What Can I Substitute for Polenta?

You're cooking polenta in stock or milk to serve soft, or to set in a tray then slice and grill.

• instant polenta — 100 g for every 100 g polenta
• semolina — 100 g for every 100 g polenta

Both have hard grains whose starch swells in hot liquid and then sets as it cools, so they cover the thickening role. Instant polenta keeps the corn flavour but needs only minutes, while semolina sets just as firmly but tastes of wheat and contains gluten.

You're stirring polenta into a batter for cornbread or corn muffins.

• instant polenta — 100 g for every 100 g polenta
• masa harina — 100 g for every 100 g polenta
• plain flour — 100 g for every 100 g polenta

Here polenta supplies the dry bulk, the sandy crumb and the corn flavour. Instant polenta covers all three, masa harina keeps the corn flavour but loses the grit, and plain flour only supplies bulk, giving a softer, muffin-like crumb.

You're baking an orange or lemon polenta cake, usually with almond meal already in the mix.

• semolina — 100 g for every 100 g polenta
• instant polenta — 100 g for every 100 g polenta
• almond meal — 100 g for every 100 g polenta

Semolina keeps the gritty texture these syrup-soaked cakes rely on, instant polenta gives a slightly finer version of the same cake, and extra almond meal keeps it gluten-free but makes it softer and moister with no crunch.

You're scattering polenta on a tray or peel so pizza or bread dough doesn't stick.

• semolina — 100 g for every 100 g polenta
• rice flour — 100 g for every 100 g polenta

The job is purely non-stick, so anything dry that doesn't soak into the dough works. Semolina rolls under the dough like polenta's grains, and rice flour stays dry on the surface without being absorbed.

You're pressing polenta onto fish, chicken or parboiled potatoes for a crisp fried or roasted crust.

• panko breadcrumbs — 250 ml for every 250 ml polenta
• semolina — 100 g for every 100 g polenta
• rice flour — 100 g for every 100 g polenta

Only the coating role matters here. Panko gives a lighter, flakier crunch, semolina gives the closest granular crust, and rice flour gives a thin, glassy crispness that suits gluten-free cooking.

You're serving a bowl of soft polenta as the main event, with butter and parmesan or under a ragù, and the sweet corn flavour is the point.

• instant polenta — 100 g for every 100 g polenta

Nothing really replaces it here.

Only another maize meal tastes of corn, and instant polenta is still polenta, just precooked. Semolina makes a fine porridge, but it tastes of wheat and is a different dish, so if you have no polenta of any kind, serve it with mash or pasta instead.

Instant polenta has turned into a stiff, gluey block in the pot.

Why: It was cooked for the time given for regular polenta, or with too little liquid, so the precooked starch overthickened.

Fix: Take it off the heat and whisk in hot stock, milk or water a little at a time until it loosens, then beat in butter or cheese, and next time follow the packet time of a few minutes.

Semolina porridge is full of hard lumps.

Why: The semolina was tipped into the liquid too quickly, so the outside of each clump gelled before the middle got wet.

Fix: Whisk hard over low heat, or blitz briefly with a stick blender, and next time pour it in a thin stream while whisking constantly.

Cornbread made with plain flour is tough, rubbery and tunnelled.

Why: Plain flour has gluten that polenta lacks, and mixing the batter well as you would with polenta developed that gluten.

Can't be fixed — next time: It can't be undone, so serve it warm with butter or turn it into stuffing or croutons, and next time fold the wet and dry together only until no dry flour shows.

A polenta cake made with almond meal is heavy, wet in the middle and sinks.

Why: Almond meal was measured by the cup, and because it is much lighter than polenta by volume, the cake ended up with too little dry bulk for the eggs and syrup.

Can't be fixed — next time: Bake it a little longer covered with foil if the centre is still raw, then serve it as a pudding with yoghurt, and next time weigh 100 g almond meal for every 100 g polenta.

Is polenta the same as cornmeal?

Largely yes, as both are dried, ground maize. Polenta is usually a medium to coarse yellow grind, while US cornmeal comes in fine, medium and coarse grades, so choose medium or coarse cornmeal when a recipe wants polenta's grainy texture.

Can I use cornflour instead of polenta?

No, because Australian cornflour is a fine starch rather than ground maize meal. It turns into a glossy, gluey paste when cooked and makes cornbread gummy, and some brands are made from wheat.

Is polenta gluten-free?

Yes, maize contains no gluten, so plain polenta is naturally gluten-free. If you are cooking for someone with coeliac disease, check the packet for a gluten-free label or a may-contain warning, as some is milled alongside wheat.

Can I use instant polenta instead of regular polenta?

Yes, it swaps in at the same weight in cakes, cornbread and soft or set polenta. The difference is cooking time: it needs only the few minutes on the packet, and cooking it for the 30–45 minutes a regular recipe gives will make it stiff and gluey.

How many grams is a tablespoon of polenta?

An Australian tablespoon holds about 13 g of polenta, while a UK, New Zealand, US or Canadian tablespoon holds about 10 g. The difference comes from the Australian tablespoon being 20 ml rather than 15 ml, so if you are using an overseas recipe for dusting or coating, level a smaller spoonful or weigh it.

Can I use semolina instead of polenta in a polenta cake?

Yes, semolina keeps the gritty texture at the same weight and soaks up syrup in a similar way. The cake will be paler and taste of wheat rather than corn, and it will no longer be gluten-free.