Creamy Pumpkin Polenta with Goat Cheese and Spinach
This comforting, creamy pumpkin polenta tastes like autumn has arrived. It's soft, velvety, and melded together with the flavors of savory goat cheese, crunchy spinach, earthy sage, warm pumpkin, and roasted butternut squash. It'll warm you to your core!
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash, cut into cubes - roast the seeds, if you'd like
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon butter
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely minced
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cup polenta
- 4 cups whole milk, see notes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons goat cheese
- 4 cups spinach
- 1 cup canned pureed pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
Instructions
- Turn your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Put the butternut squash on the tray and toss it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Put the pan into the oven (you don't need to wait for it to finish preheating) and roast the squash for 25-30 minutes, or until it is tender.1 small butternut squash
- Add the remaining teaspoon of oil and the butter to a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is soft and brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.1 teaspoon butter, ½ medium yellow onion, 1 clove garlic
- Add the polenta, milk, and sea salt to the pot with the onions. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the polenta, stirring occasionally, until it resembles mashed potatoes, about 12-15 minutes.1 cup polenta, 4 cups whole milk
- Stir in the goat cheese, spinach, pumpkin, sage, and roasted butternut squash. Season to taste with sea salt.1 teaspoon sea salt, 4 tablespoons goat cheese, 4 cups spinach, 1 cup canned pureed pumpkin, 1 teaspoon dried sage
Notes
For an extra creamy treat, substitute whipping cream for some of the milk.
How to store leftovers: Leftover pumpkin polenta can be stored in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 4 days. As it thickens considerably when cold, you'll want to add some liquid when you reheat it.
Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 73g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 780mg, Potassium: 1418mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 33039IU, Vitamin C: 52mg, Calcium: 461mg, Iron: 4mg