Polenta e Ragù (Soft Polenta with Slow Cooked Ragu)
Creamy golden polenta with a generous spoonful of ragu on top, a comforting northern Italian dinner that is naturally gluten free.
Made with Slow cooked ragu. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.51 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Warm your ready made ragu (see the base recipe) in a pan with 3 tbsp water over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until it is bubbling and steaming hot all the way through. Keep it on a very low heat.
9 min - 2
Bring the water to the boil in a large, deep pan. Add the salt.
- 3
Whisk in the polenta in a thin stream, whisking all the time so it does not form lumps. Turn the heat down low.
- 4
Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 5 to 8 minutes, or as the packet says, until it is thick and smooth and pulls away from the pan. It will spit, so stir with a long spoon.
7 min - 5
Stir in 2 tbsp of the oil and the pepper. Taste and add salt if needed. If it gets too stiff, loosen it with a splash of hot water.
- 6
Spoon the polenta into warm bowls, make a well in the middle and ladle over the ragu. Drizzle with the remaining oil and scatter with parsley.
Tips
- Whisk the polenta in slowly, rain-like, and keep whisking. Dumping it in at once makes lumps.
- Serve straight away. Polenta sets firm as it cools, so keep it covered and loosen with hot water if it stiffens.
- Olive oil makes a silky, dairy free finish. Grated Parmesan stirred in at the end is traditional if you can eat dairy.
Storing and freezing
Polenta is best fresh. Cool leftover ragu and polenta within 90 minutes and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Set polenta can be sliced and fried or grilled. Reheat until steaming hot, once only.
Questions
Is polenta gluten free?
Polenta is made from maize, so it is naturally gluten free. Some brands are packed in factories that also handle wheat, so check the label for a gluten free mark if you have coeliac disease.
Can I use instant or quick cook polenta?
Yes, and it is what this recipe uses. It cooks in about 5 to 8 minutes. Traditional coarse polenta tastes slightly nuttier but needs 40 to 50 minutes of stirring.
What if I have leftover set polenta?
Cut it into slices and fry or grill them until golden. They are lovely with ragu spooned over, or on their own as a side.
More made with slow cooked ragu
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.