Welcome to Plan n Cook — plan meals, shop once, cook with less stress.

Home kitchen plans

Soft Polenta & Mushroom Bowl With Walnut-Kale Pesto

Soft Polenta & Mushroom Bowl With Walnut-Kale Pesto

Cuisine:World

Course:Sauce

20m prep 35m cook 55m ready

A hearty bowl featuring creamy polenta, sautéed mushrooms, and a vibrant walnut-kale pesto. Perfect for a spring dinner.

Ingredients

Servings:

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

Estimated based off 15 of 21 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).

Energy
559 cal
Protein
10.1 g
Carbohydrate
36.1 g
Fiber
6.29 g
Sugars
5.16 g
Sodium
71.8 mg
Total fat
45.8 g
Saturated fat
5.88 g
Monounsaturated fat
29.9 g
Polyunsaturated fat
8.11 g
Vitamins & minerals
  • Calcium: 225 mg
  • Iron: 3.64 mg
  • Magnesium: 84.9 mg
  • Phosphorus: 235 mg
  • Potassium: 986 mg
  • Zinc: 1.78 mg

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    In a medium pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon sea salt, then slowly pour in 1 cup polenta while stirring constantly. Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is soft and creamy.

  2. Step 2.

    While the polenta cooks, soak 2 tablespoons raw walnuts in water for 30 minutes. Then rinse and drain the walnuts.

  3. Step 3.

    In a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Add 2 cups chopped mushrooms, a pinch of sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are browned and tender. Turn off the heat.

  4. Step 4.

    While the mushrooms cook, make the pesto: In a blender or food processor, combine the drained walnuts, ¼ cup stemmed and roughly chopped kale, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, a pinch of sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Blend on high for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

  5. Step 5.

    Assemble each bowl: Divide the cooked polenta, sautéed mushrooms, 2½ cups thinly sliced spinach, ½ cup diced tomato, and 2 tablespoons diced red onion between two bowls. Top each with a dollop of the walnut-kale pesto and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Ratings & reviews

Have you made this? Take a moment and let us know what you think. Sign in to leave a rating.

Get weekly meal ideas

Fresh recipes and planning tips from Plan n Cook.

Plan a week

Drop recipes onto breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day.

One grocery list

Ingredients combined and scaled to your household servings.

Cook from recipes

Browse the library and public kitchens when you need inspiration.

Keep your kitchen

Save favorites, pantry items, and meal plans in one place.