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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Vegan Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms

    Published: Apr 29, 2020 · Modified: Mar 22, 2022 by Emily Miller · This post may contain affiliate links · 32 Comments

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    Some dishes are so comforting; they're like a hug from your kitchen. This creamy Vegan Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms is one of them. Delicious, smooth, and satisfying, it's the perfect meal for a chilly night.

    Plus, it's packed with delicious roasted oyster mushrooms for extra flavor. Serve it as is or with a side of veggies. Either way, you'll love this tasty dish!


    overhead view of 2 bowls of creamy polenta with mushrooms and thyme

    This creamy Vegan Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms is incredible with oyster mushrooms! Try this gluten-free polenta for an easy weeknight dinner that's ready in thirty minutes. It's a delicious dish for date night, too!

    I love to make this polenta as the weather starts to get cooler and when wild mushrooms are available. Oyster mushrooms are my favorite mushrooms for this recipe, although you can try other kinds!

    Another creamy and comforting dish you will enjoy is Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta or Creamy Roasted Garlic Pasta. If you'd like something a little lighter, try this Asparagus Mushroom Pasta. These meals are perfect for a busy weeknight.

    Jump to:
    • What is polenta?
    • What type of polenta?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • How much liquid?
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Expert tips
    • Equipment
    • How to serve it
    • Storage
    • FAQ
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What is polenta?

    Polenta is known as grits or coarse cornmeal. The cornmeal is usually yellow for polenta, but it can be white or blue, depending on the variety of corn.

    Polenta is a staple dish of northern Italian cuisine. It is made with coarsely ground or medium-ground yellow corn, which gives it texture. Although some people call polenta grits, the difference is that corn grits are found in American Southern cuisine, and are made with finely-ground white corn.

    What type of polenta?

    The cornmeal used for polenta can range from fine to coarse ground. I prefer medium-coarse ground polenta. You can find this type of corn meal in the baking section of the grocery store or in the natural foods section.

    The version I buy has been partially de-germinated for a lighter texture and shortened cooking time, and has been ground to a medium grind consistency.

    Sometimes I can only find coarse cornmeal (stone ground). This is a whole grain and contains corn germ and bran, a source of fiber. For a finer grind, pulverize the cornmeal in a food processor for a few seconds before cooking it to give it a finer texture, similar to that of a medium-coarse grind.

    You can use coarse cornmeal, but the cooking time will be longer, about 20 minutes or so. The result will be slightly heavier and not as creamy, but it will have a great flavor!

    Ingredients

    Here's what you'll need to make this creamy vegan polenta with mushrooms:


    ingredients for vegan creamy mushroom polenta

    • Oyster mushrooms - brush lightly to clean mushrooms, and remove from base, slice into bite-size pieces.
    • Extra virgin olive oil or rosemary-infused olive oil.
    • Sea salt - I recommend Himalayan sea salt.
    • Organic polenta - medium to medium-coarse grind; a coarser grind works as well. I love to use Bob's Red Mill organic polenta.
    • Dried thyme - this is optional, or try 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
    • Water and vegetable base to make vegetable broth.
    • Plant-based milk, plain and unsweetened - My favorite is cashew milk for this recipe, soy milk works also. You can use water if you prefer.
    • Vegan butter - for added richness; you can use extra virgin olive oil instead. I like to use both in this recipe.
    • Nutritional yeast for umami flavor.
    • Red wine vinegar - to stir into the roasted mushrooms.
    • Fresh thyme - stir it in at the end and save some thyme sprigs for garnish.
    • Vegan Parmesan as a topping (optional)

    Instructions

    Prepare the oyster mushrooms by brushing them lightly to clean them. Remove the base, and slice the mushrooms into bite-size pieces.

    • 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease a baking sheet. Toss the mushrooms with olive oil and salt. Place the mushrooms on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, flip and rotate them so they cook evenly, preferably with a metal spatula.
    • 2. Start the polenta. Mix the organic polenta, dried thyme if using (not fresh), water, vegetable broth, plant-based milk, salt, pepper, plant-based butter, olive oil, and nutritional yeast in a saucepan. Let it come to a boil.
    Place the prepared mushrooms on a baking sheet to roast.
    Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil.
    • 3. Take the mushrooms out of the oven before they get crispy, drizzle red wine vinegar on them and toss them in the pan. It's nice to have a few crispy bits but you don't want the mushrooms to dry out.
    • 4. Stir the polenta mixture with a wooden spoon. Simmer and stir occasionally, making sure the polenta is not sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Cover the pot if the polenta starts sputtering.
    Drizzle red wine vinegar on top of roasted mushrooms.
    Stir polenta occasionally; cover saucepan as needed to prevent splatters.
    • The polenta is ready when it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, in approximately 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the polenta you have. It will have a porridge-like consistency. If using fresh thyme, stir it in immediately before serving. For the polenta I use, it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes.
    Stirring creamy polenta with thyme
    Stirring fresh thyme into cooked polenta
    • Taste for seasoning and adjust salt as desired. Serve the polenta in bowls and top with roasted mushrooms and a sprig of thyme for each bowl. If desired, top with vegan Parmesan!

