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Polenta with Mushrooms and Garbanzo Beans

Polenta is creamy Italian cornmeal that's traditionally mixed with butter and Parmesan cheese. This Italian version of grits is a fun alternative to potatoes, rice, or pasta that's ready in a little over half an hour and can be topped with meat, fish, pan-roasted vegetables, prosciutto, and bacon, you name it. We decided to pair our polenta with protein-rich roasted garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and wild mushrooms, which makes a wholesome and quick vegetarian dinner.

If you like cornmeal, check out this breakfast recipe for Grits with mushrooms and poached egg.

Prep Time 40 minutes
Serves: 4
Difficulty Level: Low
Polenta with Mushrooms and Garbanzo Beans
Ingredients for Polenta with Mushrooms and Chickpeas:
Water - 3 cups
Milk - 2 cups
Salt - as needed
Polenta - 1 cup (or any other type of ground cornmeal)
Wild Mushrooms - 1 1/2 lb. (roughly chopped)
Canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) - 1 (14 oz) can (drained, rinsed, and let to dry on a kitchen towel)
Garlic - 3 cloves (minced)
Olive oil - 1/4 cup
Ground black pepper - to taste
Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup (grated)
Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp.
Chives - a handful (finely chopped)
Method of preparing the Polenta with Mushrooms and Chickpeas:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. In a large saucepan, bring the water, milk, and salt to taste to a simmer over a medium flame. Whisking continuously, sprinkle in the polenta to avoid clumps. Constantly mix the polenta until it starts to thicken, then reduce the heat to low.
  3. Cook the polenta for 30-35 minutes, or until it starts coming away from the edge of the saucepan.
  4. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment, and spread the mushrooms and garbanzo beans across the sheet. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and olive oil, then pour this mixture over the mushrooms and beans and toss to combine.
  5. Roast the mushrooms and beans in the oven for 20-25 minutes, tossing a few times throughout the cooking process.
  6. When the polenta is fully cooked, add in the grated parmesan and butter, mixing until fully incorporated. While still steaming hot, divide the polenta among 4 plates. Set aside briefly.
  7. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and spoon them over the plates with polenta. Make sure to get some of the juices on each plate. Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately.
Source: Chefcindy.com
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