Polenta, a versatile dish that originated in Northern Italy, is a hearty and comforting meal made from cornmeal. Served in various forms, it can be soft and creamy like porridge, firm enough to slice and grill, or baked into a crispy cake. In this article, we present a collection of polenta recipes that showcase its diverse culinary possibilities.
Our first recipe is a classic Polenta with Tomato Sauce, a simple yet flavorful combination that lets the natural taste of polenta shine through. The rich tomato sauce, made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, adds a delightful tang and umami to the dish.
Next, we have Polenta with Mushrooms and Sausage, a hearty and savory dish perfect for a cold evening. Sautéed mushrooms and sausage provide a robust flavor profile, while the creamy polenta balances out the dish with its smooth texture.
For a more unique take on polenta, try our Polenta with Pesto and Roasted Vegetables. The vibrant green pesto, made with fresh basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese, adds a burst of flavor, while the roasted vegetables provide a colorful and nutritious addition.
If you're looking for a crispy and flavorful appetizer or side dish, our Polenta Fries are a perfect choice. Cut into wedges and fried until golden brown, these polenta fries are served with a tangy marinara sauce for dipping.
Finally, we have a sweet treat: Polenta Cake with Berries. This unexpected dessert combines the comforting texture of polenta with the sweetness of berries and a hint of lemon zest. Served with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream, it's a delightful ending to any meal.
BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA
I turn to polenta when I am in need of some good, old-fashioned comfort food. I suspect it's because there is not much difference between polenta and the grits I was raised on in North Florida. This simple dish relies once again on my favorite tomato sauce and not much else other than freshly cooked polenta made better than ever with a little added ricotta.
Provided by Art Smith
Categories HarperCollins Hominy/Cornmeal/Masa Tomato Vegetarian Parmesan Basil Ricotta Healthy Dinner
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- To prepare the tomato sauce:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes.
- Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use.
- To prepare the polenta:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces.
- To serve:
- Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.
CORNMEAL AND OATMEAL POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND PARMESAN
I think I like this combination even more than I like traditional cornmeal polenta, and that's saying a lot. The oatmeal contributes both texture and a wonderful creaminess to the dish. It's a comforting, satisfying meal.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories side dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the steel-cut oats, polenta, water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir together and place in the oven. Bake 1 hour. Remove from the oven and stir in the butter. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and stir again. Taste and adjust salt. If desired, stir the Parmesan into the polenta, or sprinkle it on top after you spoon on the tomato sauce.
- Spoon the polenta onto plates, make a depression in the middle with the back of your spoon, and fill it with tomato sauce. Top with Parmesan if you haven't stirred it into the polenta.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 168, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 27 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 724 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
GRILLED POLENTA WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE AND FRIED EGGS
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, weekday, main course
Time 40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Paint tops of polenta squares lightly with olive oil. Heat a stovetop grill or cast-iron griddle. Lay polenta top-side down and cook until nicely browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Flip and brown the other side. Keep warm.
- For the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes and bay leaf and simmer briskly for 5 to 8 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add capers, olives and anchovies and cook for 2 minutes more. Season with red pepper flakes and a little more salt if necessary.
- On each plate, put 1 square of warm polenta and spoon sauce around it. For each diner, fry 1 or 2 eggs sunny-side up in olive oil, and place on top of sauce. Serve immediately.
EASY POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE
My entire family loves this recipe. A quick baked polenta topped with red sauce. Very easy to make and great the next day too (and the day after that!) Top with additional Parmesan cheese if you like.
Provided by Jacquita
Categories Side Dish Grain Side Dish Recipes Polenta Recipes
Time 20m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
- In a large pot, combine the milk and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it is at a rolling boil, gradually whisk in the cornmeal, making sure there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish, and spread spaghetti sauce over the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until sauce is bubbling.
POLENTA WITH PARMESAN AND TOMATO SAUCE
This is my favorite way to serve polenta, and it's the simplest, too. My son loves it -- maybe your kids will feel the same.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, weekday, main course
Time 1h15m
Yield Serves four
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir together, and place in the oven. Bake 50 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in the butter and return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and stir again. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir in the Parmesan, if using. Spoon onto plates, make a depression in the middle and spoon 1/4 heaped cup of simple tomato sauce into the depression. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 219, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 39 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 880 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams
FRIED POLENTA WITH TOMATO BASIL SAUCE
Steps:
- Butter a 12 by 14-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring the stock and milk to a boil. While whisking, slowly add the cornmeal and continue to whisk until thick, about 15 minutes. Stir in the red peppers and the blue cheese, if using. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and cool completely in refrigerator. When the polenta has cooled, cut into squares. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan. Place the polenta squares in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. In another saute pan, heat the remaining olive oil and add tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and butter and reduce until sauce has thickened and then add the basil and thyme. Transfer the polenta to a platter and pour the tomato sauce over the squares.
POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND TOMATO SAUCE
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories dinner, easy, quick, weekday, main course
Time 20m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Chop whole onion and saute in hot oil in large nonstick pan.
- Mince garlic and add, cooking until onion begins to soften.
- Remove sausage from casing and crumble into pan; brown on all sides.
- Wash, trim and cube zucchini; add to pan and continue to cook until zucchini begins to take on color, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomato puree, tomato paste, wine, oregano, thyme, sugar and pepper; stir well, and cook over medium-low heat while preparing the polenta.
- Bring chicken stock to boil for polenta in covered pot.
- Grate cheese coarsely.
- Slowly stir cornmeal into boiling stock, and cook until mixture thickens to a soft mush. Remove from heat.
- Serve polenta topped with sausage-tomato sauce, sprinkled with cheese.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 712, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 88 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 12 grams, Protein 39 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 1813 milligrams, Sugar 30 grams, TransFat 0 grams
BAKED POLENTA WITH A TOMATO SAUCE
This is a very tasty, filling meal. It can be used as a side dish or as a main course. For those following Weight Watchers, the whole recipe provides 16.5 points, assuming you use low fat cheese. Prep time includes time for the polenta to set.
Provided by Shuzbud
Categories Low Protein
Time 2h40m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
- Pour 3 cups of cold water into a saucepan and turn the heat up to high.
- Add 1 cup polenta/ cornmeal gradually, stirring until it is all mixed in.
- Stir in the paprika and nutmeg.
- Heat until boiling, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. NB: The polenta may spit if not stirred so be careful!
- When the polenta has thickened at the end of the 2 minutes, remove from the heat. Line a loaf pan with cling film/ saran wrap and pour the polenta in
- Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours until solid.
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet and cook the onion and garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes until soft.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, turn the polenta onto a chopping board and remove the cling film. Cut it into about 18 squares. Slices can also be used if they fit your baking tray better.
- Pour a third of the tomato sauce into a baking tray, top with half the polenta squares. Repeat the layers ending with sauce (alternatively I use a large shallow baking tray so I use a single layer of polenta squares with tomato sauce underneath and poured over the top).
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle the cheese over the top and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Tips:
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the sauce. This will give it the best flavor.
- Don't be afraid to add some extra herbs and spices to the sauce. This will help to give it a more complex flavor.
- Cook the polenta until it is creamy and smooth. This will take about 30 minutes, but it is worth the wait.
- Serve the polenta with the tomato sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese. This is a classic Italian dish that is sure to please everyone.
- Leftover polenta can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.
Conclusion:
Polenta with tomato sauce is a simple but delicious dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is also a great way to use up leftover polenta. With a few simple ingredients, you can create a meal that is both flavorful and satisfying. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy dinner idea, give polenta with tomato sauce a try. You won't be disappointed.
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