Typically one would spend lots of time stirring and keeping an eye on stove top cooked polenta, but I’m here to tell you the Instant Pot makes one amazing version with minimal effort on your part. Let me show you How to Make Instant Pot Creamy Polenta.
Polenta is a wonderfully creamy and smooth cornmeal that is slowly cooked and eaten both savory and sweet. Best known in the Italian kitchen using cream and lots of cheese whisked in, it makes for a wonderful side dish, or as a base for other toppings or meat sauces.
I love to make it and while I enjoy the traditional cheesy method, often times I make a batch and pour it in a buttered dish to refrigerate and the next morning pan fry and drizzle with maple syrup for a switch up on the usual Sunday breakfast.
Today though we are staying savory and cutting the time and your elbow grease down by using the Instant Pot. Yes it can be done and I have the video to show you how easy it is, too.
Creamy, smooth and cooked completely, butter, cream and cheese get whisked in for a perfect bowl to serve and enjoy.
The trick in the past for me has always been the correct balance of water to cornmeal ratio. Well I’m here to say that it’s 4-to-1. Four parts liquid to one part cornmeal. Now this method using the Instant Pot takes that to the next level, and with no standing over the sputtering, hot pot.
Whether you choose to eat it this way, all creamy and smooth, or bake it, grill it, fry it up in a pan with some maple syrup drizzled on top, polenta is a delicious dish that is now easier to make with the Instant Pot method. On top of that, it’s gluten-free for those of you who need to watch that.
For today’s recipe I made it with added fresh herbs and it was the base for a tasty beef dish, but that post is coming later…. For now how about serving this with my Chopped Chicken Piccata or Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy and swap out the spuds. Enjoy!
- 1 cup polenta
- 4 cups chicken stock (See Note 1)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (See Note 2)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup Romano cheese grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves loosely packed, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed, chopped
- ground black pepper to taste
Add the polenta to the Instant Pot and pour the chicken stock over. Add the salt and whisk to break up and lumps. Cover and cook on Porridge setting - High Pressure, Normal with a total of 20 minutes.
When done, allow a Natural Release (See Note 3) Release vent value and open lid. Whisk to stir and add the butter and cream. Whisk to incorporate. Add the cheeses and herbs, whisk again until smooth.
- Serve with fresh cracked black pepper.
- Feel free to use vegetable stock or water.
- Feel free to use milk if you choose.
- Natural Release: per manufacturers instruction, this is when the cooker is allowed to cool down naturally until the float valve drops down. This may take 10-15 minutes after cooking is finished. After using the "Porridge" setting do not put steam release in venting position otherwise porridge will splatter through steam release. Use Natural Release.
I tried this last night but it was very soupy after the full 20 minutes at porridge setting. I set it all up again and cooked another 10 minutes on porridge and it was still soupy. I tried to thicken it by cooking it without the lid on the saute setting, whisking often, but it spat too much so I had to put the lid on it. I finally decided it was thick enough then and called it good, even though it never got to the really thick stage. It did set up when it cooled, but I was serving it hot as a bed for an assortment of toppings and didn’t want it that soupy. I’m not sure what went wrong. Next time I may reduce the liquid or do a much longer cooking time.
Alicia you had me a little concerned I might have a typo in the instructions regarding portions so I made it again (thanks, now I have dinner partially done!) and it came out fine. Not quite sure what happened with your making it. You had the following settings for “Porridge”- High Pressure, Normal with a total of 20 minutes correct? With 1 cup polenta to 4 cups liquid (water or broth)? Please let me know!
I must admit I haven’t used polenta which needs up to an hour to cook for years. Instant one is an amazing thing! Combined with cheese and herbs, it makes a divine weekend meal.
I love it for the fact you can have it creamy and quickly! I could eat a bowl of it now, with lots of cheese on top! 🙂
This looks like polenta perfection! I don’t have an instant pot, but this recipe has me wanting one…
They are so versatile and left me with more counter space, too! 🙂
How many minutes did you cook it on the Porridge setting? On the presets you can select Less, Normal or More which all have different cook times. Also, with the “last used memory” not all pots will go to the factory default times so it’s helpful if you say specifically how many minutes you set it for.
Appreciate that Sue! It is the Porridge Setting button, High Pressure, Normal with a total of 20 minutes. I’ll update the recipe, too. Thanks for the inquiry and assist! 🙂
That polenta looks beautiful, Kevin. I’ve never made a good one. Mine always seem like, I don’t know, some kind of construction material. Although I have to say, I’ve also never had a good one. I rarely see in on a menu, and if I do, it rarely is paired with something I find appealing. Weird. Yours, on the other hand, looks like to want to dive right in with both spoons!
I love the stuff, so comforting and the more cheese the better! I have also added the cooked polenta to my food processor and blitzed it until it was ultra smooth, too. Dig in!
Hey Kevin. This looks and sounds delicious! I’m more of a savory polenta person, but for the very reason you stated I don’t make it very often. I love polenta topped with slow braised short ribs or beef burgundy (or spicy shrimp with bacon). I haven’t looked into an instant pot yet, but plan on doing so. I think I actually used my slow cooker more in hot weather. Which instant pot do your have?
I could eat a bowl of it myself, but the short ribs is now a must have this week. Thanks!
As fo rth eInstant Pot, I think I sent you a link previously, but here it is again: Instant Pot 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker, 6Qt/1000W, Stainless Steel (IP-DUO60). I highly recommend! 🙂