Cheesy Mushroom Polenta with Bacon
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Cheesy mushroom polenta with bacon is a family favorite! These savory Italian grits are a perfect accompaniment to a variety of entrees.
Make dinner exciting again! Serve rich creamy polenta as a side dish, instead of rice or mashed potatoes. It can also be enjoyed as a decadent one-bowl meal! This delicious mushroom polenta is the ultimate comfort-food recipe. Assemble this popular Italian dish in just 35 minutes!
CHEESY MUSHROOM POLENTA INGREDIENTS
- Thick-sliced bacon
- Bacon drippings or butter
- Cremini mushrooms
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Fresh Italian Parsley
- Yellow onion
- Garlic clove
- Polenta or coarse yellow cornmeal
- Chicken broth or chicken stock
- Shredded medium cheddar cheese
- OPTIONAL: Corn kernels (canned/drained or frozen/thawed)
- OPTIONAL: Grated parmesan cheese (garnish)
ITALIAN RECIPES TO MAKE ASAP
If you love this restaurant recipe for cheesy mushroom polenta, you’ll also enjoy these delicious Italian staples:
MUSHROOM POLENTA RECIPE
Cheesy mushroom polenta with bacon is a treat for the tastebuds! For more texture, add kernels of corn with the broth. It’s optional, but a great choice!
Here’s how to make this easy recipe, step by step.
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 400°F.
- STEP 1: In a large heavy skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Transfer bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the pan. Finely dice half the bacon. Roughly chop remaining half, which will be used as a garnish. Set it aside.
- STEP 2: Chop parsley leaves. Set them aside.
- STEP 3: Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Do not rinse under water. Mushrooms are like sponges. They need to be protected from excess moisture.
- STEP 4: Gently hand tear mushrooms into pieces. Place them in a mound on a small baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and freshly-ground pepper. Toss to disperse oil and spices. Spread them in an even layer on the tray. Oven roast mushrooms for 12 to 15 minutes, until crisp but still juicy.
HOW TO MAKE POLENTA
- STEP 1: Chop onion. Press or mince garlic.
- STEP 2: Add garlic and onions to the heavy skillet with bacon drippings. Sautée over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until the onion is golden and fragrant.
- STEP 3: Add broth and corn kernels to the skillet. Bring to a boil.
- STEP 4: Slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly. Cook polenta for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and smooth. Add cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle in the finely-diced bacon and half the Italian parsley. Stir briefly to incorporate.
HOW TO GARNISH CHEESY POLENTA
Serve this cheesy polenta family style as a side dish, or in individual ramekins. Garnish the polenta with oven-roasted mushrooms, chopped bacon and parsley. If desired, lightly sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
EXPERT TIP FOR POLENTA
As it cools, polenta solidifies quickly. If not served right away, or if it’s been refrigerated, you may want to return it to a softened, more creamy texture.
HOW TO MAKE POLENTA CREAMY AGAIN: In a saucepan, warm the polenta with a bit of chicken broth or water. Stir until creamy. If needed, add more liquid to achieve a soft porridge-like texture.
WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER POLENTA
There are so many delicious ways to enjoy polenta! If you’re lucky enough to have some leftovers from this recipe, you’re in for a real treat! Here’s how to use leftover polenta:
- GRILLED POLENTA BRUSCHETTA: Remove mushroom garnish. Transfer polenta to a tiny baker lined with parchment paper. Smooth into an even layer. Cover with foil. Refrigerate. When solid, slice the polenta. On the stovetop, grill in a non-stick pan until lightly brown. Spread a thin layer of pesto over the surface. Sprinkle diced cherry tomatoes (mixed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper) over the top.
- FRIED POLENTA BALLS: Remove the mushroom topping. Add panko bread crumbs and a bit of whisked egg to the leftovers. Scoop the polenta into small bite-sized balls, or cube the polenta into tiny squares. Fry in vegetable oil until golden. Serve with a side of warm marinara sauce for dipping.
- MUSHROOM POLENTA WITH BACON FOR BRUNCH: It’s the perfect side dish for fluffy scrambled eggs! Or try topping a square of polenta with an over-easy egg with a bursted yolk.
