Creamy Cornmeal Porridge with Berries and Honey

By Amanda Paa – Updated April 23, 2021
4.75 from 8 votes
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I am that person who drinks hot coffee when it’s 95 degrees and humid.

Similarly, I like a bowl of something warm over cold for breakfast all year round. Chia pudding and overnight oats….. you haven’t won me over yet.

That being said, I’ve been experimenting with different grains and ingredients to make porridge, because as much as I love oatmeal, it can get a bit monotonous. Sweet or savory, cornmeal porridge is a winner.

Yogurt Polenta with Berries and Honey {gluten-free, breakfast polenta recipe}Yogurt Polenta with Berries and Honey {gluten-free, breakfast polenta recipe}

So today I’m sharing this creamy yogurt version of breakfast grits, with sweet berries and honey. For my dairy-free friends, I used Silk’s new Almond Yogurt, which worked wonderful in this recipe. And as far as non-dairy yogurt’s go, it has a really clean, short list of ingredients. No gums or strange stabilizers, unlike this popular one which is made with 2 gums.

I wasn’t introduced to polenta until my early twenties, and in case you aren’t familiar, it’s simply ground cornmeal. You can buy it according to how it’s been milled, from fine (that cooks very quickly like instant oatmeal), to coarse stoneground (that takes closer to 30 minutes like steel cut oats). When boiled with water, broth, or milk, the cornmeal softens into a creamy, warm, comforting bowl of good.

Creamy Polenta Porridge with Berries and Honey {gluten-free, breakfast polenta recipe, berry porridge}Creamy Polenta Porridge with Berries and Honey {gluten-free, breakfast polenta recipe, berry porridge}

I prefer coarse, stoneground polenta for its fuller, richer corn taste despite it’s longer cooking time. It also retains more texture, and nutrients, as you’ll likely see black/brown specks of the hull. If you’re more of the “quick in the kitchen” type, you could use instant polenta, just be careful not to overcook as it will become a little pasty.

Most often butter and cream is stirred into polenta, but here, yogurt takes its place beautifully. Thick, velvety, and naturally a little sweet because it’s corn. I added a bountiful amount of toppings, including blueberries, raspberries, and honey. Almonds for crunch, and chia seeds for an extra fat boost.

As with many of my recipes, I encourage you to make this cornmeal porridge your own, what you have on hand, or what you’re feeling privy to. I had a made craving for berries, in March, and I didn’t let that stop me. A girl wants what she wants sometimes.

xo, Amanda

Creamy Polenta Porridge with Berries and Honey {gluten-free, breakfast polenta recipe, berry porridge}Creamy Polenta Porridge with Berries and Honey {gluten-free, breakfast polenta recipe, berry porridge}

If you make this cornmeal porridge, be sure to tag me on instagram with hashtag #heartbeetkitchen or by tagging @heartbeetkitchen!

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Creamy Polenta Porridge with Berries and Honey

Instead of oatmeal, try this cornmeal porridge for breakfast!
4.75 from 8 votes
Cook Time :30 minutes
Total Time :30 minutes
Yield: 4
Author: Amanda Paa

SCALE:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • [1/2 cup coarse stone-ground polenta]
  • 3 tablespoons honey divided
  • 1 5 ounce container Silk Almond Yogurt, divided (plain or vanilla)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Berries almonds, chia seeds for topping

Instructions 

  • Bring the water to a boil. Stir in the salt, then slowly whisk in the polenta. Stir and stir and stir all the while, so no clumps form. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons honey. Reduce the heat so that it is just barely simmering - as in just a few pips sputtering out from the top.
  • Simmer for at least 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may be tempted to thick it's done earlier, but the corn takes awhile for it to rehydrate itself fully. The polenta will begin pulling away from the sides as you stir, and then you know it is done. It should be creamy and still a little loose, thick enough to coat a spoon.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in 3/4 of the yogurt cup and vanilla. Then pour into bowls, and top with remaining honey, berries, almonds, and chia seeds.

Did you make this?

tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen

March 31, 2017

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12 comments

  1. Mark Deitz

    Hi I am a polenta lover I used to eat oatmeal but in my 30s I switched to polenta for it’s cheery yellow colour and a lighter feel in my stomach my favourite topping is unsweetened apple sauce with nutmeg

    • amandapaa

      love the applesauce idea!

  2. Claudia | The Brick Kitchen

    sounds amazing! I’ve just got onto porridge (having previously been an overnight oats girl) and have started playing around with different grains – fave so far is a mix of steel cut oats and whole oats, and sometimes buckwheat. Wouldn’t have thought of polenta though – must try it soon!

  3. cara

    Using yogurt in this is such a brilliant idea. it sounds so reach and creamy. Also your styling and photography is so on point!

    • amandapaa

      yes, so creamy! i love it. and thanks for stopping by, along with the kind words about my work. xo

  4. Angélica

    Hi, this looks delicious, here in Portugal it’s normal do polenta with meat or seafood inside. I’m going to try this one . Thanks.

    • amandapaa

      i love savory polenta too. something so comforting, which is why i wanted to try it with some sweet notes. hope you enjoy!

  5. Ruby

    I LOVE this idea for breakfast! I am also a hot breakfast person, and I generally like them sweet as well, but oatmeal can definitely get tiring day after day. This ticks all my boxes :) xo

  6. Izzy | Pinch of delight

    This looks so delicious!
    -Izzy

    • amandapaa

      breakfast love!

  7. Tori//Gringalicious.com

    Mmmm! Sounds incredible and looks even better!

    • amandapaa

      Thanks for stopping by Tori!