Polenta with Mushroom Ragù

This Creamy Polenta and Mushroom Ragù recipe is one for the regular / easy / healthy dinner rotation! You might not think vegan polenta can be creamy and cheesy, but this recipe is here to prove you wrong! Topped with a savory, but healthy mushroom-kale tomato sauce, this creamy polenta recipe will keep you warm all winter long! First, creamy polenta in terms of texture is largely defined by your cooking process. But, if you’re thinking about creamy in terms of taste, then there is a vegan-friendly ingredient to help you get there: coconut milk. 

Ingredients

  

For the Polenta

1 13.5 oz can full fat, unsweetened canned coconut milk Note that a 13.5 oz can is roughly equivalent to 1 3/4 liquid

1 1/4 cup water with 2+ cups of water on reserve (see my blog post on how to best cook polenta)

1 tsp salt

1 cup polenta or medium ground flint corn cornmeal

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

For the Mushroom Ragù

1/2 medium yellow onion sliced thin

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

12-15 cremini mushrooms washed and sliced

3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp fennel seeds crushed with the knife handle to release the oils

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup red wine optional

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

salt & pepper to taste

1 bunch Lacinato kale washed, destemmed, torn and massaged

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

 

In a small pot, bring the coconut milk and water to a boil. Slowly add the polenta while stirring constantly. Add the salt. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. If the polenta becomes too thick to stir, add additional water. You will likely need to add 2 additional cups of water. The polenta is done when it is smooth and creamy (not gritty or sand-like). When the right consistency is reached, add the nutritional yeast and additional salt & pepper, if desired. I highly recommend reading my blog post on how to cook polenta. Heat a cast iron skillet and add the olive oil. Heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onions and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stirring occasionally, allow the onions to gently brown. About 15-20 minutes. Add the garlic and allow to cook until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. About 1-2 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, basil, oregano, thyme and tomato paste. Stir until well combined and allow to cook until the tomato paste becomes a dark red. About 2 minutes. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan. Add the mushrooms. Stir until well coated. Add the diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. The sauce should thicken as the liquid from the canned tomatoes cooks off. Season with salt and pepper to taste throughout the simmering process. While the ragù is simmering, prepare the kale. I highly recommend massaging the kale before adding it to the ragù, It will make it more tender and less bitter. To massage the kale, crunch the torn leaves with your hands. The kale will become darker and less rigid. With five minutes remaining in the cooking process, add the fresh lemon juice and the massaged kale. Serve in small bowls with a bottom layer of polenta. Spoon the mushroom and kale ragù over the polenta. Serve garnished with fresh parsley, vegan parmesan and crushed red pepper.