Vegan polenta with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes is a warm, comforting dish that can be enjoyed at breakfast or as a hearty side dish. It comes together in about 20 minutes.
Sorry, cold cereal. Chilly mornings call for something warm and comforting. A bowl of delicious and hearty vegan polenta fits the bill beautifully.
With every spoonful of this creamy corn porridge, you can taste the flavors of garlic, cheesy nutritional yeast, and pops of sun-dried tomatoes.
If you've tried my creamy vegan grits, this recipe will feel familiar. Traditionally, polenta and grits come from different varieties of corn, but for creamy breakfast-style dishes, the texture is very similar.
(In fact, the packaged polenta I buy from Bob’s Red Mill is actually labeled “Corn grits. Also known as polenta.“)
Polenta is one of my favorite pantry staples, because it’s endlessly adaptable and easy to dress up with roasted vegetables, pesto, vegan butter, or your favorite plant-based proteins.
And of course, this Italian side dish also works beautifully with red sauces like marinara.
Enjoy this warm cereal on its own for a quick and cozy breakfast, as a side dish for lunch or dinner, or as the base to a one bowl meal.
In this post:
Why readers love this recipe
“This is a great recipe! My husband isn't much of a breakfast person, but after he agreed to try a bite, he wanted his own bowl. We both loved it and agreed it would make a great base for beans and greens, like you suggest” – BurbankVegan
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Garlic: The flavor of polenta is on the mild side. So it's nice to fill it out with fragrant garlic.
Polenta: I recommend Bob's Red Mill organic corn grits/polenta for this recipe, because its medium grind cooks into a creamy texture in a predictable amount of time.
If you use a different brand, the grind size may vary, so check the package directions and adjust cooking time and liquid as needed.
Better Than Bouillon no chicken base: This condensed bouillon is great for adding rich, savory flavor to the base of a dish.
Nutritional yeast flakes: This inactive yeast adds a cheesy flavor. It's also a source of protein and B12. Look for it at Trader Joe’s or in natural grocery stores.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes from a jar. Simply drain and chop. Or use hydrated julienne sliced sun-dried tomatoes.
If you only have dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, that’s fine. Just make sure to give yourself some extra time to soak them before starting breakfast.
Non-dairy milk: Use plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk for extra creaminess.
Step by step instructions
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
1. Sauté garlic with oil in a medium sized pot.
2. Once the garlic is fragrant, add water and Better Than Bouillon no chicken base. Stir to dissolve. Bring to a simmer.
3. Slowly pour in polenta while stirring to prevent clumping. Then add salt and pepper.
4. Keep cooking uncovered about 6 minutes, until the polenta thickens and pulls from the edges of the pot when stirred. Once it's fairly thick, add nutritional yeast flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, and non-dairy milk.
Cook uncovered 4 or 5 minutes longer, stirring frequently, until the polenta has reached your desired consistency. Once ready, transfer the polenta to bowls and serve.
Make it your own
It's easy to personalize polenta to suit your flavor preferences. With a few tweaks, substitutions, or omissions, you can make it exactly to your tastes.
For soupier polenta: I like thicker porridge-style polenta. However, if you prefer soupier polenta, add an additional ¼ cup of non-dairy milk.
The polenta will have to simmer a longer amount of time to cook down any extra liquid (about 30 minutes).
For cheesier polenta: Add shredded non-dairy cheese at the same time as the nutritional yeast.
For more less pronounced garlic flavor: Omit fresh garlic or replace it with about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic.
If you’re using granulated garlic, you won't need oil. Add the granulated garlic at the same time as the nutritional yeast flakes.
Can’t find Better Than Bouillon? Replace water and bouillon with vegetable broth or stock.
Not a fan of sun-dried tomatoes or nutritional yeast? Omit either or both, if you prefer.
Don’t have non-dairy milk? Skip it or add an equal amount of water if the polenta is too thick.
Topping ideas
Creamy vegan polenta is wonderful on its own with a pinch of salt and a pat of plain or compound vegan butter. (Sun-dried tomato and basil flavor is amazing here!) Or you can add a little swirl of cilantro basil pesto.
Love a warm and savory start to the day? Enjoy polenta as a porridge-like breakfast on its own, or as an alternative to my vegan grits breakfast bowl with shredded Brussels sprouts and meatless sausage.
Creamy vegan polenta also makes a delicious and hearty alternative to rice or potatoes for a one bowl meal.
