Vegan polenta served with white beans, a mélange of vegetables + herby oil

Polenta hits the spot any time of year because it is so flexible — and it’s tasty with whatever vegetables are in your fridge. Use 1 part polenta to 3 parts liquid. If you have the time, broil some crispy cubed tofu to top each bowl.

Ingredients

• homemade vegetable broth, store-bought broth, or water
• medium- or coarse-ground polenta
• salt
• red pepper flakes
• dried or fresh rosemary, chopped
• dried or fresh basil, slivered
• parsley, chopped
• nutritional yeast
• vegan butter (optional)
• olive oil
• onion, chopped
• mushrooms, thickly sliced or quartered
• sun-dried tomatoes or fresh tomatoes, chopped
• greens (Swiss chard, spinach, kale, and/or beet greens), slivered
• fresh lemon juice
• garlic, minced
• cooked white beans
• freshly ground pepper
• almond slices or slivers

Method

1. In a saucepan, add the broth. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta continuously for about 30 seconds to avoid lumps. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is completely cooked, at least 30 minutes. When done, stir in some red pepper flakes, rosemary, some of the basil, half of the parsley, nutritional yeast, and vegan butter or olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium heat, warm some olive oil. Add onion and mushrooms and cook until browned. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook about 5 minutes. Add greens, half of the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and continue to cook until greens are cooked the way you like. Stir in garlic, white beans, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for a minute, remove from the heat, and cover to keep warm.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining parsley and basil, some red pepper flakes, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper until smooth.
4. Serve the polenta topped with the vegetable-bean mixture, some almonds, and a drizzle of the herby oil.

Instant Pot: Vegan polenta with roasted summer vegetables + fresh tomatoes

Polenta is a breeze to make in an Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker). And this recipe is a tasty way to showcase summer’s veggies. For the proportion of polenta to liquid, follow the package directions or use use 1 part polenta to about 3 parts liquid.

Ingredients

• long Asian eggplants, halved or cut into large pieces depending on size
• whole okra
• sweet peppers, halved or quartered depending on size
• summer squash, halved or quartered depending on size
• olive oil
• onion, chopped
• mushrooms, quartered or thickly sliced
• homemade vegetable broth, store-bought broth, or water
• bay leaf
• dried oregano
• fresh or dried rosemary
• garlic, sliced or minced
• polenta or coarse corn grits
• tomatoes, cut into chunks, or cherry tomatoes, halved
• nutritional yeast
• turmeric
• black pepper
• pitted Kalamata olives or olives of choice
• parsley, chopped
• sriracha or other hot sauce

Method

1. Preheat a toaster oven or oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant, okra, peppers, and squash with olive oil. Roast until soft and charred a bit on all sides. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
3. In the Instant Pot using the Sauté function, warm some olive oil. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until browned bits form in the pot bottom. Stir in the liquid, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, and some of the garlic. Sprinkle the polenta over the liquid. Do not stir. Choose Pressure Cooker, lock the lid, and set for 5 minutes high pressure. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure. Press Cancel and uncover.
4. Set the Sauté function on the lowest heat setting. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the tomatoes, nutritional yeast, turmeric, some black pepper, olives, parsley, sriracha, and the remaining garlic. Cook until heated through.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.

Instant Pot: Vegan polenta with sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms + greens (gluten-free, dairy-free)

If you haven’t yet cooked in an Instant Pot pressure cooker, beware: It is addicting. You can prepare almost anything in it — even polenta!

For the amount of liquid to add: Follow the package instructions for the amount of polenta you want to use (usually 1 part polenta to 3 parts liquid). For the fresh vegetable to add: In fall and winter, there’s kale (or other leafy green) as in this version; in spring, consider asparagus or snow peas.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• onion, minced
• mushrooms, thinly sliced
• homemade vegetable broth or water
• sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• bay leaf
• dried oregano and dried rosemary (or herbes de Provence)
• garlic, minced
• polenta or coarse corn grits (gluten-free, if needed)
• tomato paste
• nutritional yeast
• turmeric
• freshly ground pepper
• kale leaves, cut into ribbons
• pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
• parsley, chopped

Method

1. Use the Sauté function to warm the oil in the Instant Pot. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown bits form in the bottom of the cooker. Add your liquid of choice, sun-dried tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, and some of the garlic and stir. Sprinkle the polenta over the liquid. Do not stir.
2. Choose the Pressure Cooker function, lock the lid in place, close the vent, and set for 5 minutes at high pressure. When done, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure. Press Cancel.
3. Uncover the cooker. Set the Sauté function on low. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the tomato paste, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and pepper. Add the kale and a bit more liquid, if needed, and cook a minute or two until the kale is softened. Stir in the remaining garlic, the olives, and parsley, and serve.

