Best 9 Italian Beef And Polenta Casserole Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Indulge in a hearty and comforting Italian Beef and Polenta Casserole, a culinary masterpiece that combines the richness of slow-cooked beef with the creamy texture of polenta. This delectable dish tantalizes the taste buds with a symphony of flavors, featuring tender beef simmered in a savory tomato sauce, perfectly complemented by the creamy and slightly cheesy polenta. As you dig into this casserole, you'll be greeted with a delightful interplay of textures, from the fall-apart tender beef to the smooth and creamy polenta. Each bite is a journey through Italian culinary excellence, leaving you feeling warm, satisfied, and craving more. This recipe is not only a culinary delight but also incredibly versatile. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook looking for a comforting and easy-to-make meal, the Italian Beef and Polenta Casserole has you covered. With step-by-step instructions and a list of easily accessible ingredients, this recipe is a perfect choice for busy weeknights or special occasions. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a culinary adventure that will transport you to the heart of Italy with every bite.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

OLE POLENTA CASSEROLE



Ole Polenta Casserole image

With plenty of ground beef and cheese, this layered bake goes over big on the dinner table. Adjust the amount of hot pepper sauce to suit your taste.-Angela Biggin, Lyons, Illinois

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h45m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups water, divided
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and dill weed
Dash hot pepper sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • For polenta, in a small bowl, whisk cornmeal, salt and 1 cup water until smooth. In a large saucepan, bring remaining water to a boil. Add cornmeal mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes. , Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 15 minutes. Divide mixture between 2 greased 8-in. square baking dishes. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1-1/2 hours., In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, herbs and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until thickened., Loosen 1 polenta from sides and bottom of dish; invert onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet and set aside. Spoon half of the meat mixture over the remaining polenta. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella and half the Parmesan cheese. Top with reserved polenta and remaining meat mixture., Cover and bake at 350° until heated through, 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 5 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 345 calories, Fat 14g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 62mg cholesterol, Sodium 874mg sodium, Carbohydrate 29g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 25g protein.

ITALIAN BEEF AND POLENTA CASSEROLE



Italian Beef and Polenta Casserole image

This Italian inspired layered casserole recipe of ground beef and polenta goes over big on a Thanksgiving dinner table.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Side Dish

Time 45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 medium zucchini
1 roll (18 oz) refrigerated basil and garlic polenta
Olive oil cooking spray
1 lb ground beef sirloin
1 jar (24 oz) fire-roasted tomato-garlic pasta sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded reduced-fat Italian cheese blend (4 oz)

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; cut diagonally crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside. Cut polenta crosswise into 8 slices; coat both sides of each slice with cooking spray.
  • Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add polenta slices; cook 6 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned. Arrange polenta slices in baking dish.
  • In same skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. Drain, if necessary. Set beef aside. Add zucchini to skillet; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add beef, pasta sauce and pepper; cook 1 to 2 minutes until thoroughly heated. Spoon beef mixture over polenta; sprinkle with cheese.
  • Bake uncovered 18 to 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 260, Carbohydrate 26 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 24 g, SaturatedFat 3 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 780 mg

BASIC POLENTA



Basic Polenta image

Dinner is easy with Giada De Laurentiis' Basic Polenta recipe from Everyday Italian on Food Network; it's the perfect cornmeal canvas for your favorite mains.

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories     side-dish

Time 30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 4

6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Steps:

  • Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.

ITALIAN POLENTA CASSEROLE



Italian Polenta Casserole image

Cheesy polenta layered with thinly sliced zucchini and marinara sauce makes a delicious side dish to steak, pork chops, or chicken!

