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Brown butter parmesan polenta

G
Grace & the kitchen team
Updated June 12, 2026 · 4 min read
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Polenta is one of the kindest things you can put in a bowl: warm, soft, and happy to carry as much butter102 kcal and cheese110 kcal as you give it. Browning the butter first is the small move that makes this one feel special.

Browning butter takes three extra minutes and changes everything. The milk122 kcal solids toast and turn the whole pot nutty and deep, so the polenta tastes rich in a way that has nothing to do with portion size. That matters on days when a big plate feels like too much to face.

The polenta does the gentle work; the brown butter does the convincing.

Why it works

Cornmeal cooked low and slow in milk drinks up fat without turning heavy. Between the milk, the butter, and a generous hand with the parmesan110 kcal, each soft spoonful quietly carries more energy than it looks like it should — no chewing marathon required.

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Brown butter parmesan polenta

Prep
5 min
Cook
25 min
Serves
3
Per serving
+540

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coarse polenta (not instant)
  • 2 cups whole milk149 kcal
  • 2 cups water or chicken209 kcal stock
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • A few thyme leaves, to finish (optional)

Method

  1. Bring the milk and water to a bare simmer with the salt, then whisk in the polenta in a steady stream.
  2. Drop the heat low and cook 20-25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until thick and tender.
  3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and let it foam, then turn golden and smell toasty, 3-4 minutes. Take it off the heat.
  4. Stir most of the parmesan into the polenta, then pour the brown butter over the top and finish with the rest of the cheese and the thyme.

A spoonful of mascarpone stirred in at the end adds another ~120 kcal per serving and makes it even silkier.

Make it your own

  • Leftovers set firm in the fridge — reheat with a splash of milk and they turn creamy again.
  • Swap parmesan for fontina or gouda when you want it milder and stretchier.
  • It loves a soft fried egg72 kcal on top if you're making it a meal.
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