Easy family dinners with polenta

Start with one pot of polenta

Polenta is useful on a busy evening because you can make the topping while it cooks, then let everyone choose how much sauce or cheese goes on their plate. These easy family dinners with polenta serve four and use familiar ingredients that are simple to swap.

For a creamy base, bring 1 litre of water or vegetable stock to a simmer in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in 240 g polenta, then turn the heat down. Stir often, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the grains are tender. Instant polenta may take around 5 minutes; traditional polenta can take 30–40 minutes, so check the packet before you start dinner. Stir in 25 g butter and 50 g grated Parmesan, if you like. Add a little more hot water if it thickens before the topping is ready: it should be soft enough to spoon into bowls.

Each idea below makes enough topping for that four-person batch. If you prefer a looser dinner plan, make the polenta first and pick a topping based on what is already in the cupboard.

Tomato and chickpea polenta bowls

This is the quickest option when the fridge looks bare. Soften 1 diced onion in a little olive oil for 5 minutes. Add 2 chopped garlic cloves, 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes and 2 drained 400 g tins of chickpeas. Simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to sit on the polenta rather than run around it. Add a splash of water if it catches on the pan.

Spoon the tomato chickpeas over the polenta and finish with torn basil or a little extra grated cheese. For children who prefer foods separate, set aside a few drained chickpeas before they go into the sauce, warm them in a small pan and serve them beside the polenta with the sauce in a small bowl for dipping.

Garlicky mushrooms and spinach

Slice 500 g mushrooms and cook them in a wide pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil over a medium-high heat. Give them room to brown; if the pan is crowded, cook them in two batches. Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, then stir in 150 g spinach until wilted. A squeeze of lemon at the end lifts the mushrooms without making the topping complicated.

Pile the vegetables onto creamy polenta. If you have a little time, scatter over toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch. You can also keep a portion of the mushrooms plain before adding the garlic, useful when different people at the table want different flavours.

Roasted pepper and white bean polenta

Set the oven to 220°C. Cut 2 peppers and 1 courgette into bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil and spread them across a large baking tray. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning once, until the edges are browned. Stir through 2 drained 400 g tins of white beans for the last 5 minutes, just to warm them.

Serve the roasted vegetables and beans over polenta with a spoonful of pesto, if you have some. Put the pesto on the table rather than mixing it into the whole tray: that leaves the roasted vegetables easy to use for anyone who wants a simpler plate.

Smoky black beans and sweetcorn

Warm 2 drained 400 g tins of black beans, 250 g sweetcorn and 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes in a saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste before adding more paprika; its smoky flavour is easier to build up than take away.

Spoon the beans over polenta and offer lime wedges and chopped spring onions separately. This dinner also works well with a small bowl of grated cheese on the table, so everyone can finish their own serving.

A note on allergens

Butter and Parmesan contain milk, and pesto usually contains milk and may contain nuts. If you are cooking for someone with allergies, check the labels on stock, pesto and cheese before you start.

Make weeknight serving easier

The main choice is whether to use instant or traditional polenta. Instant is handy when a topping takes only 15 minutes. For traditional polenta, start the pot first and choose a topping that takes longer, such as the roasted vegetables. Keep a kettle of hot water nearby so you can loosen the polenta just before serving.

A wide, shallow bowl makes it easier to spread the polenta out and add toppings without burying them. If your family likes different textures, bring the topping to the table in its pan or a serving bowl. People can build their own dinner, and a single batch of polenta still works for everyone.

On nights when cooking is not the plan, HomeChefs lets you explore meals from independent home kitchens. What is available depends on kitchens near you, and each kitchen chooses whether to offer collection, delivery or both.