Italian · Lunch · Dinner
Creamy Polenta with Garlic Mushrooms
Polenta con funghi
Soft, creamy polenta finished with a little hard cheese and topped with golden, garlicky mushrooms, thyme and a squeeze of lemon. A cosy northern Italian classic made lighter with milk, a modest amount of olive oil and no butter.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 62% · Fat 23% · Protein 15%
Track it in BerryFit and see how it fits your own daily target. Get the app ›
Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 1/4 cups200 gPolenta (medium-grind cornmeal)
- 3 1/3 cups800 gWater
- 1 cup245 gLow-fat milk
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 600 gMixed mushrooms (cremini, button, oyster)
- 1 1/2 tbsp20 gOlive oil
- 1 medium40 gShallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves9 gGarlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tbspFresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup60 gGluten-free vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp15 gLemon juice
- 1/3 cup30 gVegetarian Parmesan-style hard cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 2 tbsp8 gFresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Steps
- 1
Bring the water, milk and 3/4 tsp of the salt to a gentle boil in a large heavy pan.
- 2
Pour in the polenta in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- 3
Turn the heat to low and cook for 35–40 minutes, stirring every few minutes with a wooden spoon, until thick, smooth and pulling away from the sides; add a splash of hot water if it gets too stiff.
- 4
While the polenta cooks, wipe the mushrooms clean and slice or tear them into bite-sized pieces.
- 5
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- 6
Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes until browned, then stir and cook 4–5 minutes more until their liquid has evaporated.
- 7
Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- 8
Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer for 1–2 minutes until slightly reduced and glossy.
- 9
Season the mushrooms with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, the black pepper and the lemon juice, then stir in most of the parsley.
- 10
Take the polenta off the heat and stir in the grated cheese until creamy.
- 11
Spoon the polenta into warm bowls, top with the mushrooms and their juices, and scatter over the remaining parsley.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan version, use oat or soy milk instead of low-fat milk and replace the cheese with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, choosing a stock labelled vegan and gluten-free.
- Use only cremini or button mushrooms if mixed or oyster mushrooms are hard to find.
- Swap the shallot for a quarter of a small onion, finely chopped.
- For a quicker dish, use instant polenta and cook it according to the packet, usually about 5 minutes, choosing one labelled gluten-free if needed.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover polenta and mushrooms in separate airtight containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. The polenta firms up as it cools, so reheat it with a splash of water or milk, stirring until smooth and steaming hot, and reheat the mushrooms until steaming hot too; freezing is not recommended as the texture suffers.
Make ahead
Clean and slice the mushrooms and chop the shallot, garlic and herbs up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. The mushrooms can also be cooked a day in advance and reheated until steaming hot while you make the polenta fresh.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
Track this in BerryFit
Log Creamy Polenta with Garlic Mushrooms in one tap and see how it fits your remaining calories for today.
Or ask Coach Berry to change it
Allergens and nutrition
Contains: MilkCelery
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (509 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 332 kcal | 65 kcal |
| Protein | 12.6 g | 2.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52.7 g | 10.4 g |
| of which sugars | 7.6 g | 1.5 g |
| Fiber | 3.5 g | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 8.6 g | 1.7 g |
| of which saturated | 2.3 g | 0.5 g |
| Sodium | 765 mg | 150 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
