Turn simple polenta into Polenta Concia, a baked northern Italian main from Lombardia with Gorgonzola, Fontina, Parmigiano Reggiano, and butter.
I was born and grew up in Milano, a place famous for polenta, like many other areas in Northern Italy. That said, you all know my family is Sicilian, so polenta wasn’t a staple in my house, even though we did eat it occasionally.
Polenta Concia is a rich Northern Italian dish made with soft polenta, butter, and melted cheese. There are many versions of it across Italy, especially in areas on or near the Alps, where each region uses the local cheese it produces.
Even though polenta wasn’t something we ate every week at home, it’s always been one of my favourite northern Italian dishes. I enjoy it with pork ragù or cassoeula, and it’s also delicious on its own.
For this recipe, I finally decided to make Polenta Concia at home, a dish I’d often eaten in restaurants but never cooked myself.
It’s very typical of Lombardia, the region where I grew up. This version uses mainly Gorgonzola, a cheese from Lombardia and my all-time favourite, along with Fontina, Parmigiano Reggiano, and butter.
It comes out creamy, rich, and wonderfully cheesy, exactly the kind of Northern Italian comfort food I always enjoy. Enjoy!
Why We Love Polenta Concia
- Works as a filling meat-free main, especially when you want something more substantial than a simple vegetable dish.
- Gives a good make-ahead option for busy meals because it can be assembled before baking.
- Uses cheeses with different textures, giving the dish a creamy centre and a more savoury finish.
Key Ingredients for Polenta Concia
Polenta
Polenta gives this dish its soft, creamy texture and mild corn flavour. Instant polenta is practical, but regular polenta also works if you prefer a more traditional texture.
Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola brings the distinctive Lombard flavour to Polenta Concia. Use Gorgonzola dolce for a creamier, milder taste, or Gorgonzola piccante if you prefer a sharper cheese.
Fontina or Fontal Cheese
Fontina or fontal cheese gives the dish its smooth, melty cheese layer. Use thin slices and trim away any firm rind, since softer pieces melt more evenly between the polenta layers.
Butter
Adds richness and helps make the polenta taste softer and rounder. Use good-quality butter because its flavour comes through clearly.
Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano adds a savoury, salty finish. Grating it finely helps it blend more evenly with the other cheeses.
Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Polenta Concia
Step 1: Cook the polenta according to the package instructions. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot with the extra virgin olive oil and salt, then gradually add the polenta while stirring. If using instant polenta, it should be ready in about 3 minutes. Add 60 g – 2 oz. butter and stir until melted.
Step 2: Grease a baking dish or 4 individual ovenproof dishes. Once the polenta is cooked, spread half of it evenly over the bottom of the dish.
Step 3: Add half the Gorgonzola, half the Fontina, and half the Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover with the remaining polenta, then top with the remaining cheese and melted butter.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C – 355°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown.
Step 5: Serve warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fontal cheese is a good substitute because it melts well. Taleggio or Toma can also work if you want another northern Italian-style cheese.
Use a whisk when adding the polenta to the boiling water, then switch to a wooden spoon once it thickens. This helps prevent lumps and gives the polenta a smoother texture before layering it with the cheeses.
Yes, but the flavour will be milder. Use more Fontina, Toma, or Taleggio if you prefer a version without Gorgonzola.
Serve Polenta Concia with pork ragù, cassoeula, sausages, slow-cooked beef, rich stews, or sautéed mushrooms. A simple green salad also works well if you want something lighter on the side.
Yes, you can sprinkle a little extra Parmigiano Reggiano on top before serving. Chopped parsley or a small amount of fresh sage also works if you want a simple finish.
Extra Help from the Kitchen
Cut the Cheese Evenly – Slice the Fontina and cut the Gorgonzola into small cubes for even melting during baking.
Work While the Polenta Is Hot – Assemble the layers as soon as the polenta is cooked because it thickens quickly as it cools.
Use a Shallow Dish – Choose a shallow ovenproof dish so the cheese melts evenly through the polenta and the top heats through properly.
Avoid Overfilling Individual Dishes – Leave a little space at the top if using individual dishes, as the cheese and butter can bubble while baking.
Layer the Hot Polenta Promptly – Spread the hot polenta in the dish as soon as it’s cooked, since it thickens quickly as it cools.
Variations and Twists
Use Toma and Fontina – Replace the Gorgonzola with Toma and Fontina for a more Alpine-style Polenta Concia. These cheeses melt well and keep the flavour close to northern Italian versions.
Make It Valle d’Aosta Style – Use Italian Fontina, preferably Fontina Valdostana if available, as the main cheese in place of Gorgonzola. It melts smoothly into the polenta and gives the dish a more traditional Alpine-style flavour.
Use Milk for a Creamier Polenta – Replace 450 ml – about 2 cups of the water with milk before cooking the polenta. This gives the dish a softer texture and a richer flavour without making it too heavy.
Try Polenta Taragna – Use a cornmeal and buckwheat polenta mix for a darker, more rustic Lombard-style variation. It works especially well with butter and melting cheeses such as Fontina, Toma, or Taleggio.
Finish with Sage Butter – Melt the butter with sage before spooning it over the polenta. This gives the dish a simple northern Italian butter-and-sage finish.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store leftover Polenta Concia in an airtight container in the fridge once it has cooled completely, and eat it within 2 to 3 days. Don’t leave it at room temperature for long because it contains butter and cheese.
