Instant Pot Polenta

Name: Instant Pot Polenta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup polenta; 5 cups water; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated); 2 tbsp shredded mozzarella (optional)

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Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Instant Pot Polenta is a smooth and creamy dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Polenta is quick, easy, and made from corn grits which makes it so versatile!

This creamy polenta recipe can be made in under 30 minutes with almost no hassle. In fact, polenta is a great replacement for rice or potatoes with dinner! I love serving this instant polenta with hamburgers, ribs, or even pot roast as an easy side dish!

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Why you’ll love this recipe
Is cornmeal the same as polenta?
Ingredients Checklist
Step by Step Directions
Expert tips and FAQs
Is polenta good or bad for you?
Can I make this instant pot polenta recipe vegan?
Additional/optional ingredients
How to Store Leftover Polenta
Similar recipes
Instant Pot Polenta

Why you’ll love this recipe

This instant pot recipe is so easy and has a cooking time of under 30 minutes! Not only is this basic polenta recipe quick, but cooking with an instant pot leaves almost no mess to clean up, like it may on the stove top.
Most people don’t know that polenta pairs well with so many dishes. So if this is your first time making it, I love topping instant polenta with parmesan cheese, butter, and serving it with a hearty main dish and you may too! A warm creamy bowl of polenta is perfect on a cold day as a delicious side dish or even a main dish!
Not only does polenta taste delicious, but it’s also healthy! Instant polenta is made from corn meal which is a great source of fiber, protein, and is loaded with vitamin A. Swap out potatoes or french fries for this instant pot polenta and you’ll have a healthier side dish!
Polenta is easy to find and you can usually find it at your local grocery store or on Amazon! Bob’s Red Mill is a great brand but I’ve yet to find one I don’t like.

Is cornmeal the same as polenta?

Kind of… Polenta is the dish and cornmeal is the main ingredient. Cornmeal used in polenta must be a medium or course grind to make the perfect polenta. You do not want to use corn flour or finely ground cornmeal when making instant pot polenta because it will turn out soggy. For this recipe, you will need one cup cornmeal/polenta!

Ingredients Checklist

This recipe uses simple ingredients that you may already even have on hand:

1 cup polenta
5 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon butter
¼ cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons shredded mozzarella (optional)

Step by Step Directions

Add water, polenta, and salt in the INSTANT POT whisk to combine (Image 1).
Seal the Instant Pot lid and select the PORRIDGE setting (or it may say “oatmeal”.) Set the settings to 20 minutes (Image 2).
When the cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, whisk polenta until smooth Add in butter and cheese and mix properly (Image 3).
Serve the top of the polenta with additional cheese, such as shredded mozzarella, if desired, to create more of a cheesy polenta! Serve warm.

Expert tips and FAQs

Is polenta Keto?

A keto diet is a low-carb diet. One serving of polenta is 80 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of fiber. The net carbs in polenta (total carbs – fiber = net carbs) is 15 grams which means one serving of polenta would fit into a keto diet.

How much water do I use for 1 cup polenta?

The perfect water to polenta ratio is 4-1. That means for 1 cup of polenta, you will need 4 cups water. To switch things up a tad and add more flavor, you could use vegetable broth or chicken broth instead of water.

What do you eat polenta with?

As stated before, polenta is a great substitute for fries, potatoes, or rice. It’s a healthier and more nutritious side dish. You can eat polenta with burgers, short ribs, steak, or chicken! Or, it’s the perfect base for something like grilled shrimp and it pairs amazing with brussels sprouts!

Is polenta good or bad for you?

I touched on this above, but polenta is a gluten-free complex carbohydrate that has tons of fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals. This polenta recipe is safe for celiac disease and also fits well into a keto/low-carb diet because of the high about of fiber. Instant pot polenta is a healthier alternative to potoes, white rice, and/or french fries!

Can I make this instant pot polenta recipe vegan?

Yes! It would be extremely easy to make this instant pot polenta recipe vegan. The best way is to swap out traditional butter for olive oil or vegan butter. Instead of using Parmesan Cheese or mozzarella cheese, you can use vegan cheese for the polenta and nutritional yeast for topping. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor without the dairy and is surprisingly delicious!

Additional/optional ingredients

To make this recipe extra creamy, you could add in 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream. If you chose to do this, you’ll want to add in a smaller amount of water. On top of heavy whipping cream, you can add in fresh herbs and spices to give this recipe extra flavor. Garlic salt, oregano, parsley, basil, and other Italian herbs would taste great.

How to Store Leftover Polenta

You can store leftover polenta in an airtight container for 5 days in the refrigerator or around 3 months in the freezer.

Similar recipes

If you like polenta, I would highly suggest trying these baked polenta fries! They’re an easy and healthier alternative to french fries! They’re cheesy, warm, and topped with bacon! Those polenta fries go so well with this homemade chipotle aioli dipping sauce!

If this is a new recipe you’re trying, I sure hope that you love it as much as we do and the next time you need a quick and healthy side dish, you’ll remember this one! It’s one of our favorite Instant Pot recipes to date!