The Ultimate Guide to Making Perfect Polenta

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup polenta
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Gather all of your ingredients.
2. In a large saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly pour the polenta into the boiling water, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the polenta begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. The polenta mixture should still be slightly loose at this point. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 6 minutes. Switch to a wooden spoon when the polenta becomes too thick to whisk. The polenta is ready when it has a creamy texture and the individual grains are tender. The cooking time depends on the grind of the polenta.
4. Remove from heat and gently stir in 2 tablespoons of butter until partially melted. Mix in 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese until melted. Cover and allow to stand for 5 minutes to thicken further.
5. Stir the polenta and transfer it to a serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and about 1 tablespoon of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Nutrition

• Calories: 291 kcal
• Fat Content: 15 g
• Fiber Content: 3 g
• Sugar Content: 2 g
• Sodium Content: 1186 mg
• Protein Content: 9 g
• Cholesterol Content: 33 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 31 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g