These cool almost-fall mornings and this week’s Latin American theme have us craving warm bowls of creamy polenta. As Faith points out, polenta is just as good for breakfast as it is for dinner, and we have a few breakfast-y ideas we can’t wait to try.
With its soft texture and mild flavor, polenta is the perfect foil for both sweet and savory:
1. Go Sweet! - Stir in some stewed fruit or fresh summer jam. Sweeten it up with maple syrup or honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Toasted nuts, lemon zest, and dried fruit make it even better.
2. Go Savory! - A poached egg nestled on top is a must. We also like the idea of mixing in caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, beans, bits of bacon or sausage, and even a spoonful of spicy salsa. A sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese or queso fresco would be irresistible.
3. Fry It Up! As it cools, polenta sets into a solid block. We can’t think of anything better than cutting that into wedges and frying the polenta in a little butter. The outside gets super crispy while the inside stays creamy.
These polenta-based breakfast ideas sound absolutely delicious:
• Blueberry Almond Breakfast Polenta from Food52
• Breakfast Polenta with Chorizo and Queso Fresco from Bon Appétit
• Fried Breakfast Polenta with Blackberry Meyer Lemon Jam from Joy the Baker
Do you like polenta for breakfast? What are you favorite add-ins?
Related: Marcella Hazen’s No-Stir Polenta: Recipe Reviews
(Image: Leo Gong/Bon Appétit and Faith Durand)
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Makes my greek yogurt and peaches look so boring compared to this.....
One word ~ grits ♥.
Do you cook the polenta the morning of? Or can you do leftovers (or make it ahead of time)? I've always had a terrible time trying to get the polenta to soften again once it firms up when it cools...to resoften it, do I just add a bit more liquid when heating it up?
I'm jonesing for the polenta with caramelized onions, small bits of bacon, and poached egg. But I really don't want to have to make a pot of polenta that morning.
Brushed with olive oil, run under the broiler until crisp. Eat with soft goat cheese and roasted peppers.
what Missy B said, y'all <3
Laetitiae - try adding a healthy splash of broth (or other liquid) just as you take the polenta off the heat. It will hopefully not solidify quite as much when it cools.
Also, warming the leftover polenta for a few minutes and then stirring in a little more liquid should soften it again.
try this, Laetitiae.
take a skewer and poke holes into the polenta, rather evenly distributing it. sprinkle with water,
cover with clingwrap and chuck in the microwave for half a minute on high and then another half minute on low. works everytime.
also, try oiling up the polenta before you store it. keeps the moisture in.
Thanks, Emma and ashvina! I may make some polenta tonight (with chicken stuffed with feta and spinach...mmm!) and will try these methods tomorrow. The thought of polenta with egg, bacon, and caramelized onions has stuck with me all day!
cook it, roll it into a tube 3-4" in diameter with some plastic wrap, let it cool.
then cut it into 1' slices and fry it up with some bacon and gouda on top
slide a fried egg on top, eat
(repeat as needed)