Best Slow Cooker Polenta Recipes

SLOW-COOKER POLENTA

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. slow cooker, combine 12 cups broth, cornmeal, onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt. Cook, covered, on low , 6-8 hours, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is creamy. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cream, cheese, butter, pepper and remaining broth. If desired, serve with additional cheese.

SLOW-COOKER BEEF AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Toss the beef with the Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Scatter the mushrooms and garlic in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker; top with the beef. Add the pepperoncini, brine, tomatoes and beef broth. Cover and cook on low until the beef is tender, 8 hours.
• Uncover the slow cooker and let stand 5 minutes. Spoon off any fat from the top and discard. Shred the beef with 2 forks.
• Meanwhile, cook the polenta as the label directs. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and butter until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with the beef mixture.

CREAMY SLOW-COOKER POLENTA WITH SAUSAGES

Steps:

• Whisk together the polenta, roasted red peppers, marinara, garlic, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Whisk in 5 1/2 cups of water. Cook on low for 6 hours. (The polenta will keep very well on warm.)
• About 10 or 15 minutes before you want to eat, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly coat an oven-safe skillet with olive oil, and roast the sausages in the skillet in the oven until sizzling and browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet and put it over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Add a little more oil if the pan is relatively dry. Add the capers and pepperoncini to the hot skillet with the sausages, and let the capers pop, 1 or 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Stir the Parmesan into the polenta. The polenta will continue to firm up as it cools; stir in a few tablespoons of water if you would like it to be looser. Serve the polenta in shallow bowls topped with sausages, capers and pepperoncini. Pass more Parmesan at the table.

SLOW COOKER CHEDDAR POLENTA

Steps:

• Mix water, polenta, olive oil, salt and pepper in slow cooker; whisk until well blended. Add cheddar cheese and whisk again.
• Cover and cook on high setting for about 2 hours, or until liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir together well (polenta should have consistency of thick cooked cereal).
• If not serving right away, pour onto buttered baking sheet with sides, spreading into an even layer; cover with plastic wrap and let cool. When ready to serve, cut into rectangles and sauté in nonstick skillet with olive oil until golden on both sides.

SLOW-COOKER SHORT RIBS WITH CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Combine carrot, onions and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Rinse ribs and pat dry; season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large, wide pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Add ribs, in batches, and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer, as cooked, to slow cooker.
• Stir together tomatoes, broth, wine, parsley, cornstarch and tomato paste in a bowl; pour over ribs. Add bay leaf.
• Cover and cook, 9 to 11 hours on LOW or 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours on HIGH.
• After cooking, skim off any fat from top (discard bay leaf).
• Combine 3-3/4 cups water, the polenta and salt in a large saucepan over moderately high heat.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Add cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Serve ribs over polenta and garnish with parsley, if desired.

SLOW COOKER RICOTTA-SPINACH POLENTA WITH TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the polenta with 6 1/2 cups water in a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the butter and 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook on LOW until the polenta is thick and tender, about 6 hours.
• With the slow cooker on LOW, stir the polenta well and then stir the spinach into the polenta in 2 batches, covering the cooker and letting the first batch wilt before adding the second, about 5 minutes per batch.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the tomatoes, oil, and vinegar. Season the tomato salad with salt and pepper.
• Optional: Pour a thin layer of oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat and crack 4 eggs into the pan. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and cook until the whites are golden brown, lacy on the edges, and just set in the middle, and the yolks are still a little jiggly, about 3 minutes.
• Fold the Parmesan and ricotta into the polenta. Taste and season the polenta with salt if necessary. Stir in warm water by the tablespoon if the polenta is looking too thick for your taste-keep in mind it will continue to thicken as it cools. Top bowls of the polenta with the tomato salad and, if you like, the fried eggs.

SLOW-COOKER BEEF RAGOUT ON POLENTA

Steps:

• Spray 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, layer all ingredients in order listed, except polenta.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
• About 10 minutes before serving, heat polenta as directed on package. Arrange 2 warm polenta slices on each individual serving plate. Top each with about 1 cup beef mixture.

SHORT RIBS OVER CHEESY POLENTA (SLOW COOKER)

Steps:

• Trim fat from meat. In a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker combine onions, carrots, and fennel. Top with meat.
• In a small bowl combine undrained tomatoes, wine, tapioca, tomato paste, dried rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic. Pour over meat and vegetables.
• Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4-1/2 to 5 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare Cheesy Polenta. In a large saucepan bring the 2-1/2 cups water to boiling.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl stir together cornmeal, the 1 cup cold water, and the salt. Slowly add cornmeal mixture to boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture returns to boiling.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until very thick, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a very slow boil.
• Stir in gorgonzola cheese, blue cheese, or Parmesan cheese.
• Spoon polenta into shallow bowls. Spoon meat and vegetable mixture over polenta.

CREAMY POLENTA (SLOW COOKER)

Steps:

• Spray insert of slow cooker with cooking spray and preheat on high.
• In a medium saucepan, add milk, one cup half and half, 1 Tbsp butter, and polenta. Season and bring to a boil over medium high heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and cook for two hours, stirring once or twice per hour.
• When ready to serve, whisk in the remaining half and half, butter, and Parmesan cheese.

BASIC POLENTA (SLOW COOKER)

Steps:

• Stir together the cornmeal, salt, and water in a slow cooker. Cove and cook on high for 2 hours. Stir the polenta. If it seems too thick, add in a little water, milk, broth, or cream. Cook for 30 to 60 minutes more, until thick and creamy.

SLOW-COOKER ITALIAN SOFT POLENTA

Steps:

• Line 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with slow cooker liner; spray liner with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix broth, cheese blend, cornmeal, dried basil, salt, artichokes, milk and garlic until well blended. Pour mixture into slow cooker.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 5 hours, stirring once halfway through cooking. Turn off slow cooker. Stir in roasted peppers; let stand covered 30 minutes. Stir before serving. Sprinkle individual servings with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

SLOW-COOKER BALSAMIC CRANBERRY PULLED PORK WITH CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
• In slow cooker, mix cranberry sauce, onion, rosemary, thyme, balsamic vinegar and garlic powder. Sprinkle salt all over pork shoulder; place pork on top of mixture in slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on High heat setting 4 to 5 hours or until pork is tender and cooked through. Shred pork with 2 forks.
• Meanwhile, make the polenta: In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth and salt to boiling. Stir in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
• Serve shredded pork and its juices over polenta in shallow bowls.

SLOW COOKER POLENTA

Steps:

• Polenta in a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker Makes 12 to 16 servings 3 cups polenta, as fresh as possible (see Note below) 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 6 tablespoons butter, preferably organic 8 ounces grated cheese, Vella Dry Jack, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino-Romano or a mixture of these -- Black pepper, freshly ground -- Toppings of choice (see sidebar, this page) Pour 12 cups of water into a Crock Pot or slow cooker and set the control to high. Pour in the polenta, whisking to encourage the grains to separate. Add the salt and cover with the lid. Give the polenta a quick stir every 15 minutes or so until it begins to thicken, which will take about an hour and a half, possibly two. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 to 5 hours, stirring now and then if you think of it. When the polenta is tender and creamy, reset the heat to warm and hold for up to 10 hours. If at any point the polenta seems too thick, thin it with a little water. To serve, reset the heat to low, stir in the butter and cheese, correct for salt and season with several turns of black pepper.