Oven Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms and Thyme
Creamy oven-baked polenta topped with roasted mixed mushrooms and fresh thyme. This comforting dish combines earthy mushrooms with rich, cheesy polenta and is finished with a splash of red wine vinegar for brightness.
Ingredients
- •1½ lb mixed mushrooms
- •4 sprigs thyme
- •6 cloves garlic
- •to taste kosher salt and pepper
- •¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- •2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- •1 cup polenta
- •4 oz Parmesan
- •1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- •to taste flaky sea salt
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Combine mushrooms, thyme sprigs, and garlic on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper; drizzle with oil. Toss to coat mushrooms, then spread out in an even layer. Transfer to upper rack in oven and let mushrooms roast while you prepare polenta.
10 min
- 2.
Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a simmer in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter and a generous pinch of kosher salt and whisk to melt butter. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly. Return mixture to a boil, immediately cover pot, and transfer to lower rack in oven. Bake polenta, shaking baking sheet with mushrooms occasionally, until polenta is tender, 25-30 minutes.
30 min
- 3.
Remove polenta from oven. Crank up oven temperature as high as it will go (but don't broil). Continue to cook mushrooms until crisp around the edges, 5-10 minutes longer.
10 min
- 4.
Meanwhile, carefully uncover polenta and whisk vigorously, scraping bottom of pan, until polenta is smooth and thick. Gradually add 4 oz. Parmesan, whisking constantly until melted and incorporated; taste and season with more kosher salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm over low heat while mushrooms finish roasting.
5 min
- 5.
Remove mushrooms from oven; drizzle with vinegar. Toss to coat; let cool slightly.
5 min
- 6.
Divide polenta among bowls and top with mushrooms, thyme leaves, sea salt, and more Parmesan.
5 min