Freezing isn’t ideal, as polenta can release water and the cheese may change texture after thawing, but you can freeze portions in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months if needed. Thaw overnight in the fridge and use within 24 hours.
Reheat covered in an ovenproof dish at 160°C – 320°F until hot throughout. For individual portions, warm in the microwave with a small splash of water if the polenta feels too firm.
More Italian Mains to Serve with Polenta
Polenta Concia Recipe
Ingredients
- 450 g – 15 oz polenta – I used instant polenta
- 1.8 l – 7.5 cups water
- 300 g – 10.5 oz gorgonzola – cut into pieces
- 150 g – 5.25 oz fontina or fontal cheese – sliced
- 60 g – 2 oz butter – sliced
- 30 g – 1 oz butter – melted
- 70 g – 2.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano – finely grated
- 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – to cook the polenta
- salt – to taste
Instructions
- Cook the polenta according to the package instructions. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot with the extra virgin olive oil and salt, then gradually add the polenta while stirring. If using instant polenta, it should be ready in about 3 minutes. Add 60 g – 2 oz. butter and stir until melted.
- Grease a baking dish or 4 individual ovenproof dishes. Once the polenta is cooked, spread half of it evenly over the bottom of the dish.
- Add half the Gorgonzola, half the Fontina, and half the Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover with the remaining polenta, then top with the remaining cheese and melted butter.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C – 355°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown.
- Serve warm.
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I remember helping my grand mother making this as my grandparents were from Dorio (Northern Italy). She would foam butter with a great deal of garlic then layer in a very large tan bowl, the polenta, Teleme cheese (very soft Monterey cheese), then a spoonful of the butter/garlic, sprinkle Parmesan cheese and continue in this manner until all ingredients were used….Place the bowl in the oven (wood stove) to let it all melt together As a matter of fact she would also do the same thing with cooked rice.
I adore polenta and cheese and this looks like heaven in a bowl! Making it this weekend and will eat it snuggled in a blanket in front of the fire. 🙂
Made this last night. It was fabulous!
Yeah!! I am so glad you liked it! It is one of my favourite recipes for polenta! 🙂
Can this dish be made earlier in the day? If so, how many hours ahead? Will the texture of the polenta change?
Thanks for help.
Hi Liza! Yes, it can be made in advance… you can even prepare it the night before and then bake it at lunch. The polenta may harden a bit, but it will soften again when you bake it (though it will not be as creamy as when you first made it). The taste will be 100% the same. Hope it helps! 🙂
Non conoscevo la Polenta Concia, in casa mia sempre la facevamo col merluzzo, la tua mi é piaciuto moltissimo, avrai qualsiasi ricetta della reggione Veneta come qualche variante del rissotto.
Saluti.
Ciao Diego! Che buona la polenta col merluzzo! 🙂 Ho qualche ricetta di risotto sul sito… trovi tutte le foto delle mie ricette nel mio Visual Archive: http://www.manusmenu.com/recipes/visual-archive Fammi sapere! Buona giornata! 🙂
This looks yummy! I cannot wait to try this.
Manu I saw your pictures on the forum and my only thought was …I wish I had a spoon and could dive into one of those amazing plates!
Bookmarked to try real real soon
cheesy polenta is a favorite around here. Your’s looks fabulous!
I also love polenta and we eat it often, both in it’s softer form as a base for a ragu or similar or in a more firm version so it can be shaped for something a little more sophisticated. I lived in Torino when I was in Italy – not far from your home town. The Duomo there is one of my favourite buildings in the world.
You made this look great. I like cornmeal but do not seem to have many guests who do. If it looked like this, I think they would change their mind.
Your polenta looks so good. I love that cheese topping.
Yum, this looks just fantastic! Definitely on my to-cook list! 🙂
that looks really good. I also tried to make polenta concia, it’s not exactly the same as what you did (actually your pics on the forum were my inspiration), but it’s close and tasted very nice, i am sure I’ll try it again, and then maybe your variant!
There is absolutely nothing not to love in this dish. I love that last ooey gooey cheesey photo.
Polenta, butter and cheese – I don’t think that combination can be beat! This looks just so gooey, cheesy and wonderful! BTW – I know you love spicy chile so you might want to check out my DCC recipe. 🙂
Well, trust me to be different again !! I LOVE polenta, but never cook it unless I have time for ‘the whole bit’: what I first learned, take it from the very beginning and stir, stir, stir! To me the process is almost therapeutic, standing at the stove meditating! And the more love I can put into the dish: the better it seems to taste?
I think I’ve pinned most of your blog LOL This polenta is no exception – it looks and sounds unbelievable!
I love polenta…and you made this dish amazingly delicious Manu! Great recipe and mouthwatering pictures!!!!
My family, including me of course, loves polenta, and cooked in the oven with cheese is our favorite. I never try with gorgonzola, but sounds terrific, so nexy time I will add it.
Whoa, that looks so incredible. Got to try it. I’ve made polenta lots of times, but this version is coming up, soon.
I have always used the ready-made polenta in the large plastic tube. You make this look so easy, I’m going to give it a try!
I tried it!!!!! Just today for lunch but with different cheese because my mom is not a big fan of cheese… actually it´s fair to say she is 100% anti-cheese person! Anyway, LOVED it!!! Yummy yummy in my tummy!… also had a bit of toasted polenta with fried salami!!
YAY!!! So glad you liked it! And the toasted polenta sounds great too… I sometimes fry it… yum!!! 🙂