Need a quick and simple tube polenta recipe? These baked polenta rounds with creamy mushroom sauce are the ultimate 30-minute meal.
Tube polenta – i.e. the cylinder-shaped pre-cooked roll of polenta wrapped in plastic – is something I’ve always snobbishly walked past at the supermarket. Polenta is not that hard to cook from scratch, I figured. Plus, nothing beats the comforting texture of just-cooked creamy polenta.
I was proven quite wrong during this year’s camping trip, though, when one of my friends used it as a base for our dinner. Not only was it delicious, but it was ready in minutes. I’ve been experimenting with it at home since and have realized what an incredible shortcut ingredient it actually is. It warms up in a fraction of the time it takes to cook your own polenta and its versatility is boundless.
For this quick tube polenta recipe, I cut the roll into rounds and bake them. A savory creamy mushroom sauce goes on top. It’s an easy 30-minute meal perfect for midweek dinners.
What’s In This Tube Polenta Recipe
Aside from a roll of pre-made polenta, you’ll need cremini mushrooms, diced onion, garlic, parsley, milk of your choice, a bit of all-purpose flour, dried herbs, white wine (optional), and some miso (substitutions below).
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
- Tube Polenta: You can typically find pre-cooked polenta in the fridge section of the supermarket (next to tofu, hummus, etc.). Look for one that has minimal ingredients and no freaky chemicals/preservatives.
- Onion: You can use white, yellow, or red here – or shallots.
- Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms are easiest to find, but you can throw in some fancier ones like shiitake, oyster, or maitake.
- Milk: I use full-fat oat milk, but feel free to use almost any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk here (except for almond – it’s overpowering). If you have whole dairy milk, you can use that too.
- Flour: For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 GF flour.
- Miso: This fermented Japanese soybean paste gives the sauce a salty, savory bite. You can sub with an equal amount of nutritional yeast.
- White Wine: Gives the sauce a funky background flavor; a great way to use up a bottle that’s been open for a few too many days. If you don’t have any, just skip it.
- Parsley: Lends some herby freshness. You can sub with fresh thyme.
Polenta Cakes with Mushroom Sauce Step-by-Step
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Bake the Polenta
Slice the polenta tube into ~12 cakes and arrange in a single layer on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Brush lightly with oil and bake in a 425ºF oven until lightly golden around the edges.
Step 2: Start the Sauce
While the polenta’s baking, get working on the sauce. Cook the onions and mushrooms with oil, salt, and pepper in a large skillet until softened and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, measure out your milk and add the miso, and let the mixture stand for a few minutes before whisking to dissolve.
Step 3: Finish the Sauce
When the veg are ready, stir in the flour, garlic, and dried herbs. Add the wine (if using) and cook for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Then whisk in the milk, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lots of black pepper at the end.
Step 4: Serve
Divide the polenta among plates and top with the sauce.
Watch the Video
Serving Suggestions
If you’re having this tube polenta recipe on its own, I’d say it feeds 2-3 people; if serving with a side, it’s enough for up to 4. It goes great with…
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag @thenewbaguette on Instagram with your creation.
The Full Recipe
Print
Baked Polenta Cakes with Creamy Mushrooms
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Looking for a simple way to use up that pre-made polenta you got at the store? These easy baked polenta rounds with creamy mushroom sauce are the ultimate 30-minute meal.
Ingredients
- 1-pound tube of pre-cooked polenta
- About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, oregano, or Herbes de Provence
- 1/4 cup dry white wine* (like chardonnay, pinot grigio, or sauvignon blanc)
- 1 cup milk* (see note below)
- 1 tablespoon white miso*
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut polenta into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Brush lightly with oil. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a glug of oil. Add the onions and mushrooms with pinches of salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir the garlic into the vegetables, as well as 1 tablespoon flour and 1 teaspoon dried herbs. Cook for about 30 seconds. Then add 1/4 cup wine (if using – if not, skip to step 6) and cook for about a minute to evaporate the alcohol.
- Stir in the milk and miso, and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, and stir in the parsley and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
- Serve over polenta.
Notes
- I use full-fat oat milk, but feel free to use almost any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk here (except for almond – it’s overpowering). If you have whole dairy milk, you can use that too.
- You can sub miso with an equal amount of nutritional yeast.
- Wine adds a funky tanginess here. But if you don’t have any, just skip it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of the recipe
- Calories: 410
- Fat: 15.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 56.2 g
- Fiber: 4.7 g
- Protein: 10.3 g
Olive says
Love it! Instead of oat milk, I make the sauce separate from the mushrooms and let roughly a cup of cashews simmer with the sauce- then I blend it to make it smooth, awesome addition of protein! plus I top with crushed walnuts
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Olive! Love those ideas – especially the walnuts. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
BRUCE AND BING says
DELICIOUS AND A GREAT RECIPE. ONLY HAD SHITAKE MUSHROOMS AND ALMOND MILK, ADDED SOME KALE STEMS AND JALAPENO THAT WERE SITTING IN THE FRIDGE.
Alexandra Shytsman says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Kim says
Sooo delicious!! Used Herbes de provence and whole milk with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese😊
Alexandra Shytsman says
Thanks for the feedback, Kim! I’m glad you liked it 😀
Tami says
This was so fast and easy. Thanks!!