I don’t discriminate in terms of fries. I’ll eat them in all varieties, whether or not it’s crispy air fryer French fries, thick-cut steak fries, or candy potato fries. However when you’re within the temper for one thing a bit out of the abnormal, it’s time to attempt polenta fries.

Crispy Polenta Fries

A brand new solution to take pleasure in polenta! These fries are made with polenta that’s sliced and baked within the oven. It’s nothing like creamy Immediate Pot polenta! The baking makes them fantastically crispy on the surface whereas the insides retain that polenta texture you already know and love—creamy and fluffy.

Examined and perfected. I examined this recipe a number of occasions, with home made and store-bought tubes of polenta. I actually needed the tubes to work as a result of it might clearly streamline the method, however I discovered that the feel and taste weren’t fairly the place I needed them to be. (I do embrace it as an alternate choice within the recipe card when you don’t need to fuss with making your individual polenta.) In any case these tries, I can promise you these are the PERFECT polenta fries.

Prepare dinner as soon as, eat twice potential. I really like once I may give my leftovers a brand new spin on life! You possibly can simply double the polenta on this recipe, and serve half of it in a creamy format for dinner with hen cacciatore or gradual cooker Italian pot roast, and refrigerate the opposite half to agency up for making polenta fries the following day.

Customizable. You may give this recipe for polenta fries a distinct spin by altering up the cheese and seasonings. I share some concepts later on this publish!

Ingredient Notes

• Polenta: I like to make use of quick-cooking or immediate polenta which solely has to prepare dinner about 5 minutes as a result of it’s extra finely floor. Conventional polenta takes about 40 minutes to simmer.
• Parmesan cheese: Cheese provides a wealthy taste and a nuttiness that works properly with the corn taste of the polenta. I often use the shelf-stable grated Parmesan for this recipe.
• Butter: What’s polenta with out butter? It provides richness and taste.
• Garlic powder and black pepper: Together with a beneficiant quantity of salt, the polenta is seasoned with garlic powder and freshly floor black pepper.
• Olive oil: Oil is important for that crispy exterior of the polenta fries whether or not you bake them or air fry them. You don’t want a lot, only a mild coating. I favor olive oil as a result of I really like the flavour it provides.
• Seasonings: The fries don’t want numerous seasoning as a result of the polenta is seasoned already. A little bit of garlic powder, dried oregano, and black pepper add oomph to the crispy exterior.
• Dipping sauce(s): Though polenta fries are fairly wonderful with none sauce, marinara, pizza sauce, garlic aioli, or wholesome ranch dressing are nice selections for dipping, particularly when you’re serving the fries as an appetizer.

The right way to Make Polenta Fries

Put together. Line an 8 x 8 inch sq. pan or baking dish with parchment paper. I spray a spritz of olive oil or cooking spray on the pan to assist the parchment keep in place, then evenly coat the highest of the parchment paper as properly. 

Make the polenta. Deliver the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the salt, then slowly whisk within the polenta. Prepare dinner for only a few minutes, till it’s thick. Stir within the cheese, butter, and garlic powder, and black pepper.

Chill. Instantly unfold the recent polenta into the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and even in a single day. The polenta must be fairly agency and sliceable.

Reduce the fries. Use the parchment paper to carry the polenta out of the pan and place it on a chopping board. Slice it into half-inch thick fries and set them 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 gently toss to coat.

Bake. Place the pan within the oven and bake at 425ºF for 20 minutes. Flip and prepare dinner for 15 to twenty minutes extra, or till the outsides really feel crisp and look golden brown. Strive to not overcook the fries as a result of they have an inclination to harden in the event that they’re too carried out.

Serve. Switch the polenta fries to plates or a platter and serve together with your desired dipping sauce.

