Thick and creamy polenta meets fresh and umami sautéed spinach, kale, and mushrooms in this vegan polenta breakfast recipe. A delicious savory breakfast!
If you love a savory breakfast, this polenta with mushrooms, spinach, and kale is for you!
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Polenta has a rich, creamy, almost nutty flavor. Add some sautéed greens and mushrooms for some umami flavor. And you've got yourself a tasty, savory breakfast.
What is polenta?
Polenta is a dish of cornmeal porridge that originated among farmers in Northern Italy.
It can be served as a hot porridge, or cooled and turned into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled. Today we're serving it porridge style for a delicious savory breakfast.
Usually, polenta is made with coarse yellow cornmeal, but it can also be made from finely ground yellow or white cornmeal.
You might be familiar with grits - a cornmeal porridge made from white corn. Polenta is very similar, and is most often made from yellow corn.
Why I love this Vegan Polenta with Mushrooms, Spinach & Kale
- Dietary needs - this creamy vegan polenta with mushrooms and kale is plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free
- Great for breakfast meal prep - this recipe serves four, so it's great if you want to meal prep breakfast for yourself.
- Get greens in at breakfast - it's not easy to eat vegetables at breakfast but this recipe gives you three different vegetables in one meal
- Rich and creamy - it's so easy to cook a creamy polenta
- Elevated breakfast - polenta and greens - it feels fancy but it's really simple
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Sautéed Spinach and Kale
- Red Onion: I like using red onion. A yellow onion would work here too. Or a large shallot.
- Garlic
- Cremini Mushrooms: also known as baby bellas, cremini mushrooms have a lot more flavor than regular white button mushrooms. So I recommend using them. White button mushrooms can be used as a sub.
- Spinach & Kale: you can use a combination of fresh spinach and kale or just one.
- Salt & Pepper
Polenta
- Vegetable Broth or Water: vegetable broth can add some extra flavor to your polenta but water will work just fine
- Polenta
- Salt
How to make Vegan Breakfast Polenta
Step 1. In a medium skillet, sauté the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Use a splash of water if the onion starts to stick.
Step 2. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Step 3. Add the mushrooms. Cover and cook 2 minutes.
Step 4. Add the spinach, kale, salt, and pepper. Cover again and cook 2-3 minutes.
Step 5. Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of broth or water to a boil. Add the polenta and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes (or according to package instructions), stirring regularly.
Step 6. Serve the polenta topped with the greens and mushrooms. Enjoy!
Expert Tips & FAQs
You can use any polenta you'd like. I chose a fine-grain yellow polenta for an ultra smooth and creamy texture, with the classic polenta look.
But a coarser grain or a white polenta would work just fine in this recipe. Be sure to read the package instructions for your polenta, because the cooking instructions may be slightly different.
Yes - you can use grits in this recipe. Grits tend to be a bit coarser so your porridge may be thicker. The dish will taste just as good!
Yes! Polenta is made from corn, so it's a naturally gluten-free breakfast option.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Reheat this breakfast polenta in the microwave. If needed, stir in a bit of non-dairy milk or vegetable broth to return the polenta to a creamy state.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this savory and healthy breakfast. Let it nourish our bodies for the day ahead. Amen.
More Savory Vegan Breakfast Options
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Polenta with Mushrooms Spinach and Kale
Ingredients
Sautéed Spinach and Kale
- ½ Red Onion sliced
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 16 Ounces Cremini Mushrooms sliced
- 4 Cups Fresh Spinach
- 4 Cups Fresh Kale
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
Polenta
- 3 Cups Vegetable Broth or Water
- 1 Cup Polenta Corn Grits
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, sauté the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Use a splash of water if the onion starts to stick.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the mushrooms. Cover and cook 2 minutes.
- Add the spinach, kale, salt, and pepper. Cover again and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of broth or water to a boil. Add the polenta and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes (or according to package instructions), stirring regularly.
- Serve the polenta topped with the greens and mushrooms. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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