    How much liquid?

    Depending on how fine or coarse the polenta is ground, the cooking time will vary.

    The amount of water will vary depending on how creamy or firm you want your polenta. For 1 cup of polenta, use 4 cups of liquid for creamy polenta. For a firmer polenta, use 3 cups of liquid for 1 cup of polenta.

    Substitutions

    Oyster mushrooms - you can try roasting other wild mushrooms such as chanterelle or shiitake mushrooms, or baby bellas.

    You can combine them, or choose one type of mushroom. Pan-sautéed or pan-fried lion's mane mushrooms or maitake mushrooms (hen-of-the-woods) would be tasty as well.

    Red wine vinegar: You can try white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.

    Vegetable broth - use water instead. Taste for seasoning before serving; you may need to add another sprinkle or two of salt.

    Variations

    Spicy - add red pepper flakes, from ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon.

    Pesto - top with vegan walnut pesto or this vegan basil pesto for added flavor.

    Expert tips

    CAUTION: Be sure to use a saucepan with high sides since the polenta can easily splatter once it gets hot. Watch out for flying polenta!

    Put the lid on the saucepan if this happens, and reduce the heat slightly. While the polenta is cooking, small lumps can form. Keep stirring and that takes care of it.

    When roasting the mushrooms, have some space between each mushroom. Do not crowd them. Give them some space, otherwise, they will steam, not roast.

    Equipment

    Here's the equipment I can't live without to make this mushroom polenta:

    • Baking sheet for roasting the mushrooms.
    • Metal spatula to stir the mushrooms while roasting.
    • Wooden spoon for stirring the polenta.
    • Saucepan for cooking the polenta (a saucier or risotto pan would work as well). I recommend at least a 3-quart size. My saucier is 2.25-quarts and I wish it was a quart bigger to avoid spills.
    • Microplane grater/zester for grating the vegan Parmesan.

    How to serve it

    Serve with a salad, a side of vegetables, and a glass of wine to round out this fantastic meal. For us, this polenta is a whole meal!

    This polenta would also be delicious served with my vegan marinara sauce, or try it with these Easy Vegan Meatballs made with lentils and walnuts.

    This vegan mushroom polenta is perfect as a main dish or a side dish. It's also the perfect side dish for holiday dinners!


    angle view of creamy polenta with roasted oyster mushrooms

    Storage

    After it has cooled, place any leftover polenta in airtight containers and place it in the fridge within two hours. It will get thicker and harden as it cools. The leftovers will not be as creamy, but they will still be delicious. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    You can freeze polenta for up to 3 months. Let it cool and then cut it into slices. Wrap each polenta slice in aluminum foil and put them inside a freezer-safe ziplock bag before storing them in the freezer.

    If you have room in the freezer, you can freeze the polenta on a tray, leaving space between each slice. Once frozen, store them in a zip loc bag.

    FAQ

    Is polenta vegan?

    Yes, it is entirely plant-based and vegan. Polenta is made from ground corn and water. However, many restaurants add dairy to it, so be sure to ask how it's prepared when you eat out.

    Is polenta gluten-free?

    Cornmeal is naturally gluten-free since it does not contain wheat or gluten. If cross-contamination is a concern, buy certified gluten-free cornmeal to ensure that it's completely free of gluten.

    If you make this recipe, let me know what you think by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. You can follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me! Just tag me @resplendentkitchen and hashtag #resplendentkitchenrecipes.

