This is the version you make when you want something that feels like a treat without any of the fuss, No special technique, no complicated timing, just cornmeal cooked slowly in a mix of water and milk until it thickens, then finished with butter, mascarpone, and a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The result is creamy, rich, and versatile enough to sit under a braise, alongside a piece of grilled fish, or on its own with a handful of fresh herbs and a crack of black pepper.
The cornmeal you use will determine the cooking time more than anything else; quick-cook varieties are ready in 5 minutes, traditional coarse-ground polenta can take up to 45. Either works here, and the recipe follows your packaging rather than prescribing a time. What doesn’t change regardless of which you use is the finishing step: the mascarpone and Parmigiano go in off the heat, stirred until fully melted and glossy, and that’s the moment the polenta goes from good to something worth making again.
Why This Works
Most polenta recipes finish with butter and Parmesan alone. Adding mascarpone changes the texture significantly, it melts into the polenta and adds a creaminess that butter can’t replicate, without making it heavy. Cooking in milk alongside water rather than water alone adds a subtle richness to the base that you notice even before the cheese goes in. The key is patience at the end: the polenta needs a few extra minutes of gentle stirring after the cheese is added to fully incorporate everything, and that’s the step that turns good polenta into great polenta.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Milk
- Cornmeal – cornmeal comes in various options, yellow and white, coarse and fine and there is also a quick cooking variety as well as pre-cooked polenta. Check it out here.
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
- Butter
How to Make Creamy Cheesy Polenta
- Step 1 – Bring water and milk to a boil, add cornmeal and salt & pepper. Turn down the heat and cook slowly until done. How long that cooking takes, depends on the type and brand of cornmeal you have, but traditional coarse cornmeal takes 30-45 minutes.
- Step 2 – When done cooking, add Mascarpone, Parmigiano cheese, butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3 – The thickness of the polenta can be adjusted to your liking by adding a little bit more water and/or milk.
Enjoy your Creamy Cheesy Polenta !
Another Polenta Recipe to Try
Small Batch Creamy Cheesy Polenta
Pin Recipe Facebook Share by TextIngredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2.5 ounces Mascarpone cheese
- 3 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper
- fresh herbs, optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring water and milk and salt to a simmer
- Add cornmeal and turn down the head to low. Whisk frequently until the cornmeal thickens.
- Cook as directed on the packaging (depending on the type of cornmeal you use). Traditional takes 30-45 minutes.
- When done cooking, add milk or water if the end result is too thick.
- Add Mascarpone, Parmesan Cheese and butter. Stir until well-mixed and melted.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.
- Add some fresh herbs like oregano, thyme or sage if you like.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.