This easy recipe for polenta with corn and thyme pairs sweet corn with creamy polenta and fresh thyme for a side dish brimming with flavor!
Polenta! I think of it as the neglected side dish.
Sure, potatoes and rice are all wonderful in their ways, but they get all the love and attention, side dish-wise, and that poor old box of cornmeal sits neglected on the shelf day after day…so here I am to speak up for polenta in all its easy, creamy, dreamy wonderfulness.
Especially on Thanksgiving, where it is a perfect side dish for turkey or ham or whatever else is coming to your Thanksgiving table!
Basic polenta is a snap to make, and a couple of handfuls of corn, along with a some butter and Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs takes it over the top.
(Herbs are just so dang pretty, aren’t they?)
Here’s how you make polenta with corn and thyme!
Grab that lonely box of cornmeal (you can use any kind, just make sure it’s the fine-ground kind. Otherwise you will be making grits, which are also wonderful, but we’re after polenta here!).
Boil up some water mixed with milk, and whisk, whisk, whisk in the cornmeal. You’ll want to stir it for about five minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
Now comes the part that takes it from good to great: toss in about one cup of corn kernels (fresh if you can find it), some butter and a handful of grated Parmesan cheese.
A little salt and pepper to taste, and finally, about a tablespoon of fresh thyme.
Now THAT’S a side dish…move on over, mashed potatoes. The polenta is in town!
My gang over here at Framed Cooks will be taking Thursday off from the blog (but rest assured we will be running around like crazy in our new Carolina kitchen!).
I wish you and yours a safe, delicious, peaceful Thanksgiving – great big hugs from me to you!
Love, Kate xo
Print
Creamy Polenta with Corn and Thyme
Prep Time: 5 minutes- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American- Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This easy recipe for polenta with corn and thyme pairs sweet corn with creamy polenta and the fresh taste of thyme for a side dish brimming with flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup fine cornmeal
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Bring the milk and water to a boil in medium pot. Pour the cornmeal into the pot, whisking briskly as you go. Whisk it all up until it is smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the corn, butter and cheese and stir for one more minute. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Stir in the thyme and serve it up!
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying!
Updated (and made even more delicious!) from a previously published Framed Cooks post!
Hi there! I’m Kate, and I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. I started Framed Cooks in 2009, and my mission is to create and share family-friendly recipes that make cooking both easy and fun…yes, I said FUN! My kitchen is my happy place, and I want yours to be that place too. And if you make this recipe, I would love you to tag @FramedCooks on Instagram so I can see the deliciousness!
Hi Kate, are you going to make a recipe book? I just love your blog and a peek into your life!
Penny
Hi Penny, and thank you so much for your kind words! I kind of think of this website as my recipe book, so no plans as of yet – but I hope you keep visiting my recipes here! :)
Have all the things on my to-do list for today for the Big Meal tomorrow checked off so relaxing with a glass of wine and a peak at Framed Cooks. Sorry to say I won’t be making this polenta as part of our turkey day meal but I’m filing it away for a future meal. Happy Thanksgiving to you and the Southern husband, daughter and son-in-law!
I’ll be making this polenta soon. Today I’m making a turkey breast with all the trimmings for my niece & her family. Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving in your new home.
★★★★★
HI Martha – I hope you and your family had a delicious Thanksgiving! xo!