Authentic Mămăligă (Romanian Polenta) Recipe

Mămăliga is a go-to dish for busy moms—it can be enjoyed as a quick, standalone meal by mixing it with cheese (telemea is a local favorite, but other cheeses work just as well) and serving it with sour cream. For a heartier option, it pairs perfectly with sausages or fried eggs.

But more often than not, mămăliga is a popular replacement for bread and consumed as a side dish for cabbage rolls (sarmale), stews, fish and the list goes on. It is such an essential Romanian food that there is even a saying: “one is ready for marriage once you know how to make mămăligă”.

Enjoy the delicious taste of tradition with this authentic mămăligă recipe below!

Ingredients

• 500 ml water (use more water for softer, more porridge-like consistency, see notes below)
• 250 g cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot, then add the salt.
• Gradually sprinkle in the cornmeal, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
• Cook for 4–8 minutes, depending on your desired texture. Stir continuously for a smooth consistency.
• Remove the pot from the heat and use an ice cream scoop dipped in cold water to place portions of mămăligă onto plates.
• With the back of the ice cream scoop, form a hollow in each ball of mămăligă to hold the cottage cheese and sour cream.
• Sprinkle crumbled telemea cheese on top, or substitute with another flavorful cheese like Cheddar, Parmesan or Grana Padano.
• Serve the mămăligă hot!

Notes

creamy mămăligă, use 700–800 ml of water for 250 g of cornmeal. This results in a softer, more porridge-like consistency, perfect for serving with cheese and sour cream—

a version that kids usually love.

For extra-firm mămăligă (sliced version), use only.

400 ml of water resulting in a dense mămăligă that can be cut into slices after cooling.

Watch the video below for easy, step-by-step instructions on how to make this delicious mămăligă recipe!