Sheet Pan Polenta Recipe

If you've never cooked (or eaten) polenta before, then get ready to go on a baking adventure –– because registered dietician and recipe developer Kristen Carli created a sheet pan polenta recipe that's easy to make and can satisfy six hungry appetites.

Polenta is a versatile food that can be incorporated in countless dishes. It can simply be described as boiled cornmeal (which is much more delicious than it sounds), but definitions aside, this recipe can go from kitchen to table fast.

This pan sheet polenta meal consists of five ingredients, yet can be paired with an endless number of dishes. "I love polenta with blistered cherry tomatoes and roasted mushrooms on top," Carli said. "This is also amazing topped with pesto and chicken."

Feel free to consider Carli's recommendations to add even more flavor to this recipe, or get creative with your own polenta pairings. Follow these steps to craft polenta in the comfort of your kitchen.

Before you can begin cooking, you'll need to gather the ingredients for this sheet pan polenta recipe: cornmeal, water, salt, olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese. 

You'll also need a large stockpot and a whisk for cooking, a baking dish for cooling the polenta mixture, and a baking sheet for baking the polenta. Nonstick cooking spray or another oil or grease is also necessary for the baking dish and sheet. In case you're wondering, the polenta will be solid by the time it makes its way to the baking sheet, so it'll naturally hold its form, and a baking sheet with higher sides isn't necessary.

Once all the ingredients are ready, cooking can begin.

In a large stockpot, over medium heat, you'll add cornmeal, salt, and water. You'll then bring the mixture to a boil and whisk it so all the ingredients combine.

After it's boiling and whisked, you'll decrease the heat to medium-low. You'll continue to cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes. Although there are different methods for making polenta, the concept behind constantly stirring the mixture is widespread. It ensures that the polenta doesn't end up lumpy and the ingredients cook evenly. Nevertheless, following these steps can ensure your polenta comes out "chef's kiss" perfect.

After 10 minutes of cooking at medium-low heat have passed and the polenta has morphed into the desired texture (neither too thick nor too thin), you'll spray a 9x12-inch baking dish with the nonstick cooking spray. You'll then scoop the polenta into the baking dish and smooth it down evenly.

Although the polenta is now in a baking dish, it's not quite yet time to bake it. Instead of popping the dish into the oven, you'll allow the polenta to cool in the baking dish for 20 minutes.

You can take this time to decide if you're going to put anything extra on your finished recipe. You can also rest assured that the hardest part of the recipe has passed!

When the 20 minutes of cooling have almost passed, you'll spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. The sheet should be slightly larger than the baking dish.

Next, invert the baking dish onto the baking sheet, allowing the polenta to fall out. Then, brush the polenta with olive oil and sprinkle parmesan cheese over it. You can now place the baking sheet in the oven and broil on low for 7 minutes –– until the polenta is a golden color.

Once finished, let the polenta cool down. Finally, slice it up, serve, and enjoy! Although this recipe makes six servings, you can cut the polenta into however many pieces you desire.