Provided by Kim's Cooking Now

Categories     Side Dish     Vegetables     Squash     Summer Squash

Time 1h15m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 (14 ounce) can cherry tomatoes
¼ cup fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon red wine
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup polenta
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups finely shredded Italian-style cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.
  • Combine cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, red wine, and 1/8 teaspoon salt for marinara in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to puree. Set aside.
  • Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in polenta slowly, whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps. Bring back to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Pecorino Romano cheese and butter.
  • Pour half of the polenta into the prepared casserole dish. Top with half of the sliced zucchini, overlapping slices slightly. Top zucchini with half of the marinara sauce, then sprinkle with half of the Italian-style cheese. Repeat layers one more time. Cover.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until cheese on top is slightly brown, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 317.7 calories, Carbohydrate 21.3 g, Cholesterol 54.7 mg, Fat 18.8 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 16.7 g, SaturatedFat 11.4 g, Sodium 1035.9 mg, Sugar 3.3 g

TUSCAN BEEF STEW WITH POLENTA



Tuscan Beef Stew with Polenta image

Provided by Food Network

Time 2h22m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, cut into medium dice
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds stew beef (boneless chuck), excess fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups dry red wine
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3 medium tomatoes, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup instant polenta

Steps:

  • For the stew: In heavy, large saucepan over moderately-high heat, heat 3 tablespoons oil until hot, but not smoking. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the beef and saute, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add wine and thyme, stir well, and bring to boil.
  • Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper, then lower heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes, until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
  • For the polenta: While the beef is simmering, make the polenta. Pour the olive oil into a large serving bowl and swirl to coat. Set aside.
  • In heavy, large pot over moderately-high heat, bring stock to a boil. Lower the heat to moderate and gradually whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until polenta thickens and pulls away from sides of pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer the polenta to an oil-coated serving bowl and keep warm. Let the polenta sit for 5 to 10 minutes so it can set up.
  • When the beef is tender, use tongs to remove the tomato skins, if desired and the thyme sprigs.
  • Turn the polenta out of the bowl, slice, and serve alongside the stew.

TUSCAN BEEF STEW WITH POLENTA



Tuscan Beef Stew with Polenta image

Provided by Debi Mazar

Categories     Soup/Stew     Beef     Tomato     Stew     Dinner     Cornmeal     Carrot     Red Wine     Fall     Winter     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Diabetes-Friendly

Yield Makes 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

For stew
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, cut into medium dice
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds stew beef, such as boneless chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups dry red wine
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3 medium tomatoes, halved
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For polenta
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)

Steps:

  • Make stew
  • In heavy, large saucepan over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add beef and sauté, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add wine and thyme, stir well, and bring to boil. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper, then lower heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes, until beef is tender, about 2 hours.
  • While beef is simmering, make polenta
  • Pour olive oil into large serving bowl and swirl to coat. Set aside.
  • In heavy, large pot over moderately high heat, bring stock to boil. Lower heat to moderate and slowly add polenta, stirring constantly. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until polenta thickens and pulls away from sides of pan, about 10 minutes. Transfer to oil-coated serving bowl and keep warm.
  • Serve
  • When beef is tender, use tongs to remove tomato skins (if desired) and thyme sprigs. Transfer stew to large serving bowl. Serve polenta alongside.

CHEESY POLENTA CASSEROLE



Cheesy Polenta Casserole image

A fairly quick and simple recipe that utilizes store bought sauce and polenta to save time for busy folks. This casserole is VERY rich, so use small servings. Feel free to add more ingredients to the simmering sauce to suit your own tastes.

Provided by DOCTOR KITTEN

Categories     Side Dish     Grain Side Dish Recipes     Polenta Recipes

Time 50m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
2 green onions, chopped
1 (14 ounce) jar marinara sauce
¼ cup shredded fontina cheese
¾ cup shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese
1 (16 ounce) tube ready-made polenta, cut into 1/4-inch slices
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 8x8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in green pepper, garlic, and green onions; cook until the pepper softens, about 3 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Mix together fontina and provolone in a bowl. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the polenta slices in the dish, top with 1/3 the fontina and provolone mixture. Spread a thin layer of sauce over cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top casserole with Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake in preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 233.2 calories, Carbohydrate 22.3 g, Cholesterol 25.2 mg, Fat 10.8 g, Fiber 2.9 g, Protein 11.5 g, SaturatedFat 5.7 g, Sodium 808.7 mg, Sugar 7.4 g

