Pumpkin polenta cups with crispy bacon are a must-serve side dish to serve this fall.
Polenta is simmered in a pot of salted water and then salty parmesan cheese, unsalted butter and pumpkin puree are whisked in until the cheese is melty. These pumpkin polenta cups are then garnished with greens for some freshness, crispy bacon for some saltiness and sliced almonds for some texture. These polenta cups are the perfect appetizer or recipe for your next get together. They are warming, hearty and super delicious!
Happy Saturday everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend so far and you are getting ready for those college football games! I know that’s exactly what I’m doing! Now that we are officially moved into our new home (woo!), I finally am getting back into the groove of things. Packing has been a less than ideal necessity, but it hasn’t been as bad as I thought. I am very thankful for the fact that Zach and I live very simply and don’t own a lot of things!
So onto the point of my posting an actual recipe (and not just a weekly menu plan) on a Saturday. Today is a very special day. First of all, we are celebrating the baby shower of one of my favorite people on the planet: Meg from With Salt and Wit! We will get into that in a minute, however. Let’s talk about these pumpkin polenta cups with crispy bacon first. It’s super hard for me to resist anything dealing with polenta. It’s by far one of my favorite dishes, and it is not an uncommon occurrence to find me eating it for all meals of the day! I love to jazz up polenta, and with pumpkin ruling the world right now, it was just the thing I needed! These pumpkin polenta cups are super special you guys. You must try them!
Now, let’s talk about the REASON behind these pumpkin polenta cups! Today, a handful of very special bloggers and I have gotten together to celebrate Megan from With Salt and Wit! She is having a baby boy and we are so SUPER excited about it, that we have all created a recipe that celebrates fall! If you have yet to check out Meg’s website, please do! She makes some of the tastiest dishes on the internet.
Below you will find links to all of the other recipes. Click through and try them out! I know that’s exactly what I will be doing all weekend! Help us celebrate Meg today, and have a wonderful weekend! xo
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip– The Cookie Rookie
Butternut Squash, Pear and Ricotta Bruschetta– Floating Kitchen
No Churn Pumpkin Caramel Ice Cream– Pumpkin n’ Spice
Pumpkin Pie Fluff Dip – A Latte Food
Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins -Dinner at the Zoo
Pumpkin Polenta Cups– Cooking and Beer
Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast– Whole and Heavenly Oven
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast– The Weary Chef
Turkey Cranberry Sandwich– The Gunny Sack
Caramel Apple Mini Pie Cups– The Creative Bite
Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee Cake– Joyful Healthy Eats
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread – Deliciously Sprinkled
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting– Chez Catey Lou
Apple Cheesecake French Toast with Cider Maple Syrup– Mariah’s Pleasing Plates
Pear Pie with Pecan Streusel– The First Year
Apple Pie Rolls– Amy’s Healthy Baking
No Bake Apple Pie Bites– The Recipe Runner
Pumpkin Pie Mousse– Petite Allergy Treats
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars– Diary of a Recipe Collector
Cranberry Apple Cider Punch– Diethood
Pumpkin Polenta Cups (plus a virtual baby shower!)
Servings:
6 -8Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups polenta or corn grits
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 8 strips of fully cooked crispy bacon chopped
- 1 cups mixed greens
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- To a stock pot, add the water and salt. Bring to a boil and then whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes or until the polenta is cooked through and the water has been absorbed. Stir in the butter, parmesan cheese and pumpkin puree. Stir until the cheese has melted
- Portion the polenta out to 6-8 equal sized small bowls. Garnish with greens, bacon and almonds.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
19 Responses
Oh my goodness! WHAT have you girls done?! I am so flattered and beyond hungry! I adoreeeee polenta too and would have never though to add pumpkin but I know exactly what I am doing next with it! And bacon…thats a given :)
You girls are so sweet and can’t wait until one day we can all meet and enjoy some tasty food in person ;) XOXO
I love polenta and it sounds so deliciously rich with the pumpkin! Pinning :)
I just love polenta! I could eat it three times a day. This fall twist is perfection! Oh and I still haven’t finished unpacking and I moved in June. I’m the worst at being an adult sometimes!
Gahhh these polenta cups look SO good! That crispy bacon on top is perfection :)