Brown Butter Polenta Recipe Without Parmesan

ByNkechi Ajaeroh, MPH

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This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best “home date night” dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish!

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This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

BEST Polenta Recipe You Can Make At Home!

Elevate your dinner tonight with something a little different. I’m talking about my brown butter polenta recipe, a satisfying side that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but mine is made without it while still providing that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. To make this brown butter polenta, you will need only a handful of ingredients—stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Did I mention I served this creamy polenta dish with salmon and creamy mushroom sauce? Oh, this was ah-mazing! The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish!

This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best “home date night” recipe alongside my pureed beetroot, Marry Me chicken, and creamy shrimp spaghetti Alfredo. Listen, if you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic side dish! 

This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

What Is Polenta and Where Did It Originate From?

Polenta is stone-ground cornmeal, which comes from dry corn. It is typically a side dish you make using the “stone-ground cornmeal.” And since it is so similar to grits, it is often called “Italian grits” by some and “corn grits” by others. It’s from the northern regions of Italy, starting as a peasant dish and now renowned as a classically satisfying epicurean delight. In this recipe I used “organic yellow polenta” from Bob’s Red Mill. The photo below is the exact polenta I used; unfortunately, they no longer have it on Amazon. Rather now have “organic Corn Grits Polenta,” and I have not used it yet. I will assume they are the same but in slightly different packaging/marketing. I just wanted to ensure a full disclosure and let you know.

Raw Polenta

One more thing: you can equally make polenta from farro, chestnuts, millet, spelt, or chickpeas. Note that I have yet to make polenta with any of these ingredients. Whenever I do, I will report it. Make to subscribe on my YouTube channel for this video and others.

What does polenta/Corn Grits taste like?

Let’s talk about taste. Polenta comes from corn, so it is right to say it tastes a bit like corn. When cooked unseasoned, it has a neutral buttery corn taste. However, you can easily season it with butter or parmesan to enhance the flavor! I made this dish with brown butter, chicken broth, and coconut milk, and these ingredients took the taste to a whole new level! 

LOL, we swiftly jumped into the ins and outs of this recipe without asking about your experience with cornmeal polenta, aka corn grits! Have you have you had polenta before? No?!? If not, well, let me enlighten you! Polenta is a creamy dish that is slightly sweet and savory, much in the way that buttery corn can be. In fact, if you love buttery corn, you’re going to love polenta. If you enjoy cozy, easy, cheap sides that look like a million bucks, you will like polenta! I promise you that creamy polenta will surely make a statement on your dinner table!

This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

How I Accidentally Discovered Polenta in the Restaurant.

I still remember my first, second, third, and every single encounter with polenta. They are all beautiful memories. My family loves going to this particular restaurant here in Maryland, and each time, I order the same thing: salmon. The first time, I didn’t understand that the salmon comes with polenta and light mushroom olive sauce. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised, and I enjoyed the dish. And this salmon polenta dish became my dish of choice every single time we went to the same restaurant. 

Y’all, it’s only fitting that I make polenta at home, and my brown butter polenta recipe was born! Fast forward to today, I have made uncountable polenta recipes here in my kitchen. I am excited to share this one with you. This is my plate on one of those Polenta Sunday dinners… YUM!😋

This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

Why You Will Love This Creamy Brown Butter Polenta Recipe

  • It’s so simple to make that it’s almost insane.
  • It’s a cozy + cheap side dish everyone will enjoy! My kids love this dish!
  • The texture is just incredible.
  • The flavor is even better.
  • It’s something new to try instead of pasta, bread, or rice on the side of your meal.
  • You can make polenta fast too, which means you can even throw it together on a busy weeknight!
  • You can always make polenta ahead; it is perfect for meal prepping! 
  • Easy to customize; add more liquid if want it more loose. Perfect with any main. We love topping it with this creamy mushroom sauce! YUM.
This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

Watch How To Make Brown Butter Polenta:

Ingredients for Brown Butter Polenta:

How to Make Easy Brown Butter Polenta Without Parmesan (Step-by-Step):

This brown butter polenta without parmesan is so incredibly easy to make. Here’s the step by step directions on how to make it for dinner tonight!

  1. Gather the Ingredients

    Start, as always, by assembling all the ingredients required in one place.

  2. Prep the Ingredients

    Get busy with all the prep tasks – grate the garlic and wash and trim the fresh rosemary.

  3. Brown the Butter

    Grab a clean pot, put it on the stove, and add butter, heating slowly to brown. Then, add the grated garlic and fresh thyme, stirring it well.

  4. Make the Polenta

    Next, add the chicken broth and coconut milk. Season this with salt and black pepper, then bring to a boil. Once it’s rolling, lower the heat and gently whisk in the polenta. Stir as needed.

  5. Cover and Simmer

    The polenta should simmer covered on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes. 

  6. Serve with Your Main Dish & Enjoy!

    Garnish and serve this brown butter polenta with braised short ribs, Marry Me chicken, steak, or anything else. 

Polenta Recipe Notes and Tips:

  • The polenta will thicken after cooking and resting. If it seems loose at the end of the cooking time, don’t worry. It will thicken up. 
  • If you want your polenta to be loose, add 1/2 cup of broth.
  • Make it even prettier by adding a little more fresh thyme as garnish.
  • Serve it on the side or plate it as a base, as you would with mashed potatoes.
  • If you want your polenta to be less coarse, you can blend the corn grits/polenta in the blender to be finer before cooking.

