Best 6 Cheesy Polenta And Ham Gratin Recipes

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Embark on a culinary journey to savor the delectable Cheesy Polenta and Ham Gratin, a dish that harmonizes the rustic charm of polenta with the smoky allure of ham, enveloped in a blanket of melted cheese. This hearty and comforting casserole is a symphony of textures and flavors, featuring creamy polenta, succulent ham, and a golden-brown, irresistibly crispy cheese crust. Our comprehensive guide presents three variations of this classic dish, each offering a unique twist to tantalize your taste buds. From the traditional rendition to a vegetarian delight and a spicy rendition, these recipes cater to diverse preferences, ensuring that everyone can relish this culinary masterpiece. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and prepare to indulge in a feast for the senses with our Cheesy Polenta and Ham Gratin recipes.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CRUNCHY CHEESY OVEN-BAKED POLENTA



Crunchy Cheesy Oven-Baked Polenta image

Gorgonzola and pecorino-Romano cheeses, Italian-style panko crispy bread crumbs and whipping cream transform polenta into a cheesy and delicious vegetarian side dish or appetizer.

Provided by By Arlene Cummings

Categories     Side Dish

Time 30m

Yield 7

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese (4 oz)
1/4 cup grated pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 roll (17 oz) refrigerated plain polenta
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Progresso™ Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 17x12-inch half-sheet pan with cooking spray.
  • In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, cook oil, butter and garlic over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic is transparent (do not let garlic burn). Add whipping cream; heat to a slight simmer. Stir in Gorgonzola cheese until melted. Stir in pecorino-Romano cheese. Remove from heat.
  • Cut polenta into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in pan. Ladle cheese sauce evenly over polenta; sprinkle with pepper. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over top.
  • Bake uncovered about 15 minutes.
  • Set oven control to broil. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until top is golden brown. Garnish with basil. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 Serving

CHEESY POLENTA



Cheesy Polenta image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Time 22m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

9 cups water
1 tablespoon salt, plus extra for seasoning
2 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal or polenta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the cheese, milk, butter, and parsley. Stir until the butter and cheese have melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.

CHEESY POLENTA



Cheesy Polenta image

This versatile side dish would work great along with pork, chicken, beef or fish. The trick is to slowly add the cornmeal and whisk constantly to avoid lumps.

Provided by dadrules

Categories     Side Dish     Grain Side Dish Recipes     Polenta Recipes

Time 35m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Steps:

  • In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring milk, water, and salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook 20 minutes, until creamy, lifting the lid and stirring every 3 or 4 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pot from stove, stir in pepper and butter. Gradually stir in cheese. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 231.6 calories, Carbohydrate 18.4 g, Cholesterol 37.9 mg, Fat 14.1 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 8.2 g, SaturatedFat 8.3 g, Sodium 658.4 mg, Sugar 3.8 g

CHEESY BREAKFAST EGG AND POLENTA CASSEROLE



Cheesy Breakfast Egg and Polenta Casserole image

If you've had the pleasure of a cheesy polenta dinner, topped with a creamy-yolked egg, you can imagine how good that combination is at breakfast. This quick casserole for a crowd is exactly that, made elegant and easy so you can have a perfectly cooked portion for each person with very little work. Layer your polenta with anything you desire, whether salami or ham - or keep it vegetable-centric with spinach or oven-roasted tomatoes. Make nests between your toppings and the polenta where the eggs will cook slowly, giving you a soft-cooked finish that's loaded with flavor.

Provided by Sarah Copeland

Categories     breakfast, brunch, casseroles, main course

Time 30m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup/2 ounces fontina or mozzarella, or a blend, shredded
5 ounces thinly sliced cured meat, such as hot or sweet Italian sausage, salami or ham (optional)
1 packed cup spinach, kale or other leafy green, torn or chopped (optional)
8 large eggs
1/2 cup/2 ounces grated Parmesan
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed basil leaves, larger ones roughly torn (optional)

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch pan and set aside.
  • Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and salt, and cook, stirring constantly until the polenta bubbles and pulls away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Vigorously stir in the milk, butter and cheese until smooth and creamy. (It will seem loose.)
  • Spread the polenta onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with meat, greens or anything else you desire. Use the back of a large spoon to create 8 small wells in the polenta. Crack the eggs inside, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how set you like your eggs. Let stand for 5 minutes; sprinkle with black pepper and basil and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 244, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 13 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 275 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams

HAM AND POTATOES AU GRATIN



Ham and Potatoes Au Gratin image

This is one of the dishes Grandma served to our family during the holidays. Now, when the family gathers and I prepare this for my grandchildren, memories of those special times at Grandma's house fill my mind. I usually double this recipe, because the leftovers are fabulous when warmed in the microwave.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 50m

Yield 2 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 cups sliced peeled potatoes, cooked
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/3 cup butter, cubed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash white pepper
Minced fresh parsley

Steps:

  • In a greased 1-qt. baking dish, combine potatoes, ham and onion; set aside. , In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add cheese, salt and pepper; stir until the cheese is melted. Pour over potato mixture and stir gently to mix. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 872 calories, Fat 59g fat (37g saturated fat), Cholesterol 204mg cholesterol, Sodium 2526mg sodium, Carbohydrate 53g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 35g protein.

PARMESAN POLENTA WITH HAM



Parmesan Polenta with Ham image

Provided by Karin Korvin

Categories     Cheese     Dairy     Pork     Bake     Parmesan     Ham     Fall     Bon Appétit     Santa Monica     California

Yield 4 Main-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 cups milk
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup diced ham
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten to blend

Steps:

  • Combine milk, 5 tablespoons butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Gradually whisked in cornmeal. Stir until mixture is very thick and beginning to pull away from sides of pan, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in ham, 3/4 cup cheese and egg. Transfer polenta to 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.)
  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake polenta uncovered until heated through and beginning to brown on top, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Tips:

  • Using fresh ingredients will give your dish the best flavor. Look for organic or locally-sourced products whenever possible.
  • Don't overcook the polenta. It should be creamy and slightly firm, not mushy.
  • Use a good quality cheese that melts well. A sharp cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan cheese are all good choices.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients. You could add vegetables, herbs, or even different types of meat to this dish.
  • Serve the polenta and ham gratin immediately after it comes out of the oven. It will be most delicious when it is hot and bubbly.

Conclusion:

Cheesy polenta and ham gratin is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is also a great way to use up leftover polenta. This dish is sure to please everyone at your table. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting recipe, give this one a try.

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