Winter Dinner Idea: Sweet Potato Polenta with Swiss Chard and Smoked Sausage

Now this is what I consider the perfect comfort dish during these frigid days! This meal takes creamy polenta and combines it with the sweet, yet starchy flavors of the sweet potato. To add a little warmness there’s cayenne pepper to kick things up a notch. It’s all topped with sautéed swiss chard and browned smoked sausage.

Swiss chard is one of my favorite vegetables to grow and eat. It’s a dark, leaf green that is packed with vitamins and nutrients. Swiss or Rainbow chard is pretty hardy and easy to plant and harvest. It’s probably no surprise it was my choice of green for this recipe. If you enjoy chard as well, check out my recipe for Swiss Chard Gratin.

What is Polenta?

Originated in Italy, polenta is a hot porridge that is typically made of cornmeal. It can also be cooled and allowed to solidify for frying, baking or grilling.

I think polenta is a great substitution for pasta, rice and potatoes – especially if you’re looking to change a meal up. For example, instead of your favorite Bolognese over penne or spaghetti, try it over creamy polenta.

For all the polenta fans: What do you like to serve with polenta?

Why Try Sweet Potato Polenta?

If you love the taste of sweet and savory dishes, sweet potato polenta is satisfyingly delicious. It’s also very simple to make and affordable. I used Bob’s Red Mill polenta. I find this brand to be easy to find around my town. I’ve even found it at discount stores such as Big Lots and Dollar General, making it an affordable staple to keep in the pantry.

Adding the sweet potatoes is incredibly simple to do. In this recipe, I pureed boiled sweet potato chunks to ensure I had a very creamy texture. If preferred, you could simply mash the potatoes instead of breaking out the blender like I did.

How to make my Sweet Potato Polenta with Swiss Chard and Smoked Sausage

Mise En Place

• 1 link of smoked sausage – sliced into rounds
• 2 – 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 bunch of Swiss Chard – cut into ribbons
• One small Yellow Onion – diced, should yield about 1/3 of a cup
• 1 clove garlic – minced, more if you prefer.
• Splash of Rice Vinegar – around 2 teaspoons
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the Sweet Potato Polenta you’ll want to prep:

• 1 small Sweet Potato – peeled and chopped
• 1 cup of uncooked Polenta
• 3 cups of Water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of Milk – I used whole milk, you can use any kind you prefer
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tbsp unsalted Butter

Recipe Steps

Cook the Sweet Potato Polenta

Start by boiling your sweet potato chunks until they are fork tender. Puree in a blender and set aside.

In a pot, bring 3 cups of water, milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Whisk in the uncooked polenta. Lower the heat to low, cover and allow polenta to cook for about ten minutes or until thickened.

Turn off the heat and whisk in the pat of butter, sweet potato puree, parmesan, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: If the polenta is too thick for your preference, stir in additional milk to thin it out. Once finished, keep the polenta covered and warm while you cook the sausage and chard.

Cook Sausage and Swiss Chard

Over medium-high heat, brown the smoked sausage rounds in olive oil. Remove sausage from pan onto a plate.

Now, you’ll add your onions and garlic to the hot pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in chard ribbons and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until greens soften. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in splash of rice vinegar for acidity.

Bring it all together

Lastly, divide the finished polenta into two bowls or plates and top with the sautéed vegetables. To the vegetables, top with the smoked sausage. If desired, sprinkle with additional cheese. Be sure to serve warm.

Recipe Variations

In place of sweet potato, you might try:

• Pureed pumpkin
• Butternut Squash
• Acorn Squash
• Carrots
• Golden Beets

Instead of Swiss Chard, you might try:

• Spinach
• Collard Greens
• Kale
• Mustard Greens

If you don’t have Rice Vinegar, you might opt for:

• Apple cider vinegar
• White wine vinegar
• Champagne vinegar
• Lemon juice

In place of Smoked Sausage, you might go for:

• Andouille sausage
• Chorizo (will definitely add more heat, so may want to adjust seasonings in the polenta)
• Kielbasa
• Vegan sausage

All in All

I hope you enjoy this comforting dish as much as I do! Sweet potato polenta is definitely a savory treat during these cold, winter months. Although this recipe serves two, it can easily be doubled or tripled for a dinner party and won’t break the bank.

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