Savory Breakfast Polenta (With Sweet Option)

This creamy breakfast polenta is a delicious recipe everyone will love. It’s comforting, warming, customizable, and is both gluten and dairy free.

Homemade creamy polenta is one dish I recommend every home cook learns how to make. It’s easy, there are no fancy tools needed, and it’s sure to impress any guest or family member.

If you ever find yourself in a breakfast rut, this is the kind of savory breakfast bowl that will pull you right out. It’s very easy to customize and has a similar texture to cream of wheat, but is a whole food ingredient that is naturally gluten-free without any fillers. Just make sure to use stoneground polenta, not precooked polenta in a tube.

What Is Polenta?

Polenta originated in Northern Italy and today is made solely from coarsely ground yellow cornmeal. The difference between polenta and cornmeal is the consistency of the grain. Cornmeal is finely ground like flour whereas polenta has more bite.

The classic ratio for polenta is one part polenta to four parts water. However, the liquid amount can vary. I find that if you go less than the four parts liquid, the polenta isn’t as creamy as the luscious texture we’re after.

Polenta isn’t just a brunch food though. In fact, it’s a popular dinner choice when served with proteins such as braised beef or lemon chicken where the sauce gets mixed into the polenta and everything just melts in your mouth. 

Ingredients

These are the base ingredients for making polenta, regardless if you’re making a sweet or savory variation.

• Water – part of the cooking liquid for the polenta.
• Milk of choice – the addition of milk adds extra creaminess to the polenta. I used oat milk, but you can use another type of non dairy milk such as almond milk or dairy milk if not dairy free.
• Polenta – also called yellow cornmeal or yellow grits. Look for coarse ground and preferably organic or non-GMO. I used Bob’s Red Mill.
• Butter – either dairy free or regular, unsalted if not dairy free. For extra flavor and creaminess.
• Kosher salt and black pepper – to taste.
• Vegetables – tomatoes and zucchini for the topping.

Find the full recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How To Make Breakfast Polenta

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Toss the tomatoes and zucchini with one tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and black pepper, and arrange in a single layer on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cook for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Step 2. Add the water, milk of choice, and salt to a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Step 3. Once boiling, pour in the polenta with one hand while continuously whisking with the other hand. This helps prevent clumping. Reduce heat to low and simmer whisking often for about 5 minutes as the polenta starts to thicken

Step 4. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring once every 5 minutes.

Step 5. Taste the polenta to check for doneness. Once done, remove it from the heat, and stir in two tablespoons of butter. Put the lid back on for an additional 5 minutes (off the heat). 

Step 6. Serve it in a bowl with the roasted veggies on top, a drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs, and a little salt. Plus any other additional toppings if desired. 

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this breakfast polenta using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

• No polenta? – you can use grits instead. Grits are made from ground white corn and have a finer texture (hence their name), but are cooked the same way.
• No dairy-free milk? You can use chicken or vegetable broth or more water.
• No tomatoes or zucchini? You can also use tomato confit or any other vegetable you like such as broccolini, marinated portobello mushrooms, sweet and spicy butternut squash, caramelized onions, etc.
• Add-ins – protein such as crispy bacon or prosciutto, a fried egg or soft boiled eggs with a jammy egg yolk, parmesan cheese, 
• Amp up the flavor While this is delicious on its own, you can also mix in arugula pesto or miso butter for different flavor profiles.

Variations

• Make sweet polenta – cook the polenta the same way, and forget the vegetables. Once you remove it from the heat, add a sweetener such as maple syrup or brown sugar, cashew cream (optional), and vanilla extract. From there you can top it with fresh fruit, fruit compote such as strawberry, cherry, raspberry, or blueberry chia jam.

Helpful Tips

Use reheated leftover vegetables for the topping – this will make this delicious breakfast even easier and also reduce unnecessary food waste.

Don’t use instant polenta, it won’t work for this recipe.

Eat it as soon as it’s ready. Polenta firms up as it cools, so for the best creamy texture, eat it as soon as it’s ready.

How to Store

Store leftover polenta in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water or milk to rehydrate it and make it creamy again.

More Savory Breakfast Recipes

• Dairy Free Frittata
• Spanish Tortilla With Sweet Potato & Herbs
• Healthy Breakfast Hash