Polenta 101: How to Cook Cornmeal
How to cook polenta from cornmeal — creamy soft polenta or firm grilled polenta — with ratios, timing and tips.
What polenta is
Polenta is simply cornmeal cooked slowly in liquid until thick and creamy. Eaten soft it's like a savoury porridge; left to set and then sliced, it can be grilled, baked or fried. It's naturally gluten-free and a blank canvas for cheese, sauce or butter.
What you need
- Cornmeal, medium or coarse grind — the heart of polenta
- Liquid: water, broth or a mix, about 4 parts liquid to 1 part cornmeal
- Salt, plus butter, olive oil or cheese to finish
- A heavy pot and a whisk or wooden spoon
How to make soft polenta, step by step
- Bring 4 cups of salted liquid to a simmer
- Whisk in 1 cup of cornmeal in a slow stream to avoid lumps
- Lower the heat and cook 30–40 minutes, stirring often, until thick and tender
- Stir in butter, olive oil or grated cheese and season to taste
- Serve right away — soft polenta firms as it cools
How to make firm (grilled) polenta
- Pour cooked polenta into an oiled pan and smooth the top
- Chill until firm, at least an hour
- Cut into squares or wedges
- Grill, pan-fry or bake until crisp and golden
- Top with tomato sauce, mushrooms or cheese
Tips
- Whisk constantly as you add the cornmeal — that prevents lumps
- Too thick? Loosen with a splash of hot liquid
- Coarser cornmeal gives more texture; finer cornmeal is smoother
- Leftover firm polenta fries beautifully the next day
Polenta, made simple
Once you know the 4-to-1 ratio, polenta is one of the easiest comfort foods to make — soft and creamy tonight, grilled tomorrow. Unico cornmeal is all you need to start.