Breakfast
Corn to Be Wild: Creamy Polenta Breakfast Bowls

Creamy golden polenta is topped with garlicky white beans, blistered tomatoes and tender spinach for a bright, cosy breakfast that also works beautifully for lunch.
Grab this
- 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (398 mL) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 5 cups baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
Do this
- Bring the vegetable broth to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cook the polenta for 5 to 8 minutes, whisking often, until thick and creamy. Stir in the nutritional yeast and half of the olive oil, then cover and keep warm.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until blistered and beginning to burst.
- Add the garlic and beans to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently, until fragrant and warmed through.
- Add the spinach a handful at a time and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until wilted. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
- Divide the creamy polenta among four bowls. Spoon the tomato, bean and spinach mixture over top, finish with basil and serve right away.
Easy swaps
- Use regular polenta instead of quick-cooking polenta and follow the package cooking time; for gluten allergies, confirm the polenta and vegetable broth are certified gluten-free.
- Swap cannellini beans for chickpeas or cooked brown lentils.
- Replace nutritional yeast with 1 tablespoon white miso for savoury depth; miso contains soy, so omit it for a soy allergy.
- This recipe is naturally nut-free when made with a nut-free vegetable broth; always check packaged broth and nutritional yeast labels for cross-contact warnings.
Estimated per serving
Nutrition at a glance
- Calories
- 315
- Fat
- 5g
- Saturated fat
- 0.7g
- Carbohydrates
- 55g
- Fibre
- 10g
- Sugars
- 5g
- Protein
- 14g
- Sodium
- 480mg
The white beans, spinach and polenta provide a satisfying mix of plant protein and fibre; values are estimates and vary by brand and portion size.
Estimates vary with ingredient brands, substitutions and serving size.
Whatβs for dinner?