- POLENTA SQUARES: Remove the mushroom garnish. Cut solidified polenta into 1-inch thick squares. Brush both sides with olive oil. Place them on a baking tray. Broil for 7-10 minutes until slightly brown. Add the polenta squares to individual serving bowls. Spoon beef ragu or homemade chili over the top.
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CHEESY MUSHROOM POLENTA > RATE THIS RECIPE! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This mushroom polenta is deeply savory and crazy good. My family says it’s the best polenta recipe! If you agree, give it a 5-star rating in the comments!
Cheesy Mushroom Polenta with Bacon
- Total Time: 35 Minutes
- Yield: 6 side dish servings 1x
Description
Cheesy mushroom polenta is deeply satisfying and so delicious. With the addition of crumbled bacon it’s the ideal Italian comfort food! Make this savory side dish, or hearty meal, in 35 minutes. It’s the best polenta recipe!
Ingredients
- 7 strips thick-sliced bacon, cooked until crispy
- 2 tablespoons bacon drippings or salted butter
- 12 cremini mushrooms (or more, if desired)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
- 1 cup polenta or coarse yellow cornmeal*
- 5 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 cup (packed) shredded medium cheddar cheese
- OPTIONAL: 1 cup corn kernels (canned/drained or frozen/thawed)
- OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese (for garnishing)
*Note: Polenta is found at natural food markets, Italian markets, and large grocery stores. However, polenta and coarse yellow cornmeal are interchangeable. Use what you have on hand.
Instructions
CHEESY MUSHROOM POLENTA
Multi-task to get this recipe done faster! The mushrooms can be grilling in the oven while the polenta is cooking on the stovetop.
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Finely dice half the bacon. Roughly chop the remaining half, which will be used as a garnish. Set it aside.
- Chop parsley leaves. Set them aside.
- Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Do not rinse under water. Mushrooms are like sponges. They need to be protected from excess moisture. Gently hand tear mushrooms into pieces. Place them in a mound on a small baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and freshly-ground pepper. Toss to disperse oil and spices. Spread them in an even layer on the tray. Oven roast mushrooms for 12 to 15 minutes, until crisp but still juicy.
HOW TO MAKE POLENTA
- Add garlic and onions to a heavy skillet with 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings or butter. Sautée over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until onion is golden and fragrant.
- Add broth and corn kernels to the skillet. Bring to a boil.
- Slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly. Cook polenta for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and soft. Add cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle in the finely-diced bacon and half the Italian parsley. Stir briefly to incorporate.
- Serve this cheesy polenta family style as a side dish, or in individual ramekins. Garnish the polenta with oven-roasted mushrooms, chopped bacon and remaining parsley. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
HOW TO MAKE POLENTA CREAMY AGAIN: As polenta cools, it solidifies quickly. If this dish was not served right away, or if it’s been refrigerated, you may want to return it to a softened, more creamy texture. Here’s how to do it: In a saucepan, warm the polenta with a bit of chicken broth or water. Stir until creamy. If needed, add more liquid to achieve a soft porridge-like texture.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
CHEESY MUSHROOM POLENTA > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
When was the last time you enjoyed polenta? What do you think of this cheesy mushroom polenta recipe? Would you serve it as a side or main entree? Join the conversation!
This recipe knocked my socks off. So deeply flavorful and delicious. My new favorite dish.
Wow! this recipe looks so yummy and tasty. Thanks for sharing this recipe. take care…
Thanks so much Redoy! 🙂
What a beautiful bowl of creamy comfort food! I love this dish so much!
I loved it! So cheesy and delicious!!
I’ve never tried Polenta, it looks absolutely delcious! Thank you for sharing!
Love your process photos. This polenta was so tasty. Thanks for the recipe.
All I can say is, yum! One of my new favorite comfort foods for sure
There is nothing about this recipe that isn’t absolutely amazing! The cheesy polenta alone is so good, but please oh please, the bacon! This is a treat!
I love polenta! This mushroom version looks delicious as a side dish!