Mushroom Polenta with Spinach and Parmesan

Hearty mushroom polenta is an ideal comfort food! Creamy polenta is the ideal counterpoint to savory mushrooms, one of my favorite ingredients to add heft to vegetarian dishes.

I find cremini, or “baby bella” mushrooms, lend the dish an earthy, almost meaty flavor. Shallots, garlic, and herbs provide the savory backbone, and a small amount of white wine adds a splash of acidity.  

While you’re cooking the mushrooms, it’s not hard to keep an eye on the polenta, slowly bubbling away on the back burner. Just stir it every few minutes, and you’ll be rewarded with a satisfying, vegetarian dinner the whole family will love. 

How to Make Mushroom Polenta 

Start by slicing the mushrooms and prepping all of the ingredients. Then, start the polenta cooking. You can cook the mushrooms at the same time, while keeping an eye on the polenta. Polenta starts to stiffen soon after it’s taken off the heat, plan to serve it immediately after it’s finished. 

Make the Polenta

• Simmer the polenta. Combine 1 cup yellow polenta or medium-ground cornmeal, 4 cups water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt in a Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and stir, then reduce the heat to low, stirring often to prevent the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, and the grains are fully cooked, about 40 minutes.

Prepare the Mushrooms

• Sauté the mushrooms. While the polenta cooks, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced mushrooms, 1 finely-chopped shallot, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms release some of their liquid and begin to shrink, 10 minutes. 
• Add the wine. Pour in 1/4 cup dry white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring, until the wine has nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. 
• Add the greens. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 cups baby spinach. Stir gently until wilted. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
• Finish the polenta. When the polenta is fully cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, if you like, and 1/4 cup finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese until completely incorporated and creamy. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. If you find it is too thick towards the end of cooking, stir in a little more water.
• Serve. Spoon the hot polenta into shallow bowls and serve, topped with the mushroom mixture. Garnish with more Parmigiano-Reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil. 

What is Polenta?

Polenta is a traditional Italian dish made of long-cooked cornmeal. When it’s freshly made, it is creamy and pourable. As it cools, it becomes firm enough to slice and fry. Soft polenta is often served as a base for a meat ragù, grilled sausages, or as a side dish with lots of melty fontina cheese stirred in. 

Tips for Buying and Cooking Polenta

What is labeled as “polenta” in stores is simply coarsely ground cornmeal. However, it can be a little tricky to locate this product in many supermarkets. Here are my best tips for both shopping and simmering! 

To Buy It

• The best polenta is made from stone-ground corn, which comes in coarse, medium, or fine grinds. Most cornmeal labeled “polenta” is a coarse grind. For an extra creamy result, use a combination of medium and fine grinds, a trick I learned from Domenica Marchetti, an Italian cookbook author and Mediterranean Dish contributor. For more tips, see her recipe for Creamy Polenta.
• To find cornmeal, head to the baking aisle! I’ve also found it hiding out in the hot-cereal aisle, next to the oatmeal. There, you will likely find both medium and fine grind varieties.
• If you have a local mill in your area that sells high-quality stone-ground grains, take advantage of your luck! Freshly milled whole grains taste sweeter, with no bitter undertones.

To Cook It

• The key to making polenta is stirring it often as it slowly simmers on the stovetop. While it takes a little patience, I find home-made polenta has more flavor and a much more satisfying texture than quick-cooking options. It’s well worth the wait! 
• Polenta will bubble thickly, sending up splatters from time to time while cooking, especially when stirred. I recommend stirring it with a long-handled wooden spoon to prevent being splattered. 
• After 40 minutes, the polenta should be thick and creamy but still pourable. If you find it is too thick towards the end of cooking, stir in a little more water.