Description
This Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta with Ratatouille is a comforting and flavorful dish combining rich, creamy polenta with a vibrant baked vegetable ratatouille. The goat cheese adds a tangy creaminess to the polenta, while the ratatouille features tender, oven-roasted seasonal vegetables with fresh herbs. Toasted pine nuts and fresh basil finish the dish with delightful texture and aroma, perfect for a hearty vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Ratatouille
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 1 small globe eggplant, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1 medium yellow squash, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1 yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 4 Roma tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
Polenta
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 cups whole milk, plus more as needed
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1½ cups stone-ground polenta or yellow cornmeal
- 8 ounces goat cheese (divided: 6 ounces for stirring into polenta, 2 ounces for topping)
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, minced
Instructions
- Prepare the Ratatouille Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F and place a rack in the center. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Rub the cut sides of the garlic clove all over the bottom and sides of the dish to infuse flavor, then discard the garlic.
- Prepare the Vegetables: On a clean surface, lay out the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion slices. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with garlic powder, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss lightly to evenly coat each piece.
- Arrange the Vegetables: In the baking dish, arrange the vegetable slices in a circular, alternating pattern, working from the outer edge toward the center. Scatter the fresh thyme leaves evenly over the vegetables.
- Bake the Ratatouille: Cover the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized.
- Cook the Polenta: While the ratatouille bakes, combine the chicken or vegetable stock, whole milk, kosher salt, and black pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Slowly whisk in the stone-ground polenta to avoid lumps.
- Simmer the Polenta: Stir the polenta frequently to prevent sticking, cooking until it thickens and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Incorporate Goat Cheese: Stir 6 ounces of goat cheese into the hot polenta until creamy and smooth. If the polenta is too thick, add additional milk a little at a time until desired creaminess is achieved.
- Plate and Garnish: Divide the creamy polenta evenly among six bowls. Spoon a generous portion of the ratatouille over the top. Crumble the remaining goat cheese over each serving and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and minced fresh basil leaves for a fragrant finish.
Notes
- You can use vegetable stock to keep this dish vegetarian or chicken stock for added richness.
- Stone-ground polenta provides the best texture; avoid instant polenta if possible.
- For a thinner polenta consistency, gradually add warm milk while stirring the polenta.
- To toast pine nuts, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- This dish is naturally gluten free and vegetarian.
- Leftover ratatouille can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
