Breakfast polenta with almond butter & figs

If you’re looking for breakfast ideas to take on the go, you’ll quickly come across “overnight oats” – oats soaked in milk with all kinds of toppings. We genuinely like overnight oats, too, but it feels like the world is overflowing with overnight-oats recipes. And to be honest: sometimes you just need an alternative that’s just as easy but tastes a bit different.

Our favorite alternative is breakfast polenta. You only need three basic ingredients for it: cornmeal, plant-based milk, and agave syrup. And that’s it! You can choose the toppings depending on the season and your mood, and you can easily transport everything in a screw-top jar. So it’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t have much time in the morning or likes to take breakfast to the office.

What is polenta, actually?
Polenta is basically cooked cornmeal and originally comes from Northern Italy, where it’s traditionally served as a side dish with meat or vegetable dishes. But polenta can also be sweet, and that’s exactly what we’re making today.
Instead of serving it savory with parmesan and mushrooms, we cook it with plant-based milk and a sweetener of your choice – and in no time you’ll have a creamy, warming breakfast. The big difference compared to oats? Polenta has a finer, creamier texture and a subtle corn flavor – slightly sweeter and milder than oats. On top of that, cornmeal is naturally gluten-free.

Warm or cold – both work
The great thing about breakfast polenta is that you can eat it warm or cold. Freshly cooked, it’s wonderfully creamy and warming – perfect for chilly fall or winter mornings.

You can also prepare it the night before, store it in the fridge, and enjoy it cold or gently rewarmed the next morning. It will firm up a bit as it cools, but you can easily loosen it again by stirring in a splash of plant-based milk.
This makes breakfast polenta a perfect meal-prep option: cook once, enjoy it for several days. Just fill it into screw-top jars, pack the toppings separately, and your breakfast to go is ready.

Toppings: from classic to creative
When it comes to toppings, there really are no limits. We love the combination of peanut butter (or almond butter) with fresh fruit – in summer we go for berries, in fall apples and pears, or figs and grapes whenever they’re in season. Chocolate spread also works wonderfully on warm polenta.

You can sprinkle chopped nuts, coconut flakes, chia seeds, or homemade granola on top as well. We also developed a recipe for vegan Tahini Granola a few years ago, and for all the chocolate lovers there’s also a recipe for vegan chocolate granola. And if your heart still beats for classic overnight oats, we absolutely get that, too.