Vegan Baked Polenta With Mushrooms

Can we please talk about how much I love savory pies? This vegan baked polenta pie has everything going for it flavor wise. It’s creamy, earthy, and soooooo delcious. The pie only takes about an hour to prepare, which makes it the perfect brunch dish! Add a simple green salad on the side, and you have a nice, light lunch or dinner. I love making dishes like this because it really highlights what is possible with plant based food. Why bother with cheese when you can get all of the creamy satisfaction with cashews?

 I’ve been thinking about this vegan baked polenta recipe for several weeks now. I knew I wanted to use mushrooms, because polenta and mushrooms are a winning combination for sure! I picked up some fresh sage at the store and decided to add homemade cashew cream for an extra layer of flavor and creaminess. It’s super easy to make (takes less than five minutes), and if you make a large batch, you can have leftovers for just about any savory vegan dish you can imagine! Stuffed mushrooms, breakfast burritos, there is literally nothing that cashew cream won’t make better.

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 4 1/2 cups filtered water
• 1 1/2 cups course ground corn meal
• 1 lb mushrooms (I used baby portobellos)
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, divided
• 6 tablespoons cashew cream, divided (recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 3/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• cracked pepper to taste

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. First of all, start by celebrating! This vegan baked polenta is so good, it deserves its own party.
2. Next, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Add the cornmeal in a slow stream, whisking. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the dried sage. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until very thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the nutritional yeast and 2 tablespoons cashew cream.
3. Meanwhile, butter an 8-by-12-inch baking dish. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on moderately high heat. Add half the shallots and onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh sage and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Remove. 
4. Pour the polenta into a pie dish and spread in an even layer. In the center of the pie, spread 4 tablespoons of cashew cream evenly to make a wide circle. Top the cream with a neat pile of mushrooms. You may have leftovers. 
5. Pop the vegan baked polenta in the oven for 15 minutes. When it’s done, top with 1 tablespoon fresh sage for garnish and let set for five minutes. Serve immediately or let cool completely before putting it in the fridge.

[/directions]

[ingredients title=”Cashew Cream”]

• 1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours then drained
• 3/4 cup filtered water
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Mix for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and process again until smooth and creamy.
2. Use immediately or store in a covered container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

[/directions]

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From vegan baked polenta to vegan stuffed mushrooms, we will show you how to make delicious plant based meals that taste so good, you won’t even miss dairy. You can check us out here!

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