Creamy Polenta Braised Mushrooms (Printable)
A comforting dish featuring velvety polenta topped with savory, aromatic braised mushrooms—perfect for a cozy meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Polenta
01 - 1 cup coarse cornmeal (polenta)
02 - 4 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Braised Mushrooms
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
11 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
12 - 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster), sliced
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
14 - 1/4 cup dry white wine
15 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
# How To Make:
01 - In a medium saucepan, bring the water or vegetable broth and whole milk to a rolling boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and salt, ensuring no lumps form. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta becomes thick and creamy, which will take approximately 25-30 minutes.
02 - Stir the unsalted butter, grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper into the cooked polenta. Maintain its warmth over very low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
03 - Concurrently, heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and cook until it becomes soft and translucent, typically about 3 minutes.
04 - Introduce the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant.
05 - Add the sliced mixed mushrooms and fresh thyme leaves to the skillet. Cook, stirring intermittently, until the mushrooms are well browned and have released their liquid, which should take about 7 minutes.
06 - Pour in the dry white wine and allow it to simmer until it has mostly evaporated, approximately 2 minutes.
07 - Add the vegetable broth to the mushroom mixture. Reduce the heat and gently simmer until the sauce is rich and thickened but not overly soupy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
08 - To serve, spoon the creamy polenta into individual bowls. Generously top with the braised mushrooms and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It feels wonderfully fancy, but it's surprisingly simple to pull off, leaving you more time to savor the moment.
- The velvety polenta is the perfect canvas for those deeply flavored, umami-rich mushrooms—a match made in culinary heaven.
02 -
- Stirring the polenta frequently isn't just a suggestion—it's the secret to avoiding lumps and achieving that truly velvety texture.
- Don't crowd the mushrooms in the pan; if you do, they'll steam instead of brown, and you'll miss out on that deep, caramelized flavor.
03 -
- For an even richer polenta, warm your milk and broth before adding them; this helps prevent lumps and speeds up the cooking process slightly.
- Use high-quality, flavorful mushrooms, as they are the star of the show here; fresh, firm ones will release less water and brown more beautifully.