One-Pan Sausage & Creamy Polenta with Blistered Tomatoes and Corn

Serves 4 · 12 min prep · 28 min cook

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage links
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
• 2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup instant polenta
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. 1Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then the sausage links. Brown on all sides for 6 to 8 minutes until deeply golden. Transfer sausages to a cutting board.
2. 2In the same pan, add the diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until translucent and starting to brown at the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. 3Add the corn kernels and cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes until the tomatoes blister and begin to burst and the corn picks up light char. Season with salt and the red pepper flakes.
4. 4Pour in the chicken broth and milk. Bring the liquid to a lively simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. 5While whisking constantly, rain in the polenta in a steady stream. Continue whisking for 1 to 2 minutes to prevent lumps, then reduce heat to medium-low.
6. 6Simmer the polenta, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 7 minutes until thick, creamy, and pulling away from the sides of the pan.
7. 7Slice the browned sausages into thick coins on the bias. Stir the butter, most of the parmesan, remaining salt, and black pepper into the polenta until silky.
8. 8Nestle the sausage slices into the polenta. Spoon the blistered tomato-corn mixture over the top. Cover and let everything warm together for 2 minutes off the heat.
9. 9Uncover, scatter torn basil and the remaining parmesan over the skillet. Serve family-style straight from the pan while the polenta is still molten and the tomatoes are juicy.