Gluten Free Tomato Polenta
Creamy, deeply savory, and satisfying in the most comforting way, this tomato polenta is the kind of bowl that makes you want to curl up and eat slowly. A garlicky crushed tomato sauce simmers right into the cooking liquid, so every spoonful of polenta is infused with rich, herby flavor from the start. Coarse-ground polenta — not the instant kind — gives the finished dish a hearty, rustic texture that holds up beautifully to the butter and Parmesan stirred in at the end. Those two finishing ingredients are what take it from simple to genuinely luxurious, creating a glossy, velvety base that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. Polenta is naturally wheat-free, so this recipe sidesteps the usual label-reading stress without any substitutions or workarounds — just real, whole ingredients doing exactly what they're supposed to do. A pinch of red pepper flakes and a handful of torn fresh basil on top round out the flavors and make it look as good as it tastes. Serves four, and honestly, leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of water stirred in.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup coarse-ground polenta (not instant)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- black pepper, to taste
For serving
- fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 1 minute.
- 2
Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the color deepens, about 8 minutes.
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