The traditional way to make polenta is a pain to make, mostly because it requires a lot of hands-on work. The oven takes out most of the fuss. You’ll love it.
I love polenta. If you haven’t had it before, it’s a creamy savory porridge-like thing, similar to grits. The difference is that they’re made from different types of corn and are ground differently. Grits tend to be very fine and almost mushy, whereas a polenta made from a good coarsely ground cornmeal has more texture.
I’ll admit that polenta doesn’t taste like much. It’s one of those foods (like noodles or rice) that work as a canvas for other flavors. It’s great with a sauce or even just with butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Mixing in a little cheese never hurts.
The problem with polenta is that it’s a pain in the butt to make. Generally, you bring some water to a boil and whisk in the polenta. Then you have to whisk for awhile until it’s really thick. At that point, cover it and let it heat at a low temperature for at least 30 minutes, stirring somewhat regularly (ever 5 minutes or so) to make sure that it’s not sticking and burning on the bottom or sides. Finally you stir in butter and cheese and eat.
Because of that whole process, I rarely used to make polenta. But then I discovered that it’s actually easy to make it in the oven with very little fuss.
You pretty much just mix the polenta with hot tap water and then bake it. Pull it out to stir after 45 minutes. Stir in some cheese and let it bake for 10 more minutes. Finally, if it’s too thick, you stir in more hot tap water to get the texture that you’d like. That’s it. Pretty easy, right? I think you’re totally going to love this method. I know I do!
Baking polenta makes a once time-consuming dish an easy side. Just add hot water and let it bake. It’s super easy.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
5 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub a 9-by-13-inch pan with olive oil. Add cornmeal and salt to pan and stir. Add water and stir.
Bake 45 minutes. Add cheese and stir. Bake another 10 minutes. Add more hot water and stir if you need to thin it (you can also add more water if reheating). Add more salt or cheese, if desired, when the polenta is done baking.
Please look up information about using hot tap water to drink or use in cooking. Hot tap water can contain heavy metals. You should always run the cold water for a little while and then heat the water on the stove or microwave
I want to try to make this for a friend – do you think I could cook it in the oven the day before for 45 minutes and then have them reheat in the oven for until hot?
Lauren, Cook it fully then let it cool. They should then reheat it on the stovetop over medium low heat while stirring and adding dribbles of boiling water to it until it is smooth and heated through. I think you could probably also do it in the microwave, warming it 45 seconds at a time and then adding hot liquid and stirring in between heatings.
Dear Christine, I’m absolutely amazed how easy this oven baked polenta is. Seriously. I’ve never made polenta before. But I love to order it when I’m out. This is a must try.
I'm Christine Pittman, a cookbook author and busy mom of two. My recipes are made from scratch, they're quick, and they're fresh. I started this website over 10 years ago and I'm delighted that over a million people now come to visit every month to try my recipes. Thank you for visiting and for joining me on this delicious journey!Find out more about me here.
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Please look up information about using hot tap water to drink or use in cooking. Hot tap water can contain heavy metals. You should always run the cold water for a little while and then heat the water on the stove or microwave
I want to try to make this for a friend – do you think I could cook it in the oven the day before for 45 minutes and then have them reheat in the oven for until hot?
Lauren, Cook it fully then let it cool. They should then reheat it on the stovetop over medium low heat while stirring and adding dribbles of boiling water to it until it is smooth and heated through. I think you could probably also do it in the microwave, warming it 45 seconds at a time and then adding hot liquid and stirring in between heatings.
I’ve never had cheesy polenta at home – it’s time to start!!
Ok you just made this look too easy not to try!!!
I’ve never made polenta before but this looks so easy! Thanks for sharing!! :)
I’ve never made polenta in the oven before. I know I’m going to be giving this one a try. It’s genius!
Dear Christine, I’m absolutely amazed how easy this oven baked polenta is. Seriously. I’ve never made polenta before. But I love to order it when I’m out. This is a must try.