    Recipe

    side view of vegan creamy polenta with roasted mushrooms

    Vegan Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms

    Emily Miller
    This creamy Vegan Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms is incredible with oyster mushrooms! Try this gluten-free polenta with roasted oyster mushrooms for an easy weeknight dinner or for date night!
    5 from 138 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    0 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 3 people
    Calories 348 kcal

    Equipment

    • baking sheet
    • metal spatula
    • wooden spoon
    • saucepan

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb oyster mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms brush lightly to clean mushrooms, and remove from base, slice into bite-size pieces
    • 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided, or rosemary-infused olive oil
    • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt divided
    • 1 cup organic polenta medium to medium-coarse grind
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme optional, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme if desired
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1 cup organic soy milk or cashew milk, plain and unsweetened
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon plant-based butter
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
    • ½ cup vegan Parmesan grated, optional, not included in calorie count

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 425°F.
    • Grease a baking sheet. Prepare oyster mushrooms. Toss with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Then toss with ½ teaspoon salt. Place the mushrooms on a greased baking sheet Roast for 20 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, flip and rotate them so they cook evenly, preferably with a metal spatula.
      1 lb oyster mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms, 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
    • Approximately 10 minutes after putting the mushrooms in the oven, start the polenta. Mix the organic polenta, dried thyme if using (not fresh), water, vegetable broth, plant-based milk, 1 teaspoon sea salt, pepper, butter, ½ tablespoon olive oil, and nutritional yeast in a saucepan with high sides. Let it come to a gentle boil.
      1 cup organic polenta, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 2 cups water, 1 cup vegetable broth, 1 cup organic soy milk, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon plant-based butter, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • Stir frequently at the beginning with a wooden spoon and make sure polenta is not sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Simmer and stir occasionally. Cover the pot if the polenta starts sputtering. Polenta is ready when it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, in approximately 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the polenta you have. If using fresh thyme, stir it in immediately before serving. For the polenta I use, it usually takes 10-15 minutes.
    • Take the mushrooms out of the oven before they get crispy, drizzle red wine vinegar on them and toss them in the pan.
      ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • Taste for seasoning and adjust salt as desired. Serve polenta in bowls and top with roasted mushrooms and a sprig of thyme for each bowl. If desired, top with vegan Parmesan (not included in calorie count).
      3 sprigs fresh thyme, ½ cup vegan Parmesan

    Notes

    • When roasting the mushrooms, have some space between each mushroom. Do not crowd them. Give them some space.
    • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, once cooled.
    • Freeze for up to 3 months.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3servingsCalories: 348kcalCarbohydrates: 50.8gProtein: 10.8gFat: 12.1gSaturated Fat: 2.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 6.7gSodium: 1216mgPotassium: 555.4mgFiber: 6.4gSugar: 1.9gVitamin A: 246.9IUVitamin C: 1.61mgCalcium: 117.4mgIron: 2.75mg
    Keyword Gluten-free, mushrooms, polenta
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jean

      November 19, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      Good evening! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’ve been buying some things I’ve never tried before so when I saw polenta and oyster mushrooms in the same recipe, I flipped and had to make it the same day! I halved the recipe because my container of mushrooms was small and my husband is a meat eater.

      I REALLY like the mushrooms. The cooking method is excellent; mushrooms are such a great meat substitute and I’m was really amazed at how meat-like these ones were. My almost 6 year old son enjoyed them too so I had him try the polenta and he loved it!

      Reply
      • Emily

        November 21, 2020 at 8:22 am

        Thank you so much, Jean! I am so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Jeanne

      May 09, 2021 at 6:22 pm

      5 stars
      My husband and I absolutely loved this! We had some beautiful oyster mushrooms from a local grower. Roasting them and serving with polenta is genius. Thank you for a keeper recipe.

      Reply
      • Emily

        May 09, 2021 at 10:19 pm

        Thank you, Jeanne, so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! We're always looking for new ways to use our local produce and are happy we could help inspire a delicious meal.

        Reply
    3. Leslie

      June 06, 2021 at 12:18 pm

      I am making this tonight, and I just read the instruction to "make sure no polenta is NOT sticking to the bottom." I’m guessing that you mean "make sure no polenta IS sticking to the bottom?"

      Reply
      • Emily

        June 06, 2021 at 11:24 pm

        Correct, thanks for pointing that out. I hope you enjoyed the polenta!

        Reply
    4. Kayla

      August 26, 2021 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      This vegan polenta was amazing! I loved the flavor that the mushrooms brought to the dish.

      Reply
      • Emily

        August 26, 2021 at 4:05 pm

        Thank you for your review of my vegan polenta, Kayla. I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Tavo

      August 26, 2021 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      What an indulging recipe! we love polenta and with fall knocking on the door, this one is going to yummy to make!

      Reply
      • Emily

        August 26, 2021 at 4:06 pm

        Thank you for the feedback, Tavo! I'm so happy to hear that you'll be trying this recipe out soon and I look forward to hearing how it turns out.