What Can You Serve with Brown Butter Polenta?

Since polenta is Italian, you can serve it with your favorite Italian dishes. Think ossobuco, chicken marsala, steak, or short ribs. You can also keep it a fully vegetarian meal by pairing it with tasty veggie sides. Look below and I’ve linked some of my favorite recipes to serve with polenta

What Do You Serve With Marry Me Chicken? Marry Me Chicken is versatile and can go with any side dish. While you can enjoy it on its own, make it more filling by serving it with any side of your choice as it complements its flavors. Here are some sides I will recommend:

How to Store Leftover Brown Butter Polenta

Polenta will be good for 3 days in your fridge, but you can also freeze it if you’d prefer. Make sure you use a freezer-safe container and it will last up to 3 months.

Recipe Variations:

  • If you don’t have coconut milk or dislike it, you can use another type of milk or cream.
  • Feel free to add parmesan or another cheese if you want your polenta to be cheesy. However, I recommend you try it the original way first.
  • This recipe is easy to adjust to be vegan by using non-dairy milk and vegan butter.
  • Try thyme instead of fresh rosemary.
This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

What are the different types of polenta?

You can find polenta in different textures including fine, medium ground, or coarse ground. It can also be yellow, white, or blue, though when making polenta, choosing yellow and white cornmeal is best for that smooth and creamy texture. 

Polenta FAQs:

What is polenta made of?

The main ingredient in polenta is ground flint corn that is coarsely ground. It uses broth, milk, and butter as the basics and seasonings can vary.

What’s the difference between cornmeal and polenta? 

While both cornmeal and polenta are made out of ground corn, polenta has a coarser texture than cornmeal. Traditional polenta is made by stone grinding, and is considered a dish while cornmeal is merely an ingredient. You typically use cornmeal to make things but polenta is made into polenta, a splendid side dish for your dinner.

What does polenta go with?

Polenta goes with so many things from steaks and braised short ribs to creamy chicken dishes. Since it’s Italian, you can try it on the side of your Italian dinners instead of making pasta. 

Are grits the same as polenta?

Grits are similar to polenta, which is why polenta is often called “Italian grits,” but they are not the same. Polenta uses medium to coarse ground flint corn and is flakier in texture than grits. Equally, polenta is also referred to as corn grits.

How do you keep polenta creamy?

The secret in keeping polenta creamy is in stirring it in intervals. You also don’t want to overcook it. When you pull it off the heat, it should still be loose. It will thicken once you remove it from the heat. If it thickens too much, gradually add a little more liquid at a time to revive the texture.

This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

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This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

Brown Butter Polenta Recipe Without Parmesan

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  • Author: Nkechi Ajaeroh, MPH
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best “home date night” dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Gather the Ingredients. Start, as always, by assembling all the ingredients required in one place.
  2. Prep the Ingredients. Get busy with all the prep tasks – grate the garlic and wash and trim the fresh rosemary.
  3. Brown the Butter. Grab a clean pot, put it on the stove, and add butter, heating slowly to brown. Then, add the grated garlic and fresh thyme, stirring it well.
  4. Make the Polenta. Next, add the chicken broth and coconut milk. Season this with salt and black pepper, then bring to a boil. Once it’s rolling, lower the heat and gently whisk in the polenta. Stir as needed.
  5. Cover and Simmer. The polenta should simmer covered on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes. 
  6. Serve with Your Main Dish & Enjoy! Garnish with some more fresh thyme. You can serve this brown butter polenta with braised short ribs, Marry Me chicken, steak, or anything else.

Notes

When making this recipe, start with 2 cups of broth and 2 cups of coconut milk. Add additional liquid if need be and, depending on your desired consistency.

The polenta will thicken after cooking and resting. If it seems loose at the end of the cooking time, don’t worry. It will thicken up. 

If you want your polenta to be loose, add 1/2 cup of broth.

Make it even prettier by adding a little more fresh rosemary as garnish.

Serve it on the side or plate it as a base, as you would with mashed potatoes.

If you want your polenta to be less coarse, you can blend the corn grits/polenta in the blender to be finer before cooking. 

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MORE HEALTHY SIDE DISHES TO TRY:

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This simple brown butter polenta recipe will become your best "home date night" dish! It is a satisfying side dish that is creamy, dreamy, and delightful. It requires only a handful of ingredients: stone-ground polenta, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Most polenta recipes include parmesan, but this one does not. However, it still provides that luscious texture that makes this dish so revered. The nuttiness of the brown added a fantastic flavor to the overall tastiness of this dish! If you want restaurant-quality meals at home without the hassle of traveling to a restaurant, you are damn sure to enjoy this fantastic meal! 

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! Stay well, safe and keep living your life to the fullest!

Nkechi Ajaeroh's blog nkechiajaeroh.com for healthy food recipes, and healthy living. tips.

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I'm Nkechi Ajaeroh, a 2x International Best Selling Author, Food Enthusiast, and Public Health expert with a Master's in Public Health. Originally from Nigeria, I now reside in the United States. My passion is crafting heart-healthy Nigerian meals with an American twist. My blog explores the joy of food and life, sharing my personal and professional journey and helping you navigate your healthy lifestyle. I am dedicated to impacting lives through storytelling and inspiring others to achieve their personal goals. LEARN MORE ABOUT ME

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