Vegan bean + vegetable casserole with crispy cornbread topping

This satisfying combo of beans, veggies, and cornbread is a total winner with great taste and texture. The recipe calls for cooked or canned beans and cooked winter squash, so if you have those leftovers in your fridge, feel free to use them — or cook up the beans and roast or microwave the winter squash first. Inspired by a post on veggieinspired.com.

Ingredients: Casserole

• olive oil
• onion, diced
• mushrooms, chopped
• veggies of choice (such as sweet pepper, potato, golden beet, zucchini, fennel bulb, etc.), diced
• cooked dried beans or canned beans of choice (two or more varieties, if you like)
• super-firm tofu, cubed
• tomato sauce or pasta sauce and/or chopped fresh tomatoes
• winter squash (such as butternut, honeynut, delicata, etc.), microwaved or roasted and flesh scooped out
• tamari, soy sauce, or Bragg aminos
• sriracha
• balsamic vinegar or vinegar of choice
• prepared mustard of choice
• liquid smoke or smoked paprika
• turmeric
• freshly ground pepper
• greens (such as kale, chard, collards, or beet greens), slivered
• dried or fresh oregano
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• garlic, minced
• green onion, thinly sliced

Ingredients: Cornbread topping

• 1¼ cups cornmeal or polenta
• ¾ cup white whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups unsweetened plant milk of choice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Method

1. For the casserole: In a large dutch oven, ovenproof frying pan, or regular frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, without stirring, until starting to brown. Add the mushrooms and veggies of choice and cook until softened. Add the cooked beans, tofu, tomato sauce, winter squash, tamari, sriracha, vinegar, mustard, liquid smoke, turmeric, and pepper. Stir well and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding water if the mixture starts to stick, 15 minutes. Add the kale, oregano, cilantro, garlic, and green onion and stir to combine.
2. Preheat the oven to 400º. If not using a dutch oven or ovenproof pan, pour the bean mixture into a casserole dish.
3. For the cornbread topping: In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the milk and olive oil. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Gently pour the cornbread topping over the top of the bean mixture and lightly smooth into an even layer so the cornbread stays on top of the bean mixture as much as possible.
4. Bake, covered with a lid or aluminum foil, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cornbread topping comes out clean, about 25 minutes. If desired, broil uncovered to crisp up the topping. Let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan homemade vegetable broth (gluten-free, salt-free)

Make vegetable broth from vegetable scraps in your Instant Pot, pressure cooker, soup pot, or large saucepan to make soups, stews, polenta, rice, beans, lentils, sauces, dressings, etc. For a neutral-flavored broth, avoid broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage because of their strong flavors. Instead, use milder scraps like fennel fronds, leek greens, parsley and cilantro stems, carrot tops, celery leaves, onion skins, garlic skins, old mushrooms (if there is such a thing!), kale and chard stems, etc. There is no salt or salty option in this recipe; instead, add salt to whatever you make with the broth! 

Ingredients

• vegetable scraps, chopped (see headnote above)
• 4 to 10 cups water (depending on the size of your pot, how many scraps you have, how much broth you want to make, and how rich you want the flavor)

Method

In an Instant Pot, pressure cooker, soup pot, or large saucepan, add the vegetable scraps and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned bits appear in the bottom of the pot. Add up to 2 cups water. With a flat wooden spoon or inflexible spatula, scrape up the brown bits to infuse the broth. Pressure cook for about 10 minutes and let the pressure release naturally or simmer, covered, at least 45 minutes. Strain using your finest sieve, pour the broth into an airtight container or jar, and compost the cooked vegetable scraps. Use immediately or allow the broth to cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Balsamic-glazed roasted brussels sprouts with mushroom-thyme polenta (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian)

Winter brussels sprouts are a treat because chilly weather brings out their sweetness, which is enhanced by the balsamic glaze. As a shortcut, this dish uses packaged cooked polenta that comes in a log, but you can make polenta from scratch instead.

