
My spouse asked me to make some polenta for her. I decided to do something a little different this time around so I made some Grilled Polenta.
It’s actually a lot easier than you think. You make the polenta like you normally would in a saucepan but instead of serving it immediately, you refrigerate it in a loaf pan.

Once the polenta loaf has hardened you can slice it and then grill the polenta slices in a frying pan or on the grill which is my preferred way to make grilled polenta.
If cooked properly you should end up with a nice crusty outside with a delicious soft inside. You do want to be careful to not overcook them as it may dry out the inside of them.

If you do decide to fry them in a pan, I suggest you use a cast iron skillet. It does a great job crusting these polenta slices up.

Once they are grilled serve with your favorite toppings. In my case, I like to use a little spicy salsa but you could also top it with some chopped tomatoes, onions and cilantro.

Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Grilled Polenta recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Water, Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Kosher Salt, Polenta, Ground Thyme, Ground Black Pepper, Unsalted Butter and Parmesan Cheese.
How to Make Grilled Polenta
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water, chicken broth, and salt to just a boil.
- Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the polenta. Whisk continually until the mixture starts to thicken up, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ground thyme, ground black pepper, butter and the Parmesan and stir for about 30 seconds until combined and very thick.
- In a lightly greased loaf pan, pour in the hot polenta and use a spatula to smooth out the top. Set aside and bring to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Slice the polenta into individual slices. Brush each polenta slice with a little olive oil. Place the slices on the grill or in a frying pan. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
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Printable Recipe Card

Grilled Polenta
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Water
- 1 ½ Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 2 Tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ Cups Polenta
- 1 Tsp Ground Thyme
- 1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- ¾ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, bring the water, chicken broth, and salt to just a boil.
- Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the polenta. Whisk continually until the mixture starts to thicken up, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ground thyme, ground black pepper, butter and the Parmesan and stir for about 30 seconds until combined and very thick.
- In a lightly greased loaf pan, pour in the hot polenta and use a spatula to smooth out the top. Set aside and bring to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Slice the polenta into individual slices. Brush each polenta slice with a little olive oil. Place the slices on the grill or in a frying pan. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes each side.
Love this Grilled Polenta. Polenta is one of my preferred foods. It is very tasty. my family like it better when done on the grill, but I have also done in in a fry pan.