Out of Cornmeal, one case

Can you substitute polenta for cornmeal?

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Dry polenta (coarse cornmeal)

1 cup for every cup of cornmeal

Yes: dry polenta is coarse-ground yellow cornmeal, so use 1 cup for each cup of cornmeal. Because the grind is coarser, cornbread and muffins come out grittier and more crumbly unless you soak the polenta in the recipe's milk or buttermilk for 10 to 15 minutes, or pulse it finer first. The cooked polenta sold in a tube is not a substitute.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: For baking, soak it in the recipe's milk or buttermilk for 10 to 15 minutes before mixing, or pulse it in a blender or food processor until it looks like coarse sand.
Best for —: cornbread and corn muffins
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full cornmeal card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Cornmeal substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 cup cornmeal	Verdict
1	Dry polenta (coarse cornmeal)cornbread and corn muffins	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
2	Instant polentadusting and breading	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
3	Corn gritsbreading and dusting	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
4	Corn flourcornbread and muffins with a soft, cake-like crumb	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
5	Semolinadusting a pizza peel or baking stone	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Cooked polenta (tube)	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Dry polenta (coarse cornmeal)

the same corn flavor, with more crunch

A bag labeled polenta holds medium- to coarse-ground yellow cornmeal. It is the same ingredient in a larger grind, with the same corn flavor.

Best for: cornbread and corn muffins, dusting a pizza peel or a loaf, breading fish, chicken or okra for frying, cornmeal mush and porridge
Prep: For baking, soak it in the recipe's milk or buttermilk for 10 to 15 minutes before mixing, or pulse it in a blender or food processor until it looks like coarse sand.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Tender cakes, cookies and pancakes, which bake too quickly to soften a coarse grain and come out gritty.

Corn has no gluten of its own. If that matters to you, check the bag, because some polenta is milled alongside wheat.

Instant polenta

milder corn flavor

Polenta that has been cooked and dried, then ground fairly fine. It takes up liquid much faster than raw cornmeal.

Best for: dusting and breading, cornbread, when it is the only bag in the house
Prep: Mix the batter and bake it right away; it thickens as it stands.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Cornbread comes out softer and denser, without the crunch of raw cornmeal.

Corn grits

corn flavor; hominy grits taste milder and slightly mineral

Grits are also ground dried corn, usually coarser than polenta. Stone-ground grits are the closest to coarse cornmeal.

Best for: breading and dusting, cornbread, after soaking
Prep: Soak in the recipe's liquid for at least 15 minutes, or pulse finer first.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Instant grits, which are precooked and flavored for the bowl. Unsoaked grits stay hard in a quick bake.

Corn flour

the same corn flavor, smooth

Whole corn ground as fine as wheat flour. It gives the corn flavor with none of the grit.

Best for: cornbread and muffins with a soft, cake-like crumb, pancakes and waffles
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Dusting a pizza peel and crisp breading, where the coarse grains are the point.

In British recipes, cornflour means cornstarch, which is not a swap for cornmeal.

Semolina

mild and wheaty; no corn flavor

Coarse-ground durum wheat with the same sandy texture as cornmeal. It replaces the texture, not the corn flavor.

Best for: dusting a pizza peel or baking stone, breading for frying
Contains: wheat, gluten
Where it fails: Cornbread, where corn is the flavor. It is wheat, so it does not suit a gluten-free kitchen.

Cooked polenta (tube)

The shelf-stable log of polenta is cornmeal that has already been cooked with water and set.

Best for: nothing in place of dry cornmeal; slice it and fry or grill it as a side
Where it fails: It is mostly water. It cannot be measured as a dry ingredient, it will not coat food for frying, and stirred into batter it makes cornbread gummy.

Tips for substituting cornmeal

5 tips

Cornbread: stir 1 cup of polenta into the recipe's buttermilk or milk and let it stand 10 to 15 minutes before adding the rest. The grains soften and the crumb holds together better.
To turn coarse polenta into a medium grind, pulse 1 cup at a time in a blender or food processor until it looks like coarse sand.
Dusting and breading: use polenta straight from the bag in the same amount. The crust is crunchier than with fine cornmeal.
Read the label. Plain polenta lists only corn. If it says instant, quick-cooking or precooked, it absorbs liquid faster and bakes up softer.
Bake cornbread for the time the recipe gives and test with a toothpick. The coarser grind does not change the baking time.

Questions

5 questions

Is polenta the same as cornmeal?

Polenta is the name of the cooked Italian dish, and a bag sold as polenta is medium- to coarse-ground yellow cornmeal made for it. Regular cornmeal is usually ground finer. They are the same ingredient in different grinds, which is why they swap cup for cup.

Can I substitute polenta for cornmeal in cornbread?

Yes, cup for cup. Soak the polenta in the recipe's milk or buttermilk for 10 to 15 minutes first, or pulse it finer, or the cornbread comes out gritty and crumbly. With that step, the result is a slightly coarser, crunchier cornbread with the same flavor.

Can I use instant polenta instead of cornmeal?

Yes for dusting and breading. In cornbread it works in the same amount, but instant polenta is precooked, so it soaks up liquid quickly and gives a softer, denser crumb with less crunch. Bake the batter as soon as it is mixed.

Can I use polenta from a tube instead of cornmeal?

No. Tube polenta is already cooked and is mostly water, so it cannot replace a dry ingredient in a batter or a breading. Slice it and pan-fry or grill it instead.

Can I use cornmeal to make polenta, the other way around?

Yes. Medium- or coarse-ground cornmeal makes good polenta. Fine cornmeal cooks faster and gives a smoother, softer porridge that can turn pasty, so stir it well and expect a different texture.