How many calories in polenta
A portion of soft polenta has about 180 kcal, with 4 g of protein.
Portion
To burn it off
Polenta is cornmeal stirred into boiling water with salt until it sets. In Romania it's mămăligă, served next to sarmale, stews and fried eggs, and in northern Italy it's polenta.
A plain portion is 180 kcal, with 38 g of carbs, 4 g of protein and 1 g of fat. On its own it's one of the lightest sides you can put on a plate.
What goes on it changes the count. In Romania that's often sour cream and salty cheese, in Italy butter and parmesan, so count those on top.
Tips
- 1Have it soft with a stew and let the sauce do the work, no butter needed.
- 2Pick one topping, the cheese or the sour cream, not both.
- 3Leftovers set firm, slice them and grill them instead of frying.
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a portion of polenta
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Questions
Is polenta the same as mămăligă?
Pretty much. Both are cornmeal cooked in water, mămăligă is the Romanian name and is often made a little firmer.
Is polenta high in fat?
No, a plain portion has about 1 g. The fat comes from the butter, cheese or cream you add.
How many calories in two portions of polenta?
About 360 kcal, before anything goes on top.
Is polenta gluten free?
Cornmeal has no gluten, so plain polenta is naturally gluten free. Check the pack if you're coeliac, some is made where wheat is handled.
What is bulz?
A Romanian way with mămăligă: a ball of it wrapped around salty cheese, then baked or grilled until the cheese melts. That's polenta plus cheese, so it's well above a plain portion.
