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
1smallbutternut squash, cut into cubes - roast the seeds, if you'd like
2teaspoonsolive oil, divided
1teaspoonbutter
½ mediumyellow onion, finely minced
1clovegarlic
1cuppolenta
4cupswhole milk, see notes
1teaspoonsea salt
4tablespoonsgoat cheese
4cupsspinach
1cupcanned pureed pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix
1teaspoondried 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.