Instant-Pot Polenta

Creamy and luscious, this Instant-Pot Polenta is the perfect side dish to everything from meatballs to vegetables.

Polenta is a unique food. Unless you’re from an Italian household, there’s a chance that you have no idea what polenta is. I didn’t until I visited Cleveland, Ohio, as a 15-year-old. Together with a group of friends, I decided to try my luck at a local, high-end restaurant where, to my dismay, I found almost nothing vegetarian to eat.

All that was on the menu besides the standard house salad and mac and cheese? Polenta fries. My friends and I looked at each other quizzically—polenta fries? Sure, there are fries, sweet potato fries, even yucca fries… but what are polenta fries?

Well, let’s just say that after tasting them, I realized that polenta fries are a unique beast in their own right. It was even more eye-opening to realize that polenta can be made in so many different ways!

Recently, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed those polenta fries and decided to try making a different dish with this versatile coarsely ground cornmeal. This Instant-Pot polenta cooks up luscious, creamy, and perfectly buttery in less than 30 minutes. It’s the perfect bowl to dig into after a hard day at work, and you can top it with everything from stewed vegetables to (vegetarian) meatballs in tomato sauce.

What does polenta taste like?

For those unfamiliar, polenta can be reminiscent of grits, a dish also made with ground cornmeal. Grits, popular in the South, is typically made with white dent corn and also served for breakfast. Italian polenta, on the other hand, is usually served as a side dish and is made with yellow flint corn. Compared to grits, polenta has a more delicate and subtle taste. For some, polenta’s flavor is reminiscent of cornbread. Polenta can be dressed up in many different ways. It’s delicious with plenty of good butter and Parmesan cheese, but some people even add things like mascarpone cheese, fried sage leaves or other herbs and spices, fried onions or mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, or chopped salami.

How do I store leftovers?

While this Instant-Pot polenta is best soon after it’s made, it also makes great leftovers. As a staple base or grain, it can form the foundation for future meals when paired with sauces, meats, and vegetables.

To store, place the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply use the stovetop or, if you’re in a hurry, the microwave, adding small amounts of milk or water to the mixture and stirring to return it to its original, smooth consistency.

Polenta can also be frozen. Put it in an airtight container and place it in the freezer, where it can stay good for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to consume, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Then, serve with your desired toppings.

Serving suggestions

Polenta is a wonderful side dish, especially paired with saucy entrées such as Instant-Pot Meatballs, Braised Beef Short Ribs, Beef Stew, Smothered Pork Chops, and even a decadent Osso Bucco. To keep the dish vegetarian, pair the polenta with mains like Eggplant Rollatini, Ratatouille, a classic Marinara, or even with Garlic Mushrooms. I also love this polenta with sautéed leafy greens, like this Garlic And Lemon Swiss Chard, this Garlic Sautéed Spinach, or this simple but stunning Sautéed Kale.