Sous vide is a great way to prepare polenta. It’s hands off and results in such a creamy side dish! With plenty of parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, this is the perfect side to dishes like Sous Vide Short Ribs or Sous Vide Whole Chicken with Chimichurri.

Bowl of sous vide polenta with hand reaching with spoon to scoop.

Polenta is one of my favorite side dishes, especially with a saucy, stewed meat like Braised Pork Shanks or sausages. I also love top it with Sous Vide Poached Eggs and hot sauce for a delicious breakfast! If you’re looking for something fun and different, try using it in my Polenta Lasagna!

You might be wondering: is sous vide the right cooking method for polenta? While it does take longer than stovetop at 185 degrees F for 2 hours, this method is as simple as adding all the ingredients to a bag, cooking in a water bath, and stirring in some parmesan before serving. It’s nearly completely hands off! When cooking polenta on the stove top, it requires a lot more babysitting.

This recipe is from my cookbook Sous Vide Meal Prep. Make sure to snag a copy if you’re looking for more sous vide inspiration!

What You’ll Need to Make Sous Vide Polenta

For equipment, you likely have everything you’ll need if you already cook sous vide. Here’s a breakdown:

  • An immersion circulator
  • A water bath container (I like ones with lids, especially for long, hot cooks like this)
  • Zipper-top gallon-sized freezer bag

All of the ingredients will feel pretty familiar, too!

  • Coarsely ground cornmeal (Technically, you an use any cornmeal, but I’ve had mixed results with the others. To be on the safe side, look for bags marked for polenta.)
  • Milk (any milk is fine, but for richer polenta, use whole milk or even half and half)
  • Chicken or vegetable stock
  • Melted butter
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Ground parmesan cheese

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    How to Sous Vide Polenta

    This method may take longer to cook than stovetop polenta, but it’s so hands off and easy that it’s worth it!

    Want a closer look at the arm method? Watch this video for a quick tutorial! With the polenta, position the bag so that the contents of the bag are hanging off the edge of a countertop, rather than lying the bag flat on the countertop.

    https://youtu.be/ylfWEFmvndw

    Once sealed, it’s time to cook! To sous vide polenta, cook at 185 degrees F for 2 hours.

    After sous viding, pour the polenta into a large serving bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese. That’s it!

    Sous vide polenta in white bowl on pink surface.

    What to Serve with Sous Vide Polenta

    Polenta makes a wonderful base or side dish. Here are some ideas on how to use it!

    Sous vide short ribs over polenta in white dish, wine being poured into glass on yellow surface

    Fall-Apart Sous Vide Short Ribs

    5 stars from 3 reviews
    At 175 degrees F for 48 hours, these short ribs may take a long time to cook, but they are absolutely worth it! Shallots, red wine, and thyme make the perfect "braising" liquid for a flavorful and delicious meal.
    Get the Recipe

    Beer Braised Pork Shanks

    5 stars from 18 reviews
    Beer braised pork shanks make for a hearty stew that can be braised on the stovetop, pressure cooker, or slow cooker. This recipe calls for bone-in pork shanks for big, delicious flavor.
    Get the Recipe
    Slice of polenta lasagna on plate

    Simple Polenta Lasagna Recipe

    5 stars from 4 reviews
    This polenta lasagna recipe couldn’t be easier. Using just a few ingredients like polenta from a tube, creamy ricotta, and classic marinara sauce, this simple recipe is incredibly delicious. The hot Italian sausage can be omitted to make this recipe vegetarian. Plus, this lasagna can be made ahead of time and freezes beautifully!
    Get the Recipe

    Sous Vide Whole Chicken (Spatchcocked)

    5 stars from 13 reviews
    Sous vide is the best way to cook a whole chicken. You won’t have to worry that it’s underdone or raw in the middle and you won’t risk drying it out. This is the juiciest, most flavorful chicken you can make! Even better, you can sous vide it ahead of time and finish in the oven to serve. Sous vide makes serving a roasted chicken even easier.
    Get the Recipe

    You can also view this recipe as a step-by-step web story here.

    Sous vide polenta in white bowl on pink surface.
    5 stars from 1 review

    Get the Recipe:

    Creamy Sous Vide Polenta

    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Yield: 4 people
    Sous vide is a great way to prepare creamy, smooth polenta that's nearly hands off. Simply add the ingredients to a bag, add the bag to a water bath, and then stir before serving!

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup polenta, (coarsely ground cornmeal)
    • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
    • 2 cups milk, 2%, whole, or half and half
    • 2 tbsp butter, melted
    • 1 tsp kosher salt
    • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1/2 cup grated parmesan

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat a water bath using an immersion circulator to 185 degrees F.
    • Add all ingredients except parmesan cheese to a bag of your choice. Remove the air from the bag by closing the zipper top until just an inch or so is open, arranging the bag so just the contents are hanging off the edge of your countertop, then sliding your arm from the edge of the countertop to the zipper to force the air out. Finish closing the bag. Shake bag to combine the ingredients.
    • Add to the water bath and cook for 2 hours. I recommend securing with sous vide magnets to keep the bag from floating and to keep the zipper above the water. Cover the bath with a lid, plastic wrap, or foil.
    • When finished, pour the contents of the bag into a serving bowl. Stir in the grated Parmesan. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Serve with Sous Vide Short Ribs or Braised Pork Shanks.
    Cuisine: American
    Course: Side
    Author: Chelsea Cole
    Calories: 367kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 1064mg, Potassium: 392mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 571IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 268mg, Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @aducksoven on Instagram or tag #aducksoven.