Ingredients

• extra-virgin olive oil
• red onion, half diced and half thinly sliced
• mushrooms, thinly sliced
• jalapeño chile, thinly sliced (optional)
• olive tapenade or chopped olives
• store-bought cooked polenta in a log, cut into 1-inch cubes
• fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• balsamic vinegar
• fresh or dried thyme leaves

Method

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the diced onion, mushrooms, and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly browned. Stir in a heaping tablespoonful of the tapenade, the polenta cubes, and enough water to almost cover. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often and mashing the polenta cubes against the side of the pan, until the polenta becomes a porridge.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Toss the sprouts and sliced onions with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the brussels sprouts and sliced onions until browned in spots, about 20 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, warm the balsamic vinegar until it thickens slightly. Pour in the brussels sprouts and sliced onions, sprinkle with the thyme, and toss to coat.
4. Scoop the polenta into bowls, top with the brussels sprout mixture, and serve.

Olive, garlic + rosemary grits topped with greens in spicy tomato sauce (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian)

Here is a hearty, simple weekday meal, or turn it into a weekend brunch by topping with an egg or two. You can make the sauce a day ahead and cook the greens in the sauce just before serving. Any leftover tomatoey greens taste great over grains or pasta. Inspired by the grits at Kafe Leopold in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Ingredients

• One-Step Tomato Sauce
• red pepper flakes
• garlic cloves, minced, or granulated garlic
• water and/or unsweetened milk of choice (such as coconut, soy, almond, or rice milk)
• white or yellow corn grits, such as Bob’s Red Mill brand, or coarse polenta
• olive tapenade or pitted Kalamata olives or green olives, chopped
• fresh rosemary leaves
• fresh parsley, chopped
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• greens (kale, spinach, Swiss chard, or beet tops), stems discarded and leaves cut into ribbons
• fresh basil, shredded

Method

1. Make the tomato sauce. Stir in the red pepper flakes and half of the garlic, turn the heat to low, and keep warm, stirring occasionally.
2. In a saucepan, bring water and/or milk (3 parts liquid to 1 part grits) to a simmer. Stir in the grits and bring back to a simmer. Stir in the olive tapenade, the rosemary, and the remaining garlic and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the grits are completely soft. Stir in half of the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and keep warm, stirring occasionally.
3. Raise the heat on the tomato sauce, add the greens, and cook to your preferred doneness. Stir in the basil and remaining parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, ladle the grits into individual bowls and top with the tomatoey greens.

Panfried polenta topped with fresh tomato sauce, herbs + pine nuts (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian)

Using store-bought precooked polenta in a log, all you need to do is slice and panfry (or broil oil-tossed slices) until crispy. The fresh tomato sauce comes together in no time and is poured over when ready to serve. This dish is tasty as is, but it is also versatile, taking on a different flavor profile depending on which additional optional topping you choose. (Inspired by a recipe by Naturally Ella)

Ingredients

• packaged precooked polenta log
• avocado oil, coconut oil, or other high-temperature oil
• fresh basil leaves
• fresh parsley
• mixed fresh regular, grape, and cherry tomatoes
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• toasted or raw pine nuts
• toppings (optional): hummus, lemon juice, avocado, olive tapenade, salsa verde, harissa, Sriracha, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, yogurt, cheese

Method

1. Line a plate with paper towels.
2. Thinly slice the polenta, about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick.
3. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the avocado oil. Carefully add the polenta slices (watch out for the oil spattering). Panfry, undisturbed—very important or the polenta slices will turn to mush—until the oil no longer bubbles around the slices (indicating that the liquid in the slices has evaporated) and lifting a crispy slice with a spatula is easy, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side until both sides are crispy. Place the slices on the paper towels to drain.
4. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the herbs. Cut the regular tomatoes into eighths and halve the grape and cherry tomatoes.
5. In the same frying pan over medium heat, add the tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. When the tomatoes release their juices, stir in some red pepper flakes, the chopped herbs, and a few grindings of black pepper.
6. Arrange the polenta slices on a serving platter in a single layer. Pour the tomato-herb sauce evenly over the polenta, top with pine nuts, and serve, allowing each person to choose from the optional additional toppings.