Parmesan Polenta with Roasted Vegetables

Creamy, buttery polenta makes the perfect base for a pile of savory roasted vegetables with a hit of herbs and balsamic vinegar. This is a simple, vibrant bowl that's full of flavor, and deeply satisfying.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 bell peppers in assorted colors (chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 small eggplant (cut into 1-inch cubes (1-1/2 cups))
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 3 small or 2 medium-sized zucchini (cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup coarse cornmeal
• 1-2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
2. 2--- Roast the vegetables ---
3. 3Combine the peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, onion, olive oil and the salt on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until beginning to soften and turn brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the garlic, chili, thyme and balsamic vinegar.
4. 4--- Make the polenta ---
5. 5Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a heavy-duty sauce pan or small Dutch oven. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually sprinkle the polenta into the pan while whisking at the same time. Turn the heat to a very low simmer, cover and continue to cook the polenta for 25-30 minutes, until it's thick, fluffy and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. When it's done remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, butter and additional salt to taste, if needed.
6. 6--- Serving ---
7. 7Spoon the warm polenta into bowls and put some of the roasted vegetables and the pan juice over each serving. Sprinkle with additional cheese, if you like.