SUBSCRIBE BY EMAILPolenta with Sausage and Red Sauce is the perfect dish on a cold night. It’s hearty and warming, and so easy to put together. Serve it with your favorite greens and call it a delicious meal!
It’s cold here in Phoenix, folks! No joke – we’ve had frost warnings all week, and early last week, we had snow falling ten minutes up the road closer to the mountains. Adding a photo because it’s just so pretty to see (for a day or two), and so novel for us!
When it’s cold, there’s nothing better for dinner than a comforting, warming dish like Polenta with Sausage and Red Sauce. It’s easy to make, it’s creamy, hearty, and exceptionally satisfying.
This polenta recipe is so easy to make, and you could customize it to suit your tastes. Use your favorite jarred tomato sauce (or make your own) and serve it with your favorite sautéed greens on the side.
I like the extra heartiness that the sausage brings to the dish, and we couldn’t help but include cream and Parmesan cheese for some extra indulgence.
I grew up eating polenta, and my husband has grown to love it, too. Polenta is an Italian favorite, and it’s similar to Southern grits. However, polenta is made with ground yellow corn, and grits are made with ground white corn. But don’t be afraid to use one if you don’t have the other.
If you like grits, try my recipe for Butternut Squash Grits with Sausage and Kale. Mmmm! I love this dish!
My husband makes several different polenta dishes all winter long, like Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Polenta (his specialty).
We’ve also served Polenta Cakes with Goat Cheese and Kale Pesto as a fabulous appetizer. This is really easy to put together with prepared, slice-and-bake polenta that I’ve found at Trader Joe’s.
Growing up in Ohio, snow was fun as a kid. Having lived in Phoenix all these years, I’ve grown very fond of not having to deal with it anymore as an adult. But when it snows in the Arizona desert, it’s cause for big excitement.
Like half the city last week, we jumped in the car and drove to see it. I say bring on the cold weather if it inspires more dishes like Polenta with Sausage and Red Sauce! Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Patricia Conte/Grab a Plate
Yields Serves 4-6
Save Recipe4.8 based on 5 review(s)
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked polenta (or cornmeal, coarse or fine ground)
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2/3 cup pasta sauce
- Salt and black pepper to season
Instructions
- Cook the polenta or cornmeal according to the package directions. Be sure to bring the water to a boil before slowly stirring in the polenta.
- After the polenta is finishing cooking, add salt and black pepper to taste.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until combined.
- When the polenta water boils, start cooking the sausage. Cook over medium heat until done, breaking it up with the back of a spoon.
- Add the tomato paste and the sauce to the sausage, and stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes until warmed through.
- Serve the polenta on individual plates and top with several spoons of the sausage and sauce.
- Sprinkle a bit more Parmesan cheese over the top.
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