Soft Polenta with Ricotta and Tomato
Creamy polenta topped with ricotta and a spoonful of mild tomato sauce. A soft, simple vegetarian dinner for toddlers.
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total
- 25 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- easy
Polenta cooked soft and creamy is an easy canvas for a toddler meal, and ricotta folds into it easily for a mild, cheesy dinner that needs almost no chewing.
Give the tomato a short simmer on its own first. It mellows the acidity that a raw or barely cooked tomato sauce can carry, which some toddlers notice more than adults do.
If your little one is still earlier in the journey, start with our Baby's First Foods guide.
Part of our 20 toddler meal ideas list.
method
Bring the water or milk to a gentle boil in a saucepan.
Whisk in the polenta in a steady stream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Lower the heat and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes for instant polenta, or longer per the package for a regular variety, until thick and smooth.
Stir in the butter.
Simmer the crushed tomatoes in a separate small pan for 10 minutes to mellow their acidity, with no added salt.
Spoon the warm polenta into bowls, top with a spoonful of ricotta and a little of the tomato sauce.
Stir everything together and cool to a safe warm temperature before serving.
chef's tips
- Polenta thickens fast once it is cooked, and tends to hold heat in the center, so stir it well and check the temperature carefully before serving.
- Simmering the tomato sauce briefly mellows its natural acidity, which some toddlers find sharp when it is used raw or barely cooked.
- Ricotta is a gentle, mild cheese that blends easily into warm polenta, which makes this a good option if your toddler is still adjusting to new textures.
- This reheats well with a splash of milk stirred in, since polenta firms up considerably once it cools.