Recipe Variations

• Prepare dinner the fries within the air fryer. This methodology will lead to a crispier texture and faster cooking. They could need to be cooked in batches, relying on the dimensions of your air fryer. You’ll discover the directions within the recipe card under.
• Add completely different seasonings. Experiment with completely different herbs and spices to search out your favourite taste profile; you’ll be able to both add them to the polenta itself or on the surface of the fries. Contemporary herbs, for instance, are tasty folded into the polenta combination.
• Strive different cheeses. You need to use one other arduous cheese like pecorino Romano, or attempt one thing completely different like asiago, BellaVitano, fontina, or perhaps a sharp cheddar. 
• Make it a sheet pan dinner. Strive my Italian sausage, polenta, and broccoli sheet pan dinner.

The right way to Serve Polenta Fries

As an appetizer: Polenta fries are a well-liked appetizer concept and go properly with quite a lot of sauces along with those listed above within the ingredient notes. Strive them with arrabbiata sauce for a kick! When you’d like to decorate them up a bit, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the recent fries (like bread sticks!) or drizzle on truffle oil.

As a aspect: Serve polenta fries alongside fundamental dishes like garlic butter steak bites or this marinated flank steak. I prefer to serve them with broiled salmon for a straightforward dinner or balsamic marinated grilled hen.

With sandwiches and burgers: Caprese turkey burgers can be excellent!

I really like chopping the leftover polenta fries into small items, air frying them, and including the crispy polenta bits to salads, as an alternative of croutons.

Fridge: Place leftover polenta fries in an hermetic container and retailer them within the fridge for as much as 3 days.

Freezer: If you wish to save your leftover polenta fries even longer, you’ll be able to freeze them for as much as 2 months. Place the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze till strong. As soon as frozen, switch them right into a freezer bag or container.

Reheating: Heat up your polenta fries in a 375ºF oven or air fryer till they’re heated and crisp; the microwave works too, however it doesn’t do an excellent job re-crisping them.

• Line a 8 x 8 -inch pan with parchment paper, letting extra paper hold over edges, and spray with olive oil. (It helps to spray the pan calmly earlier than placing the parchment paper in, to carry it in place.)

• In a medium saucepan, carry water to a boil. Add salt and progressively add polenta whereas stirring. Prepare dinner for two to three minutes (watch out, it splatters!) or till thickened. Take away from warmth and stir in cheese, butter, garlic powder, and pepper.

  3 ½ cups water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup quick-cooking (or immediate) polenta, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon coarse floor black pepper

• Unfold polenta into an excellent layer in ready pan. Refrigerate for no less than two hours or till chilly and agency. You too can refrigerate it in a single day.

• Preheat oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Elevate the chilled polenta from the pan utilizing parchment paper “handles”, putting it on a chopping board or flat floor. Reduce the polenta into fries about ½-inch thick. You need to get roughly 24 to 28 fries.

• In a small bowl, mix oil, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper.

  2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon floor black pepper

• Place the fries on a ready baking sheet and calmly toss with oil combination, being cautious to not break the fries. When you favor, you’ll be able to brush the oil onto the fries.

• Bake for 20 minutes, flip, and proceed baking for 15 to twenty minutes or till crispy and golden brown.

• Serve the polenta fries instantly, as is, or with a dipping sauce corresponding to marinara, garlic aioli, or one other sauce.

• Shortcut: If desired, you should utilize pre-made polenta for this recipe. It usually is available in a 17 to 18 ounce tube. Pat dry with paper towels, reduce polenta in half (lengthwise) after which into fries about half-inch thick. Proceed with recipe as written. The fries received’t be fairly as tasty or crispy because you received’t have the ability to combine the cheese, butter, and seasonings into the polenta.
• To air fry: Prepare dinner at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes or till crispy on the surface. There’s no must flip the fries midway by the cooking time.

Serving: 5fries, Energy: 234kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 6g, Fats: 11g, Saturated Fats: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 5g, Trans Fats: 0.1g, Ldl cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 667mg, Potassium: 79mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 229IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 100mg, Iron: 1mg

Vitamin data is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

Share a remark and score under! I really like listening to what you suppose!