Creamy Polenta with Sautéed Onions & Peppers

Indulge in our creamy polenta dish topped with sweet sautéed peppers and onions - it's a flavorful, hearty dish that can be a perfect side or double as a main meal! Add some delicious Italian sausage or crispy bacon for extra richness.

Polenta is more than just a comfort food - it's a staple food with a rich history dating back to ancient times.

Traditionally considered "poor people's food" polenta is affordable and filling. Yet, despite its humble beginnings, polenta has remained a beloved dish across regions and is worth adding to your culinary repertoire.

🤔 What is polenta?

It's a gluten-free dish (very similar to grits) made from boiled cornmeal that has been boiled into a porridge-like consistency. We love to serve creamy polenta in various ways - for breakfast, as a main, or as a side to other dishes.

If you've never experienced the creamy goodness of soft polenta, you must try it with sautéed peppers and onions or pair it with this meaty German stew for a dining experience that will leave you craving more.

🛒 Ingredients you'll need

🌽 Cornmeal: This is flour made from ground corn. It is available in different textures, such as fine (sometimes labeled as corn flour - not to confuse with cornflour, which is British for cornstarch), medium, and coarse.

🧅 Onion: Yellow onions (Spanish onions) work best for sautéing, but you can use any onion variety you have on hand.

🫑 Peppers: Red bell peppers add sweetness and color to the dish. You can use other bell pepper colors or even substitute it with other vegetables like zucchini, mushroom, or eggplant.

In addition, you will need oil to sauté the onions and peppers. We use extra-virgin olive oil, but you can substitute it with vegetable oil, canola, or butter.

🔪 Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

1. Mix cornmeal, water, oil, and salt in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer, continually whisking until thickened to desired consistency.

Step 2

1. Meanwhile, sauté onions and peppers in oil until caramelized. Serve with cooked polenta.

What is the best cornmeal for polenta?

Polenta can be fine, coarse, or a mix. Fine to medium-fine grain sizes are best suitable for creamy polenta but you can make the coarse mix creamier by increasing the amount of water.

My pantry is always stocked with Quaker cornmeal. The cooking instructions suggest a 1:4 cornmeal to water ratio, but I think a 1:3 ratio achieves the best soft and not overly mushy polenta.

Medium-fine to coarse grains are intended for cut-resistant polenta.

This Chilean polenta recipe teaches the difference between cornmeal, corn flour, cornstarch, and maize.

👩‍🍳 Helpful Tips for making creamy polenta

• Use the correct liquid ratio to polenta - I prefer 1:3, but for creamier polenta, use a ratio of 4 parts liquid to 1 part polenta. A mix of milk and water will yield a richer flavor.
• Whisk constantly - The key to achieving creamy and smooth polenta. Keep whisking for around 20-30 minutes until it is cooked through. This will help to create a velvety texture.
• Use a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan with olive oil for perfectly caramelized onions and peppers.
• To make the polenta richer and creamier, stir in some butter or cheese at the end.

Polenta cooking methods

"Making polenta is a real tough job," my Italian neighbor tells me, shaking her head sympathetically. That's not precisely true unless you want to go old-school with your recipe:

1. "Classic" method: Italian original - untreated corn grits are slowly sprinkled into boiling salt water and stirred, stirred… and stirred, clockwise, for at least 1 hour and without a break because the corn grits burn in no time. Without this preparation, the corn grits are difficult to digest.
2. "Suitable for everyday use" method: If all of this is too tiring for you, I have good news: You can usually buy it pretreated in the supermarket. This means that the fine granules are pre-steamed and ready for the plates after only 15-20 minutes.
3. "Turbo" method: OK, for the very impatient, there is always the instant version, which is ready after 5 minutes.

👉 Variations

• Make it in a slow cooker.
• Make it in a pressure cooker.
• Try it with sautéed mushrooms and stinging nettle or spinach.
• In addition to this Bosnian version with caramelized onions and peppers, we love topping polenta with crispy fried bacon (including the bacon grease), sauerkraut, and feta cheese. Yum!!!
• Cook cornmeal in chicken or vegetable broth.
• Add garlic.
• Season the cooked cornmeal to taste with grated parmesan, parsley, butter, salt, and pepper.
• Slice cold polenta and quickly sear in butter for 2-3 minutes on each side until brown and crispy.
• Serve with maple syrup alongside eggs for breakfast.
• Or go for a dessert and make it with milk, cinnamon, apples, and pecans. It's so versatile!

🗄️ Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, preferably separate from sautéed onions and peppers.

Freeze: I wouldn't recommend it. Frozen polenta will release water and lose its shape and texture. 

Reheat soft polenta in the microwave with ¼ to ½ cup water, stirring periodically, until warmed through.

Leftovers taste especially good if you cut polenta and fry it crispy in the pan. You can toss fried pieces with your favorite salads or add them as a topping for a chili or burrito bowl.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

More delicious polenta recipes to try

📖 Recipe

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in June 2020. It was updated in April of 2023 with new photos and recipe tips.