Pair creamy vegan polenta with any of the following:
- Baked tofu with lemon and rosemary
- Air fryer eggplant parmesan
- Summer squash and zucchini with lemon and pine nuts
- Crispy fried summer squash
- Roasted cauliflower with lemon
- Roasted fennel with vegan parmesan
- Oven roasted Brussels sprouts with apples
- Crispy air fryer asparagus
- Roasted asparagus with chickpeas
- Grilled portobello mushrooms
- Sauteed kale with garlic
- Garlicky red wine mushrooms
How to store & reheat
Store leftover polenta in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.
Polenta is terrific for meal prep! Make a big batch, and then portion it out for the next few days for breakfasts and bowls.
Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.
Polenta tends to stiffen as it cools. So if it seems too firm after warming, stir in more non-dairy milk until it has reached your preferred consistency.
More grits and polenta recipes
For even more delicious ways to use polenta and grits, check out these tempting recipes:
- Air fryer polenta fries
- Fried polenta stacks with barbecue squash and cashew cream
- Creamy vegan grits
- Vegan grits breakfast bowl with Brussels sprouts and veggie sausage
FAQ
While polenta and grits are both coarsely ground corn, the traditional difference is the type of corn used and how it's processed.
* Polenta is usually made from yellow dent corn.
* Grits are often made from hominy, which has been treated with an alkaline solution to remove the hull.
However, with Bob's Red Mill grits/polenta, this distinction doesn't apply. This product is just ground corn, not nixtamalized hominy.
Some brands (like Bob's Red Mill) label their product as "corn grits (also known as polenta)" because in everyday home cooking, the two behave almost identically.
Once corn is dried and ground, the biggest differences come down to grind size and the type of corn used. But many packaged products don't specify the corn variety at all, and they're milled to a very similar medium grind.
Labeling them as both "grits" and "polenta" simply helps shoppers recognize that it works for recipes using either term.
In most recipes, yes. Although, cook times and liquid amounts may vary by brand. Check the directions on the package and adjust accordingly.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Creamy vegan polenta with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon avocado oil or your preferred cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, no chicken base
- 1 cup polenta I use Bob's Red Mill
- Pinch of salt
- Dash of pepper
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 3 Tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and drained
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk plain unsweetened
Instructions
- Bring a medium sized pot to a medium heat. Add a drizzle of oil and minced garlic. Saute for a minute or two, until fragrant.
- Add water to the pot along with Better Than Bouillon no chicken base. Stir to dissolve the bouillon. Bring to a simmer.
- Slowly pour in the polenta while stirring constantly to prevent clumping. Add a pinch of salt and dash of pepper. Lower the heat, so that the grits don't splatter.
- Keep stirring frequently for about 6 minutes, until the polenta starts to thicken, and pull from the edges of the pot when stirred.
- Once it is fairly thick, stir in nutritional yeast flakes, sun-dried tomatoes, and non-dairy milk.
- Continue cooking uncovered for 4 or 5 minutes longer, stirring frequently, until the polenta reaches your desired consistency.If the polenta gets too thick, add more non-dairy milk. If it's too runny, keep cooking until it condenses to your preferred thickness.
- Turn off the heat, and allow the polenta to cool for a couple of minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Taste for salt, and add more if needed.
- Serve polenta in bowls on its own, with a pat of non-dairy butter, as a side dish, or as the base of a bowl.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated the recipe, photos, and blog post December 6, 2025. Originally published Jan 19, 2012.
BurbankVegan
This is a great recipe! My husband isn’t much of a breakfast person, but after he agreed to try a bite, he wanted his own bowl. We both loved it and agreed it would make a great base for beans and greens, like you suggest.
Cadry
Oh, how nice!! I’m so glad to hear it. I make it all the time. It’s also really good with Field Roast breakfast sausages and maple syrup.
Chandra Nicole
Breakfast Polenta had never occurred to me. Seeing as how I’m more of a savory breakfast girl than sweet, this will be absolutely perfect! Thank you!
Katelyn Calautti
I’m excited to try this. It looks like a a great alternative to a Tofu Scramble (which I find always disappointing).
Amelia
Could this be made with premade tube polenta?
cadryskitchen
Unfortunately, this recipe couldn’t be made with pre made tube polenta. If you spread Easy Breakfast Polenta on a baking dish and let it cool and harden in the refrigerator for a few hours, it would have the same consistency as the tube version. Then you could use it in the same way that the tube version is used. (People often fry it and cover it in a marinara sauce or use it stacked in a polenta lasagna.)
luminousvegans
Polenta for breakfast…genius! Thanks for the recipe.
cadryskitchen
I hope you enjoy it!