        Reply
    6. Anaiah

      August 26, 2021 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      This vegan polenta and roasted mushrooms was a huge hit at my house! I'm so glad I gave this recipe a go. Oyster mushrooms have a really nice texture and is one of my faves. The polenta was so creamy and so flavorful. It was a wonderful dish!

      Reply
      • Emily

        August 26, 2021 at 4:08 pm

        Anaiah, thank you for your review; I'm so glad to hear that this dish was a hit! We love oyster mushrooms too - they are one of our favorite ingredients.

        Reply
    7. Joshua

      August 26, 2021 at 11:40 pm

      5 stars
      It was my first time making my own polenta and this recipe was even better than I remember when eating it at the restaurant. I went with adding the roasted garlic on top. All the flavors combined were great!

      Reply
      • Emily

        August 27, 2021 at 12:20 am

        Thank you for your review of my polenta recipe, Joshua! I'm so happy to hear that your first polenta was a success and that the flavors were enjoyable. Thank you for sharing this with me - I appreciate your feedback!

        Reply
    8. Daniela

      August 27, 2021 at 4:30 am

      5 stars
      Such a comforting meal! Thank you for sharing

      Reply
      • Emily

        August 27, 2021 at 8:57 am

        Thank you for your review, Daniela. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    9. Choclette

      August 27, 2021 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      Really love the sound of this. Oyster mushrooms are so delicious and I haven't made polenta in a very long time. I'm not sure I've ever had mushrooms and polenta together. Where have I been?

      Reply
      • Emily

        August 27, 2021 at 3:43 pm

        Thanks for the review, Choclette. I'm glad to hear you're excited about this recipe! I do hope you'll try it, it's a favorite.

        Reply
    10. Jill

      March 23, 2022 at 1:43 pm

      5 stars
      This is something new (for me). I'm looking to add more vegetarian and vegan meals to my rotation, so going to try this next week. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Emily

        March 23, 2022 at 1:55 pm

        Thank you, Jill, for the feedback! I'm glad to hear that our recipes are new and different and hope they will be helpful in your meal rotation. I'd love to hear back from you when you give this recipe a try!

        Reply
    11. Gina

      March 23, 2022 at 1:51 pm

      This is my ideal dish - so cozy and comforting and as a mushroom lover, it just doesn't get better than this. Made this with shiitake and crimini and it was divine!

      Reply
      • Emily

        March 23, 2022 at 1:56 pm

        Gina, thank you so much for your review! We are so glad that you enjoyed this dish as much as we do!

        Reply
    12. Casey

      March 23, 2022 at 4:06 pm

      5 stars
      So GOOD! I got the vegan parm from Trader Joes and and it was delish!! Added more mushrooms, too! 🙂

      Reply
      • Emily

        March 23, 2022 at 4:26 pm

        Thank you, Casey, for your feedback, I am so glad to hear that this recipe was a hit with you!

        Reply
      • Andrea

        March 23, 2022 at 6:06 pm

        5 stars
        The mushrooms look fantastic and go so well with the polenta. I think I'll try a combination of mushrooms when I make this.

        Reply
        • Emily

          March 23, 2022 at 7:09 pm

          Hi Andrea! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. A combination of mushrooms sounds so good!

          Reply
    13. Sophia

      March 25, 2022 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was delicious! Used a mix of oyster mushrooms and baby bellas. So good!

      Reply
      • Emily

        March 25, 2022 at 2:02 pm

        Thank you for your review, Sophia! I'm so glad to hear the recipe was a success and that you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    14. Kay

      March 13, 2023 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is so simple and so flavorful. I always get nervous trying new recipes with my husband because he can be picky, but our first oyster mushroom dish did NOT disappoint. 10/10 recommend

      Reply
      • Emily

        March 13, 2023 at 7:59 pm

        Thank you for taking the time to review this recipe, Kay. I'm thrilled your husband was won over by the oyster mushrooms! Your feedback is much appreciated!

        Reply
    15. Molly

      August 12, 2023 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely mind blown by how good this dish is! This was my first time making creamy polenta and it definitely will not be the last period so flavorful, texturally perfect, and nutritious! Thank you for this awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily Miller

        August 13, 2023 at 9:58 pm

        Thank you, Molly, for your kind and enthusiastic review of my creamy polenta recipe! I really appreciate your feedback!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Emily, the photographer, writer, and cook behind Resplendent Kitchen, a 100% plant-based blog - where making vegan dishes that are good for you can also be incredibly tasty.

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