On chilly mornings, nothing warms the bones like a bowlful of creamy vegan polenta. Dotted with sun-dried tomatoes, this soothing breakfast is good for easing into the day. It’s ready in just 10 minutes! Vegan & gluten-free.
Cold mornings require something hearty, warm, and cozy.
After shoveling the driveway, the only other thing I want to dig into is something infinitely lighter and more pillowy. Creamy vegan polenta, please.
The steps are simple. Sauté garlic, add vegetable broth, a handful of sun-dried tomatoes, a sprinkling of cheesy nutritional yeast flakes, and I’m ready to dig into a bowl.
One of the things that makes this breakfast so appealing is that it’s ready in just minutes.
The secret is using my favorite brand of polenta – De la Estancia. It’s not an instant polenta, but it cooks quickly because it’s a very fine grain.
(Update: De la Estancia polenta is no longer exporting to the United States, sadly. Roland fine grain polenta looks like it could be a good replacement. Or make vegan grits instead!)
While I’ve had polenta in restaurants many times, nothing competes with my own creamy polenta at home.
Usually polenta has a coarse, mealy texture that is reminiscent of Cream of Wheat. But this polenta has a texture that is closer to mashed potatoes.
It’s a food that just kind of envelopes you like a Grandma’s hug.
Breakfast polenta dotted with sun-dried tomatoes
The breakfast polenta includes a sweet, chewy smattering of sun-dried tomatoes. You can use the oil-packed variety from a jar. Just give them a rinse first to remove any excess oil and then give them a good chop.
Or you can buy bagged sun-dried tomatoes. Trader Joe’s sells sun-dried tomatoes that are already julienne sliced in a resealable bag. They don’t have to be rehydrated before use. They still have their moisture – like raisins or dried figs.
(If you only have the sun-dried tomatoes that need to be rehydrated first, that’s fine. Just make sure to give yourself some extra time to soak them before starting breakfast.)
This creamy vegan polenta breakfast is wonderful on its own – especially if you’re a savory breakfast lover like me.
However, if you need something even heartier, top it with black-eyed peas and collard greens or vegan pulled pork. It would also be beautiful alongside beer battered fried green tomatoes with sauce.
📖 Recipe
Creamy vegan polenta
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth or 2 cups water + ½ vegetable bouillon cube
- ⅔ cup fine grain polenta
- ¼ cup plain non-dairy milk
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes chopped small
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: Beans, sautéed greens, roasted vegetables, or cooked vegan breakfast sausage
Instructions
- Bring a small pot to a medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil, and sauté garlic. Once garlic is translucent and fragrant (about 3 minutes), add broth (or water and bouillon cube, if using). Bring broth to a boil.
- Once it has reached boiling, lower to a simmer and slowly add polenta, stirring constantly.
- Once polenta is thick and pulls from sides (about one minute), add plain non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast flakes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to combine, and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with any of the optional toppings.
Nutrition
Here are some more vegan polenta recipes I know you’ll love:
Polenta breakfast with Brussels sprouts & sausage
Vegan polenta stacks with barbecued squash & cashew cream
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!