SAUSAGE POLENTA BAKE



Sausage Polenta Bake image

Polenta makes a tasty base for sausage in a tomato sauce in this casserole.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 40m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups boiling water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1/2 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 jar (24 ounces) garden-style spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, combine cornmeal and salt. Gradually add boiling water, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. , Spread polenta into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Add spaghetti sauce; cook for 5 minutes or until heated through. , Spread over polenta; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 311 calories, Fat 16g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 44mg cholesterol, Sodium 887mg sodium, Carbohydrate 28g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 14g protein.

ITALIAN POLENTA CASSEROLE



Italian Polenta Casserole image

Based on a recipe from Good Housekeeping. This Italian casserole delivers comfort with creamy polenta and a hearty tomato ragu studded with spicy sausage and eggplant.

Provided by Julesong

Categories     Pork

Time 1h10m

Yield 2 casseroles, 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

12 ounces bulk hot Italian sausage (or links removed from casings)
12 ounces lean ground beef
16 ounces chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (or more to taste)
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree
1 (1 lb) eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups water
1 3/4 cups chicken broth (1 14 to 14 1/2-ounce can)
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese or 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus
freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (for topping) or 3/4 cup parmesan cheese (for topping)

Steps:

  • In 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, cook sausage and ground beef on medium-high 5 to 6 minutes or until browned, stirring and breaking up meat with side of spoon. With slotted spoon, transfer meat mixture to medium bowl.
  • To same Dutch oven, add onion; cook on medium 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes with their puree; heat to boiling on high, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add eggplant and meat; cover and cook 5 minutes on medium. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer or until eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In microwave-safe 4-quart bowl, with wire whisk, combine water, broth, cornmeal, and salt. Microwave on High 15 to 20 minutes or until cornmeal mixture is very thick. After first 5 minutes of cooking, whisk vigorously until smooth (mixture will be lumpy at first); whisk 2 more times during remaining cooking time. Remove from microwave, whisk in Romano.
  • Spoon 2 cups hot polenta into each of two 1 1/2-quart shallow casseroles. Spread polenta over bottom and up sides of casseroles. Spoon filling over polenta. Spread remaining polenta around casserole edge to form a rim. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons additional grated Romano, Parmesan, or Asiago.
  • Bake one casserole 30 minutes or until hot. Let stand 10 minutes for easier serving. (Freeze the other one for later.).
  • Makes 8 servings (in 2 casserole dishes).
  • Note: if you want to lower the fat content, use turkey Italian sausage. Make sure to use quality sausage - I've used my favorite, our freshly made Merguez, and good sausage really makes a difference.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 352.6, Fat 17.2, SaturatedFat 6, Cholesterol 52.1, Sodium 867.4, Carbohydrate 29.1, Fiber 4.5, Sugar 4.4, Protein 20.8

Tips:

  • Choose high-quality ingredients: The better the quality of your ingredients, the better your casserole will taste. Look for fresh, flavorful beef, polenta, and vegetables.
  • Brown the beef well: Browning the beef adds flavor and depth to the casserole. Be sure to brown it in a hot skillet until it's nicely browned on all sides.
  • Use a flavorful cooking liquid: The cooking liquid adds moisture and flavor to the casserole. Use a combination of beef broth, tomato sauce, and red wine for a rich, savory flavor.
  • Simmer the casserole until the beef is tender: The beef should be cooked until it's fall-apart tender. This will take about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
  • Serve the casserole with your favorite toppings: Some popular toppings for Italian beef and polenta casserole include Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and a dollop of sour cream.

Conclusion:

Italian beef and polenta casserole is a hearty, flavorful dish that's perfect for a family meal. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. Whether you like your casserole cheesy, spicy, or saucy, there's a recipe in this article that's sure to please. So next time you're looking for a comforting and delicious meal, give Italian beef and polenta casserole a try.

Related Topics