Mămăligă (Romanian Polenta)

Mămăliga is one of the most popular Romanian foods, known for its simplicity (it can be prepared in just 10 minutes) and the affordability of its ingredients. It is an easy-to-make cornmeal porridge similar to the Italian polenta and it requires just three basic ingredients: cornmeal, salt and water. That’s it!

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!

Mămăligă (Romanian Polenta)

Diana Oana

This is a traditional recipe for Romanian polenta, known as Mămăligă. It's super easy to make and requires just three ingredients. Serve it with your favorite cheese and a good amount of sour cream.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Romanian

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 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

Note:

For 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.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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

Related: Papanași: Romanian Fried Donuts
Related: Most Popular Romanian Cheeses
Related: Sarmale (Romanian Cabbage Rolls)
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Related: Romanian Chocolate Cake: Amandine

Diana Oana

As an award winning food blogger, I started my culinary journey in 2010, driven by a fervent commitment to crafting flavorful, tasty meals that defy the stereotype of bland health cuisine. I love to cook anything from appetizers to main courses and desserts from a wide range of cuisines as well as traditional Romanian dishes.