
- Fat: 23.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.4 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 7.1 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
This is always 100% tasty & excellent especially with the instant pot polenta.
Glad you like the creamy polenta!
This is a great dish. I made it as a main meal and it was very good. I will be making it again.
Great to hear Angel!
Hi Sylvia,
Fabulous, easy and delicious vegetarian recipe. Made it tonight for dinner and it went well. I have never cooked with Polenta before so it was a new experience. Am always looking for easy vegetarian/vegan meals will be sharing this recipe with family and friends. Thank you.
So happy this worked for you Janine. Yay for trying something new!
This was easy and so delicious! It filled me up, and I’m only beginning to develop a list of good vegetarian dishes. This made the list! Maybe even for company!
So happy you enjoyed this and it made “the list”, thanks Lisa!
Satisfying and deep umami flavors! Wonderful with the wild mushrooms!
Glad you enjoyed this Janet!
Just had this for lunch with grilled asparagus…the polenta was soooo creamy and good…hubs and I just loved it! I have had mixed results with polenta, in the past…will only use this recipe from now on.
Thanks and so happy you liked this!
Made this without the mushrooms for the lentil Bologna’s recipe. Both were delicious!
Great to hear Louise!
This was really delicious and super quick!
I have been pandemic cooking for almost a year now, searching the Internet for the best of the best recipes. Sylvia, your recipes are by far the best!! This polenta recipe was out of this world, but honestly, every single thing on your site rocks it! I’m so glad I found you!!
Thanks so much- appreciate this!
This recipe is so good! I made roasted okra for the side, and it was delicious!
Love it! I used this as a side and put scallops on top. Amazing.
While I prefer chanterelles or morels. They were not available. I used king oyster and portobello and it came out great. Nice fall recipe!
I would love to try this out but I’m not a fan of mushrooms (!). The polenta, garlic and sage sound like a great base but is there anything you think could be a good substitute for the mushrooms?
I think most any veggie would work here- even roasted veggies.
I love this recipe, it was delicious. I made it along with roasted vegetables. I really appreciate that you provide this website, and particularly like that you provide possible substitutes. Looks like your other recipes are winners too, can’t wait to try them. Thank you from North Vancouver Canada!!
thanks so much Maureen!
I followed the directions carefully, but the polenta/liquid mixture just stayed in a complete liquid form. I ended up tossing the whole thing out.
I’m so sorry this didn’t work for you. Sounds like the heat was too low and maybe it didn’t get simmering before it was covered? Sorry about that. I will make the directions more clear.
Made this for dinner and added the spinach as you suggested in your notes- so comforting and delicious! My boyfriend loved this too.
We loved this meal. Simple and satisfying.
Could you use polenta that’s pre-cooked?
How do you mean? Like in the tube?
Hi Sylvia,
Can you I use polenta in a tube for this recipe?
Hi Caitlin. Polenta in a tube is firm polenta, this recipe is soft polenta- more like a porridge. So totally different application.
You make me want to go vegan. I love your recipes especially because You can adapt them to your dietary preferences. The pictures are amazing
Congratulations on your exciting news! I LITERALLY just read this recipe in my Cook’s Illustrated and am planning to make it today. What a coincidence when I then saw it on your site!
Lovely post, but there are lots of chanterelles in across the country. Here in Maine we picked three pounds yesterday in 90 minutes (plus king boletes and hedgehog mushrooms). And remember…a friend never lets a friend use truffle oil. Especially on delicate chanterelles. Other than that, your recipe looks spot-on. With yesterday’s schrooms all cleaned, and the garden full of sage, you helped me find tonights dinner. And I loved the info on white pepper. Thanks.
Lovely post Sylvia but I have a few comments to share. First, chanterelles can be found from coast to coast. We spent twenty years picking them in the pacific northwest and recently decided to retire in Maine. Yesterday, here in Maine, we picked three pounds of chanterelles, a half pound of hedgehog mushrooms (a type of chanterelle) and a few lovely king boletes. And in Maine, mid-September is late for chanterelles. They can by found in early July and through the summer months. And I question anyone ever using truffle oil. Most chefs think it should be banned from the planet as there are more terrible ones out there than good. Also, it’s flavor can greatly overpower the lovely floral apricot scent of the chanterelles. Your recipe is spot-on and keep the truffle oil away from this dish where the star should be the chanterelle. Thanks for the post and terrific pictures.
Beautiful post! Chanterelles and sage sounds heavenly.
thank you Adam!
Confession: I’ve never cooked polenta, ever. But seeing this recipe, so wonderfully uncomplicated yet delicious, made me realise I HAVE to try polenta. So tomorrow is polenta-day 🙂
You are going to LOVE it!
i just bought my first bag of chanterelles and this sounds like the perfect recipe! Thanks for the vegan options for polenta too 🙂