Instant Pot Polenta (with Cheddar Cheese and Herbs!)

This Instant Pot Polenta is cooked in the electric pressure cooker for a hands-off, easy way to make a delicious classic! Stir in cheddar cheese and herbs at the end for a flavorful twist. 

Recipe Origins

My mom, an Italian and lover of polenta, has always told me that polenta began as the “poor man’s porridge” in Italy. 

This is accurate, and it’s because polenta is simply made from coarse-ground cornmeal and  a liquid (usually water, in our case, broth) to create a tasty and filling base for any meal. (At that point in time, polenta could also be made with beans or legumes.)

Given its small amount of ingredients and the ease with which these ingredients can be acquired, polenta became known as an essential meal to peasants in Northern Italy. 

A little bit of it fills the belly for a long time. 

As the years have gone on, polenta has become a staple among more than just the working class, and is now a recipe that invites feelings of fanciness and elegance. It is easy to throw together and creates a flavorful base for seafood, vegetables, or chicken. You’re going to love it! 

Why Make this Recipe

1. Cheap: Making Instant Pot Polenta is an incredibly inexpensive way to have a fancy meal. 
2. Simple: Throw the ingredients into the Instant Pot, set the timer, and then, finally, mix in a few ingredients at the end. The work here is minimal for an incredibly delicious dish, especially in comparison to stovetop polenta! This recipe hardly requires any mixing at all. 
3. Elegant: Adding the cheddar and herbs into this polenta dish suddenly raises the bar in regards to elegance and flavor. This is a great base for almost any protein that you want to add on top. 

What Ingredients are in This Recipe?

1. Polenta: Make sure to stay away from anything labeled “instant” or “quick cooking”, as your polenta will lack both texture and flavor. You can substitute coarse-ground cornmeal if that is easier for you (and then use the extras to make Ribel from Liechtenstein)! 
2. Chicken Stock: I use the low-sodium brand. You can also use vegetable broth or even water if necessary. 
3. Dairy: Unsalted butter, salt 
4. Cheddar Cheese: I always use a block of cheddar and grate it myself on a cheese grater as I believe it comes out fresher and melts easier this way. 
5. Fresh Herbs: Chives, thyme 

Cornmeal vs Polenta

Cornmeal and polenta are pretty similar. Many will tell you that coarse-ground cornmeal cannot be used as a substitution for polenta. 

However, I am here to tell you that, though it might be slightly different in regards to texture, if cornmeal is all you can find, you can use that in place of polenta with no problems whatsoever. 

Polenta (in Italy) is made from a variety of corn called “flint corn”. Typically in America, though, the main difference between polenta and cornmeal is that “polenta” is the same ingredient, simply ground to the right texture to make a delicious polenta.

How to Make this Recipe

Step 1: Cook the Polenta

Put the polenta, chicken stock and salt in the pressure cooker. 

Pressure cook on HIGH for 15 minutes. When the time is up, allow for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release after. 

Step 2: Complete the Polenta

Add the butter, cheese, chives, and thyme. Stir to incorporate. Enjoy! 

Expert Tips

• If you are looking for the cheapest route possible to make this dish, you can even substitute water for the broth, though I’d recommend using broth if you have the ability. 
• You can substitute parmesan cheese in place of the cheddar if that sounds more delicious to you! 

Recipe FAQs

How to Reheat this Recipe

Reheating this recipe is simple.

As polenta cools, it becomes a lot harder and often takes the shape of the container that it’s in. If you want your polenta to become creamy again when reheating it, add a splash of broth into the bowl before placing it in the microwave. 

This will add some liquid back into the recipe and bring the polenta back to its previous consistency.

Can I Make this Recipe Vegetarian or Vegan? 

Absolutely! If you are vegetarian and want to make your Polenta fit into your vegetarian lifestyle, simply substitute vegetable broth in for the chicken broth. Follow the same cooking instructions and enjoy as normal! 

To make the recipe vegan, you will have to substitute a few more things. Start by swapping the chicken broth out for vegetable broth. You can also use vegan cheese or no cheese in place of the cheddar. 

As for the butter, use a vegan butter. Follow the same cooking instructions, and serve as normal! 

What Can I Do with Leftover Polenta? 

Leftover polenta is delicious when fried with marinara sauce! 

You can also reheat it per the instructions above, and enjoy for dinner a second night. 

I made Half Baked Harvest’s Polenta with Chimichurri Butter Shrimp with my leftovers and it was to die for. 

Did you like this recipe for Cheddar and Herb Instant Pot Polenta? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes that I picked out just for you: 

• Instant Pot Creamed Corn 
• 3 Ingredient Easy Pasta Sauce
• Homemade Margherita Pizza
• Easy Pizza Sauce
• 5 Italian Christmas Cookie Recipes