Recipes Side Dish Grain Side Dish Recipes Polenta Recipes Baked Pumpkin Polenta 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews 1 Photo Chef John's baked pumpkin polenta gives a savory pumpkin twist to polenta prepared in an interesting, visually appealing, baked form. It is so soft and creamy inside a crust that holds its shape, subtly sweet and earthy. By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on October 4, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 1 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr Refrigerate Time: 3 hrs Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins Servings: 8 Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 5 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional) 1/4 cup milk 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese 2/3 cup grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese Directions Add olive oil to a saucepan set over medium-high heat; add butter, and heat until melted. Toss in sage leaves and fry until they are dark green and have stopped bubbling, 20 to 30 seconds. Turn off the heat; remove sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Fried sage leaves can be stored in the refrigerator and used to garnish the tops later. Add pumpkin to the pan, pour in water, and turn heat to high. Whisk and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. With mixture boiling, slowly sprinkle in cornmeal, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cornmeal is creamy, soft, and no longer gritty, about 25 minutes. Turn off heat; add cayenne, milk, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Whisk thoroughly until evenly combined. Generously grease a 9x9-inch cake pan with olive oil; spread polenta evenly into the pan. Let cool to room temperature. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Invert cold, firm polenta onto a cutting board and cut into 8 equal portions. Transfer to a lined baking sheet, and top each piece with grated Monterey Jack cheese. Sprinkle tops with paprika or cayenne, if desired. Bake in the preheated oven until polenta is heated through, and the edges are turning golden-brown, about 30 minutes. Garnish tops with fried sage and serve. John Mitzewich I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 277 Calories 16g Fat 25g Carbs 11g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 277 % Daily Value * Total Fat 16g 20% Saturated Fat 7g 37% Cholesterol 33mg 11% Sodium 679mg 30% Total Carbohydrate 25g 9% Dietary Fiber 3g 12% Total Sugars 2g Protein 11g 21% Vitamin C 2mg 3% Calcium 268mg 21% Iron 2mg 10% Potassium 232mg 5% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.