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Creamy Polenta with White Beans is a cozy, Italian-inspired dish made with sneaky plant protein and fiber! Rich, buttery, and savory, it’s a delicious fuss-free meal on its own or a side dish that even picky eaters will love. Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Nut-Free.
This Creamy White Bean Polenta puts a protein- and fiber-rich twist on your typical vegan polenta recipe. Blended cannellini beans and polenta are simmered together to give you a velvety, naturally creamy dish with a wholesome upgrade. Seasoned to perfection with simple pantry staples, it’s a rich, comforting meal or side dish you’ll want to make on repeat.
Table of Contents
My Hack for High-Protein Polenta
It didn’t take long for vegan polenta to become one of my go-to fuss-free meals. It doesn’t matter how tired or busy I am; somehow, I always make the time to simmer the cornmeal, stir in a few seasonings, and treat myself to this ‘gold-in-a-bowl’ meal with braised greens, sauteed mushrooms, or roasted cherry tomatoes on top.
This creamy White Bean Polenta Recipe puts a nourishing twist on my usual routine. It has the same charm as the traditional Italian side dish, except I combined the polenta with blended white beans for a boost of fiber and an extra ~20 grams of protein. It’s quick and easy to make, and because canned beans only cost around $1, it’s very affordable, too!
What You Need for Vegan Polenta
This recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients, plus your favorite savory seasonings. These are the key items you need:
- White Beans: canned cannellini beans are soft, creamy, and mix seamlessly into the cooked polenta when blended. Oh, and the extra ~25 grams of plant protein is a great bonus, too!
- Cornmeal: polenta is traditionally made from medium/coarse-ground cornmeal or corn grits. I don’t recommend using fine cornmeal, as it tends to make polenta gluey. Instead, save it for a batch of my Easy Tomato Cornbread!
- Seasonings: one of the best things about this recipe is that you can customize the flavor with the savory seasonings and dried herbs of your choice. Nutritional yeast, garlic powder, cracked black pepper, and dried Italian seasoning all taste amazing here.
How to Make Creamy Polenta with White Beans
- Blend the beans and 4 cups of water until smooth.
- Pour the bean mixture into a pot along with the polenta and salt. Boil over high heat.
- Simmer the white bean polenta until it thickens.
- Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and additional seasonings. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Finding the right texture: The finished polenta should be creamy, smooth, and spoonable. If you find that yours is starting to thicken or become gloopy even before it’s done cooking, stir in 1/2 cup water at a time until it has a porridge consistency.
- This dish does have a slight “bean” taste to it, but I find that once you mix in the oil at the end, the flavors balance out really well. If you’re not a huge fan, you can mask the bean taste with more seasonings, like garlic powder or nutritional yeast, or serve it with a drizzle of this Roasted Tomato Sauce on top.
- Busy night? Make the polenta in your Instant Pot instead. For a more hands-off version, add the blended bean water, polenta, and salt (plus your desired seasonings) to the base of your Instant Pot. Seal the lid and cook on the “porridge” setting for 20 minutes. Uncover the pot, stir well, and adjust the seasonings to taste before serving.
Serving Suggestions
There are two ways I like to serve this vegan polenta: (1) as a light meal with toppings and (2) as a simple side dish paired with all of my favorite Italian recipes.
I’ll almost always top a bowl of polenta with an extra glug of olive oil, a pat of dairy-free butter, and lots of black pepper. Other days, I’ll take this light meal over the top with fancier toppings, like fresh herbs, shaved vegan parmesan, a spoonful of this Cherry Tomato Confit, braised hearty greens, or these Balsamic Marinated Mushrooms.
Polenta is also an amazing side dish you can pair with all kinds of Italian meals. Serve a generous spoonful alongside this Roasted Zucchini Sandwich and a lightly dressed arugula salad, then treat yourself to a slice of this Orange Olive Oil Cake for a light and nourishing meal.
For something a little heartier, use the polenta as a velvety bed for this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan, this Seared Tofu with Jammy Tomatoes and Basil, or this Vegan “Chicken” Piccata at dinner.
If you’re looking for more comforting vegan recipes made with white beans, you’ll also love this White Bean Puttanesca, these Braised White Beans & Greens, and these Tomato Beans!
How to Store White Bean Polenta
Once the polenta has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container. The leftovers will stay fresh and creamy in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat, add as much polenta as you plan on eating to a microwave-safe bowl or a medium saucepan. Microwave it in 30-second increments, stirring in between, or warm it up over medium-low heat on the stove. Because polenta naturally thickens as it chills, I like to stir in a splash of water, broth, or non-dairy milk while reheating to loosen it back up to its original, velvety texture.
Substitutions and Variations
- Water Substitute: If you’re all about savory, extra comforting polenta, blend the beans with an equal amount of low-sodium vegetable broth or vegan chicken broth instead of water.
- Cannellini Bean Substitute: Use a different soft white bean in place of the cannellini beans, like navy beans, Great Northern beans, or butter beans.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Creamy Polenta with White Beans (High-Protein Polenta Recipe)
Ingredients
- Basic Polenta:
- 1 15 ounce cannellini beans drained and rinsed well
- 4 cups water
- 3/4 cup polenta
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter plus more to taste
- Optional Add-Ins:
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder black pepper, and/or dried herbs
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Dairy-free parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Blend: Add the beans and 4 cups of water to a blender. Blend on high until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds.
- Combine: Add the bean mixture to a medium pot along with the polenta and salt, plus any additional seasonings you would like. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. If the mixture begins to splatter you can reduce the heat, as well as use a splatter screen when not stirring the polenta. If the mixture gets to thick for your liking before the polenta is done cooking, add additional water in 1/2 cup increments.
- Final Touches: Carefully sample the polenta once thickened to ensure the cornmeal is soft and thoroughly cooked. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil, plus any additional salt or pepper to taste, as desired. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving, to thicken slightly.
- Serve & Store: Divide between serving bowls and serve warm, topped as desired. I like top top mine with an extra glug of olive oil, a pat of dairy-free butter, and lots of black pepper! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to reheat my polenta in the microwave, or on the stovetop with an extra splash of water to help it loosen it up a bit.
Recipe Notes
- Instant Pot: Follow step 1 as directed, but add the bean water, polenta, and salt (plus extra seasonings) to the base of your instant pot instead. Seal the pot and cook on the “porridge” setting for 20 minutes. Uncover the pot, stir well, and adjust seasonings to taste. This method is a lot more hands-off than the stovetop, which is great for busy nights!
