Cornmeal and Oatmeal Polenta With Tomato Sauce and Parmesan

By Martha Rose Shulman

Cornmeal and Oatmeal Polenta With Tomato Sauce and Parmesan
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(55)
Comments
Read comments

I think I like this combination even more than I like traditional cornmeal polenta, and that's saying a lot. The oatmeal contributes both texture and a wonderful creaminess to the dish. It’s a comforting, satisfying meal.

Featured in: Cornmeal and Oatmeal Polenta With Tomato Sauce and Parmesan

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ½cup quick-cooking steel-cut oats
  • ½cup polenta
  • 1quart water
  • Salt to taste (½ to 1 teaspoon)
  • 1tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ⅓cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional), plus additional for sprinkling
  • 1cup Fresh Tomato Sauce or Simple Marinara Sauce
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

217 calories; 8 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 810 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the steel-cut oats, polenta, water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir together and place in the oven. Bake 1 hour. Remove from the oven and stir in the butter. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and stir again. Taste and adjust salt. If desired, stir the Parmesan into the polenta, or sprinkle it on top after you spoon on the tomato sauce.

  2. Step 2

    Spoon the polenta onto plates, make a depression in the middle with the back of your spoon, and fill it with tomato sauce. Top with Parmesan if you haven’t stirred it into the polenta.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: Although this should be served right away if you want the creamy version, you can also make it ahead and then reheat as a gratin. Cut the cooled, stiff polenta into squares, or use a cookie cutter to cut into circles. Place in an oiled baking dish and drizzle on a little olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan and heat in a 350-degree oven until polenta is sizzling. Remove from the oven, pour on hot marinara sauce, sprinkle on a little more Parmesan, and serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5
55 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Jill

Super yummy comfort food! Better than mac and cheese. :-). I used chicken broth instead of water.

Fran Rounds

You can use regular steel cut oats. Just cook it half an hour longer.

Emily

To add more flavor, I definitely recommend using broth instead of water.

Max

This is a terrific polenta dish. I’ve been making this for years. Love it!

Jex

I didn't want to run the oven for an hour, but i had success with an instant pot for 15 minutes. I soaked regular steel cut oats overnight in 1pint vegetable broth and cooked with grits and 1 pint water the next day. Looked too liquidy at first but after stirring and cooling a little, it was perfect.

mary ann

Super tasty and attractive! My husband and I will be having this dish often!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.