Are Cornmeal and Polenta the Same?

Polenta and cornmeal are almost exactly the same product, except for one thing: the consistency of the grain. Polenta is much more coarsely ground, which makes the end product less mushy, and it has a little more bite to it than cornmeal.

Are cornmeal and polenta interchangeable?

They're golden and used interchangeably. Yet polenta is a dish, and cornmeal is an ingredient — often the main ingredient in that dish. ... Northern Italy's polenta is equivalent to grits in the southern U.S. The cornmeal, usually yellow corn, must be a medium or course grind to make good polenta.

Can you use white cornmeal for polenta?

Polenta is basically cornmeal mush, and it can be made with any kind of cornmeal, ground coarse, medium or fine. (You don't need bags marked “polenta.”) As with most ingredients, though, the better the cornmeal you start with, the better your result in the kitchen.