Mămăligă Recipe (Traditional Method Romanian Cornmeal Polenta)
Traditional Romanian mămăligă made the way it’s actually cooked at home; by feel, guided by water-first ratios, with measured benchmarks for both spoonable and firm textures. With 1 liter / 4 cups water, expect about 1.5 liters / 6 cups of finished mămăligă which is enough for 5-6 side dish servings or about 4 servings as a 'mămăligă bowl'.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 160kcal
Equipment
- large pot
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 liter water 4 cups
- 250 grams medium grind cornmeal 1–1¼ cups
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Measure the water first: Add the water to a medium pot. The amount of water determines how much mămăligă you’ll make; it represents roughly 60% of the final volume.
- Salt and heat: Add the salt and bring the water to a gentle simmer.
- Add the cornmeal gradually: While whisking vigorously, sprinkle in the cornmeal slowly. Be careful—it will bubble and pop.
- Cook by feel: As you whisk, you’ll feel the mixture thicken. It only takes a few minutes (depending on temperature, expect about 5 at most). Stop adding cornmeal once it reaches your desired consistency. The mămăligă is ready when it is fully thickened, hydrated, and sticks to and coats the whisk.
- Turn out immediately: As soon as it’s ready, turn the mămăligă out onto a large plate so it doesn’t set in the pot.
Notes
For firm, sliceable mămăligă (about 6 cups / 1.5 L), use:
- 1 liter / 4 cups water
- 300–325 g / 1½–1⅔ cups medium cornmeal
- 1½–2 teaspoon salt