Polenta Fried

We do not discriminate against fries. Eat them in all forms, including crispy air fries, thick cut steak fries, sweet potato fries, and more. But if you’re feeling a bit normal, it’s time to try out polenta fries.

Crispy polenta fries

A new way to enjoy polenta! These fries are made from sliced and baked polenta in the oven. It’s not like a creamy instant pot polenta! Baking makes them fantastically crispy on the outside, but the inside retains the polenta texture you know and love.

Test and completion. I have tested this recipe several times and used a tube I bought from a homemade polenta store. I wanted the tube to actually work because it clearly streamlines the process, but I realized that the texture and flavor aren’t where I wanted it to be. (If you don’t want to fuss about making your own polenta, include it as an alternative option in your recipe card.) After all these attempts, you can promise that these are the perfect polenta fries.

Cook once and eat twice. I love being able to give leftovers a new spin in life! You can easily double the polenta with this recipe, serving half in a creamy form with a dinner with chicken caxiatoll or with slow cooker Italian pot roast, and the other half can be refrigerated to harden to make the next day polenta fries.

Customizable. By changing the cheese and seasonings, you can make the polenta fries recipe a different spin. I’m sharing some ideas later in this post!

Ingredient Notes

Polenta: I like to use quick cooking or instant polenta, only about 5 minutes of cooking because it’s finer and grinder. Traditional polenta takes about 40 minutes to cook. Parmesan cheese: The cheese adds the corn flavor of polenta and the rich flavor and nuts that work well. I usually use shelf stable grated Parmesan for this recipe. Butter: What is Polenta without Butter? Adds richness and flavor. Garlic flour and black pepper: Along with plenty of salt, polenta is seasoned with garlic flour and freshly ground black pepper. Olive Oil: Oil is essential for the crispy look of polenta fries, whether baked or fried. You don’t need much, just a light coating. I like olive oil because I love the flavor it adds. Seasoning: Polenta is already seasoned, so fries don’t require a lot of seasoning. Add a little garlic flour, dried oregano and black pepper to make the crunchy look. Dipping Sauce: Pollenta fries are pretty amazing without sauce, but marinara, pizza sauce, garlic aioli, or healthy ranch dressings are great for soaking, especially if you’re serving fries as an appetizer.

How to make polenta fries

prepare. Arrange 8 x 8 inch square bread or baking dishes with parchment. To help the parchment stay in place, spray the pan with olive oil or cooking spray and evenly coat the top of the parchment.

I’ll make polenta. Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Add salt and slowly whisk into polenta. Cook for just a few minutes until thick. Stir in the cheese, butter, garlic flour and black pepper.

Chill. Immediately spread the hot polenta over the bread and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. The polenta should be very solid and sliceable.

Cut the fries. Using parchment, lift the polenta out of the pot and place it on the cutting board. Slice into half-inch thick fries and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

season. Whisk the oil and seasonings in a small bowl. Drizzle this over the fries on the baking sheet and throw it to gently coat.

bake. Place the bread in the oven and bake at 425ºF for 20 minutes. Flip and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the outside feels crisp and looks golden brown. Don’t overcook the fries as they tend to harden when they’re done.

serve. Transfer the polenta fries to a plate or platter and serve with the desired dipping sauce.

Variations of recipes

Cook the fries in an air fryer. This method leads to a crisper texture and faster cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches. The following recipe cards provide instructions: Add another seasoning. Try a variety of herbs and spices to find your favorite flavor profile. You can add polenta itself or the outside of the fries. For example, fresh herbs are tasty folded into a polenta mixture. Try other cheeses. You can use another hard cheese like Pecorino Romano, or try different things like Asiago, Bellavitano, Fontina, or even the sharp Cheddar. Please make it a sheet pan dinner. Try Italian sausages, polenta and broccoli sheet pan dinner.

How to serve polenta fries

As an appetizer: Pollenta fries are a popular appetizer idea and work well with a variety of sauces in addition to the above in the ingredients notes. Try them with arrabbiata sauce for a kick! If you want to dress up a little, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top of hot fries (like bread sticks!) or drizzle over the truffle oil.

As a side: serve polenta fries along with main dishes such as garlic butter steak bees and this marinated flank steak. I like serving it with grilled salmon for a quick dinner or for a balsamic marinated grilled chicken.

With sandwiches and burgers: The Caprese Turkey Burger is perfect!

I love cutting the remaining polenta fries into small pieces, fried and adding crispy polenta bits to the salad instead of the crownton.

Refrigerator: Place remaining polenta fries in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer: If you want to store the remaining polenta fries for even longer, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Place the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag or container.

Reheat: Warm polenta fries in a 375ºF oven or air fryer until crisp. Microwaves work too, but chasing them again isn’t a very good job.

Line the parchment paper in an 8 x 8 inch pan, hang the excess paper on the edges and spray with olive oil. (Light spray the bread before placing the parchment paper to help hold it in place.)

In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil. Add salt and slowly add polenta while stirring. Cook for 2-3 minutes (caution, it will splash!) or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, butter, garlic and pepper.

3½ cups of water, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 cup quick cooking (or instant) polenta, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼tsp coarse ground black pepper

Spread the polenta over a uniform layer of prepared bread. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until cold and firm. You can also refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and arrange the parchment on a curb baking sheet.

Using a parchment “handle” to lift the chilled polenta out of the pot and place it on a cutting board or flat surface. Cut the polenta into approximately ½ inch thick fries. You should almost get twenty four In 28 french fries.

In a small bowl, mix the oil, garlic flour, oregano and pepper.

2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼tsp ground black pepper

Carefully not to break the fries, place the fries on the prepared baking sheet and lightly toss them with the oil mixture. If necessary, you can polish the oil onto fries.

Bake for 20 minutes, flip, and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.

Serve the polenta fries right away or serve with a soaked sauce, such as marinara, garlic aioli, or another sauce.

Shortcuts: If necessary, pre-made polenta can be used for this recipe. It usually comes in a 17-18 ounce tube. Dry with a paper towel and cut the polenta into half (lengthwise) into approximately 0.5 inch thick fries. Continue with the written recipe. French fries aren’t particularly tasty or crunchy, as you can’t mix cheese, butter and seasonings into polenta. To saute: Cook at 400°F for 15-18 minutes or until the outside is crispy. There’s no need to flip the fries in the middle of cooking time.

Serving: 5french fries, calorie: 234kcal, carbohydrates: 27g, protein: 6g, fat: 11g, Saturated fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated fat: 1g, January Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, cholesterol: 15mg, sodium: 667mg, potassium: 79mg, fiber: 1g, sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 229iu, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, calcium: 100mg, iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should only be used as an approximation.

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