Harissa Polenta with Mushrooms and Asparagus
Brighten up your table with harissa polenta with roasted mushrooms and asparagus! The warm, subtle spice of harissa-infused polenta elevates the savory mushrooms and asparagus in this visually stunning dish.
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 2 medium bowls
Ingredients
Polenta ingredients
- 1 cup polenta
- 4 cups water divided
- ½ - 2 teaspoons harissa to taste (see Note)
Roasted vegetable ingredients
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus approximately 1 pound; cut into 1-inch pieces (see Frequently asked questions)
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium tamari
Optional
- microgreens for garnish
- cracked black pepper
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the vegetables: In a medium bowl, toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon tamari. In a separate medium bowl, toss asparagus pieces with 1 teaspoon tamari.
- Make the polenta: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the polenta and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add 1 more cup of water and the harissa (see Note). Whisk until the harissa is fully dissolved. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the polenta does not stick to the pot. Remove from heat and cover for at least 5 minutes.
- Roast the vegetables: Spread tamari-coated mushrooms onto half of the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Add the asparagus to the other half of the baking sheet next to the mushrooms and return the baking sheet to the oven for another 10 minutes or until the mushrooms and asparagus are fork-tender. Thicker asparagus stems may require 12 to 15 minutes in the oven.
- Serve: Stir the polenta and spoon into a bowl. Top with the mushrooms and asparagus. Garnish with microgreens (optional). Add cracked black pepper and salt to taste, if desired.
Notes
- Premade harissa can vary widely in terms of spiciness, so consider adding it incrementally, tasting as you go, to ensure you are comfortable with the spice level.
- Leftover asparagus stalks may be frozen in a freezer-safe container and used in vegetable stock.