Description
Italian Polenta with Sausage is a cozy, hearty meal of creamy cornmeal polenta topped with browned Italian sausage simmered in a simple tomato-onion-garlic sauce, finished with herbs and Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarse polenta (or instant polenta)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound (450 g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Make the polenta: In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy (20–25 minutes for coarse polenta, or follow package directions for instant).
- Cook the sausage: While the polenta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through (8–10 minutes). Transfer sausage to a plate.
- Start the sauce: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and sauté until softened (3–4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Simmer: Stir in tomato sauce, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Combine: Slice the cooked sausage and return it to the skillet. Stir and simmer 2–3 minutes until heated through.
- Serve: Spoon polenta into bowls or onto plates. Top with sausage and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and garnish with basil and parsley.
Notes
- To prevent lumps, whisk polenta in slowly and keep stirring during the first minute.
- If polenta gets too thick, stir in a splash of broth or water until creamy.
- For extra creamy polenta, stir in 1 tablespoon butter or 2 tablespoons heavy cream at the end (optional).
- Vegetarian option: Replace sausage with sautéed mushrooms or plant-based sausage.
- Spicy version: Use spicy Italian sausage or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth/water to loosen the polenta.
- Freezing: Can be frozen up to 2 months, but polenta texture may change slightly; thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 recipe)
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
