Creamy Polenta Recipe

Bring liquids to a simmer

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring 4 cups water and 1 cup whole milk to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add 1 tsp salt. Keep heat at a low simmer so it does not boil over.

Whisk in polenta

Slowly whisk in 1 cup coarse cornmeal (polenta) in a steady stream to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to low immediately after adding the cornmeal.

Cook polenta

Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the polenta thickens and pulls away slightly from the sides, about 20–25 minutes for coarse polenta. If it gets too thick, add up to 1/2 cup hot water or milk to reach a creamy consistency.

Finish polenta

Stir in 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 cup finely grated parmesan until melted and smooth. Season with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and adjust salt to taste. Keep warm over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally, or set a double-boiler while you cook the sausage.

Brown the sausage

While polenta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 oz removed-from-casing sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring and turning, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pan (if there is a lot of fat, drain to about 1 tablespoon).

Sweat the aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the finely chopped onion to the skillet and cook in the remaining fat (and the reserved tablespoon olive oil if needed) until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine sausage with herbs

Return the browned sausage to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir in 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley, 1 tsp lemon zest (if using), and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional). Cook 1–2 minutes to marry the flavors. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and more black pepper if needed.

Plate the polenta: spoon generous portions of creamy polenta into shallow bowls or onto plates (about 3/4 to 1 cup polenta per serving).

Top with sausage: spoon the hot sausage and herb mixture over the polenta, distributing evenly.

Finish and garnish: dot each plate with 1 tablespoon extra butter (optional) and sprinkle 1/4 cup extra grated parmesan across the servings. Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and finish with an extra 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.