Vegan Swiss‑Style Creamy Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms
Polenta is a staple comfort food across the Swiss Alps and Northern Italy: creamy, smooth cornmeal cooked slowly until rich and velvety, topped with earthy sautéed mushrooms and aromatic herbs. This fully vegan version uses plant‑based milk and nutritional yeast to create that classic creamy, savoury depth without any dairy — simple, warming, and deeply satisfying as a hearty main or rich side dish.
Shared by katty
Time
40 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
easy
🛒 Ingredients
- #Creamy Polenta;
- 150g coarse or medium polenta (cornmeal)
- 750ml vegetable stock,, 150ml unsweetened oat or soy milk
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast,, 1 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
- ½ tsp salt,, ¼ tsp nutmeg (traditional Alpine touch),, Black pepper to taste
- #Sautéed Mushroom Topping;
- 250g mixed mushrooms (chestnut, button, or wild varieties), sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped.. 2 garlic cloves, minced.. 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh thyme or rosemary leaves.. 1 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Chilli flakes (optional).. Fresh parsley for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the polenta: Bring vegetable stock and plant milk to a gentle simmer in a large pot. Slowly pour in the polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- 2
Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the polenta is very thick, smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- 3
Finish polenta: Stir in nutritional yeast, oil or butter, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Keep warm while you prepare the topping.
- 4
Sauté mushrooms: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry onion until soft, add garlic and herbs, then cook mushrooms until golden and all liquid has evaporated. Season with soy sauce, pepper, and chilli if using.
- 5
Serve: Spoon the creamy polenta into bowls, pile the mushrooms generously on top, drizzle with a little extra oil, and scatter with fresh parsley. Enjoy warm.