Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives

Name: Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 6 (serving size: about 1/2 cup polenta and 1 cup mushroom mixture)
Ingredients: MUSHROOM MEDLEY; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 12 ounces sliced wild mushrooms (about 7 cups); 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 large red onion, vertically sliced (about 2 cups); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; ½ cup dry white wine; 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 1 cup organic vegetable broth; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 12 mixed olives, pitted and coarsely chopped; 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained; POLENTA; 3 cups water; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup stone-ground polenta or grits; 2 ounces grated vegetarian Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), divided; 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

6 Ratings
6 Reviews

Look for stone-ground polenta or grits for this dish. Admittedly, they take a bit longer to cook, but the results are worth it, adding a creamier texture and hearty, nutty flavor to the dish.

By Jeanne Kelley

Recipe by Cooking Light March 2015

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Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Recipe Summary test

hands-on:

30 mins

total:

45 mins

Yield:

Serves 6 (serving size: about 1/2 cup polenta and 1 cup mushroom mixture)

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1
To prepare medley, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms, garlic, onion, and thyme; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add wine and vinegar; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth, pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, olives, and chickpeas; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 6 minutes or until slightly thickened.

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Step 2
To prepare polenta, bring 3 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to low; cook 30 minutes or until thick and creamy, stirring frequently. Stir in 1 ounce cheese.
Step 3
Divide polenta evenly among 6 shallow bowls. Top evenly with mushroom mixture. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 ounce cheese and parsley.

Chef's Notes

MyRecipes is working with Let's Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA's MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

251 calories; fat 6.6g; saturated fat 2g; mono fat 2.5g; poly fat 0.4g; protein 10g; carbohydrates 35g; fiber 4g; cholesterol 8mg; iron 2mg; sodium 510mg; calcium 159mg.

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Jot

08/23/2015

Subbed goat cheese for parm which was a good idea. There was too much liquid so I'd recommend using 1/2 cup broth

sukeedog

06/27/2015

This is okay but I'm not sure the end result was worth the effort for us. It's a little bland if you prefer strong, bold, spicy flavors.

steponme

04/10/2015

This was quick to prep and prepare. I have to say I enjoyed this more the next day for lunch topped with low fat feta cheese rather than the parmesan suggested. Also, instead of 3 cups of water, I used 1 cup of non fat milk and 2 cups of water in my polenta.

detailaddict

03/31/2015

I deducted one star for the polenta cooked in water (really?); instead I made "real" polenta with fresh-milled popcorn, slow-cooked over the stove in milk. I didn't have parm so I stirred some goat cheese into the polenta and used Gruyere to grate over the dish. I also didn't have white wine so I subbed 1T of the balsamic with white wine vinegar. I also reduced the onions by half (I agree that 1 cup would have been too much). Despite these changes I think the dish was close to recipe; and it made a tasty, homey and filling vegetarian supper, served with steamed sugar snap peas. With the exception of the polenta and onions I would make this to-recipe next time.

TexasEx2001

02/27/2015

The taste of the vegetables was remarkably delicious. I added more olives because I love them and next time I would decrease the onions. There were tons. The polenta was a little plain too but mixed in with the vegetables it was ok. Next time I would add more water and seasoning to it. Great vegetarian dish.

Danielle71

02/19/2015

Very delicious! I used cornstarch to thicken te sauce.

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Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives

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Recipe Summary test

Ingredients

Directions

Chef's Notes

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (6)

All Reviews for Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives

Account

Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives

Gallery

Recipe Summary test

Ingredients

Directions

Chef's Notes

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (6)

All Reviews for Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, Chickpeas, and Olives