Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms
on Feb 06, 2023, Updated Mar 06, 2024
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A pile of caramelized onions is a perfect topping for this vegetarian dish — great as an appetizer, side, or main course.
This simple recipe is a marriage of two even simpler foods that add up to one flavorful appetizer, main dish, or side. This fried polenta with sautéed mushrooms dish would be welcome any time, from breakfast to lunch to dinner, and it’s a nice entertaining idea. Also, a great savory fried polenta breakfast!
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Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms: A pile of caramelized onions is a perfect topping for this vegetarian dish – great as an appetizer, side, or main course.
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Precooked Polenta in Tubes
While you can make polenta from scratch, spread it out to cool, cut it into shapes, and fry it up, you can also start with store-bought cooked polenta. It is available in tubes, sometimes in the refrigerated section (look near the tofu), and also in the pasta section. Many brands don’t need refrigeration until you open them, so check both places. I love Melissa’s shelf-stable organic prepared polenta in tubes, which is available in plain, sundried tomato, and Italian herb.
This polenta can be sliced and then browned in a pan on the stove, in the oven, or grilled up. It is pretty time-consuming to make polenta from scratch and then get it to the place where you can cook it again in slices, so this is a real time saver.
Vegetarian or Vegan Polenta With Mushrooms
Whenever I sauté mushrooms, I try to make more than I need for that meal or recipe since leftover sautéed mushrooms are so amazing to have on hand. You can add them to omelets, sauces, or soups and use them to top anything from a burger or a steak to these vegetarian bites. Make sure to allow the mushrooms to sauté long enough that they release all of their liquid and start to caramelize.
If you make your own polenta or use packaged premade polenta, you can check to see if it’s vegan. If you are looking to keep this dish vegan, just use olive oil instead of butter.
What to Serve With Polenta and Sautéed Mushrooms
This could be part of an assortment of small Italian dishes, such as Salmon and White Bean Bruschetta, Fried Calamari, and Roasted Pepper Crostini with Basil Oil. It could also kick start a meal, perhaps Creamy Tuscan Salmon or Pork Chops with Italian Salsa Verde. Or just pair it up with a salad for a light lunch or dinner: try Cherry Tomato Antipasti Salad or Spinach Salad with Burrata. Try topping the polenta with Vegetarian Collard Greens for a change of pace.
More Polenta Recipes
- How to Make Perfect Polenta on the Stove
- Fried Eggs and Smoked Salmon over Polenta Cakes
- Salmon with Polenta and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette
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Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 tube (1 pound) premade polenta
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
- 1 pound mushrooms (such as morels, porcini, oyster, or plain button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced)
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- Handful chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Unwrap the polenta and slice it into 1/2-inch slices. Line a plate with paper towels.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place as many of the polenta disks into the pan as will fit in a single layer. Cook without moving them, until they turn golden brown and start to crisp up on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip the slices with a spatula, and continue to cook until the second side is browned and slightly crispy, about another 5 minutes.
- Remove the polenta to the paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with another tablespoon of butter and the remaining polenta slices. Add those to the first batch.
- Meanwhile, in another skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter, then add the mushrooms and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have turned nicely browned.
- Spoon the hot sauteed mushrooms over the polenta slices, sprinkle over the parsley and serve warm.
