Pan-Seared Polenta with Mushroom Ragu
and garlic green beans
Pre-cooked polenta, made from cornmeal, makes a great base for vegetarian dinners and holds up well to flavorful sauces like this mushroom ragu. (Note: For more variations, look for polenta in a variety of flavors like sun-dried tomato and garlic-herb.)
Ingredients
- Cheese, parmesan (opt) - 4 oz, grated
- Polenta, pre-cooked (often sold in 18 oz / 510 g tube), any variety - 18 oz, cut into 1/2" (1.25 cm) slices
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Onions, yellow - 1/2, chopped
- Bell peppers, red - 1/2, chopped
- Bell peppers, green - 1/2, chopped
- Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
- Mushrooms, any button - 8 oz, sliced
- Basil leaves, fresh (opt) - 6 leaves, chopped
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Tomato paste - 2 Tbsp
- Tomatoes, diced (14 oz / 397 g can) - 1 can
- Vinegar, red or white wine - 1 tsp
- Green beans - 1 lb, trimmed
- Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
- Lemons - 1/2, juice of
Nutrition Facts
Prep
- Onions / Bell peppers / Garlic (the portion for both the ragu and green beans) / Green beans - Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Mushrooms / Basil / Cheese - Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
- Cut polenta into ½” (1.25 cm) slices.
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Make
- Heat a skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat and add oil (just the portion for the polenta). When oil begins to shimmer, add polenta. Sear until golden brown and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer polenta to a plate and cover with foil so it stays warm.
- Return skillet to heat. Add oil (the portion for the sauce) and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are tender and golden brown, ~5 minutes. Add onions, peppers, garlic (the portion for the ragu) and saute until tender, ~4 minutes. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes (including liquid), basil and vinegar and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until sauce thickens slightly, ~2 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper (and a pinch of sugar, if needed).
- Place trimmed green beans and garlic in a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a wet paper towel and microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until tender but still crunchy. Season with some salt and pepper and squeeze lemon juice over top.
- Enjoy polenta with ragu and grated parmesan over top and green beans on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
49 reviews
This was good! Next time we'll cook the mushrooms separately, so we can blend the sauce a bit. Subbed a poblano for the bells.
0 HelpfulWas ok. Sauce was good but the polenta was a pain. It stuck to the first pan and too much oil for the non-stick second pan.
0 HelpfulRagu was a big hit! Left the polenta in the pan for a lot longer to get a nice crispiness to it.
0 HelpfulPolenta was a learning curve, it wasn't crispy enough for me. Since I don't like mushrooms the sauce was pretty meh. I don't eat cheese so i probably should have added a protein source as well. I much prefer the paleo version.
0 Helpful