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Home » Salads & Sides » Polenta Fries

Polenta Fries

Last updated on December 9, 2022 By Crazy Vegan 34 Comments

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Learn how to make polenta fries; a crispy alternative to traditional fried potatoes made with white or yellow cornmeal. Ready in minutes, they are sure to impress everyone! 

polenta fries.

If you love all things fried and delicious, you will love these polenta fries! They are crispy, and crunchy, and satisfy all your cravings! 

Table of Contents
  • What is polenta and what are polenta fries? 
  • Why you’ll love this recipe 
  • What are polenta fries made of? 
  • How to make them? 
    • Step 1: Cook polenta 
    • Step 2: Firm up cooked polenta 
    • Step 3: Bake them
    • Step 4: Season and serve! 
  • Tips to make the best recipe 
  • Flavor variations 
  • Storage instructions 
  • What to serve with fried polenta
  • Frequently asked questions

What is polenta and what are polenta fries? 

Polenta is a kind of porridge that is made of grounded corn. With a creamy and soft texture, it’s a popular meal in Italian cooking. 

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    When the base is mixed with herbs and stock, they can be transformed into fries and replicate something that tastes even better than potatoes!

    Why you’ll love this recipe 

    • Quick and easy. With less than five minutes hands-on time, this recipe comes together in minutes!
    • Healthier. These fries are baked, not fried, and a much healthier alternative.
    • Easy cleanup. The recipe uses minimal pots, so cleanup is easy. 

    What I love the most about this recipe is how much more delicious they are compared to traditional fries! The middle parts are super fluffy and delicious.

    What are polenta fries made of? 

    This recipe calls for very simple ingredients and besides the polenta and a few spices, there isn’t much else that goes into them. Here is what you’ll need:

    • Polenta. Or ground cornmeal. 
    • Olive oil. For cooking the fries. 
    • Vegetable stock.
    • Nutritional yeast. Adds a subtle cheesy flavor. 
    • Dried parsely. Or fresh parsley. 
    • Paprika.
    • Dried mixed herbs.
    • Onion powder.
    • Garlic powder.
    • Sugar. Balances out all the salty and umami flavors.
    • Salt/pepper. To taste. 

    How to make them? 

    Once you’ve cooked up the polenta, the oven takes care of all the hard work to transform them into fries! Ready to whip some up?

    Step 1: Cook polenta 

    Take a large pot and boil vegetable stock in it along with nutritional yeast, paprika, olive oil, dried parsley, mixed herbs, garlic powder, onion powder and sugar. Bring it to boil and then add polenta gradually while stirring. Season and taste the mixture as per your taste. 

    Step 2: Firm up cooked polenta 

    Transfer the cooked polenta to a baking pan or any other vessel in the kitchen. Level up the surface and leave the polenta to firm up for at least an hour or until it becomes cold.

    Step 3: Bake them

    Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Meanwhile, prepare the baking sheet by using baking paper and with some oil. 

    Cut the polenta into strips and place them on the prepared baking sheet without overlapping or overcrowding the tray. Bake for 30 minutes first, flip and then bake for another 10 minutes or more. 

    Step 4: Season and serve! 

    Remove from the oven, add some sea salt and serve with ketchup or any other dip you like. 

    how to make polenta fries.

    Tips to make the best recipe 

    • It’s best to leave the cooked polenta overnight before slicing it into fries. 
    • If you use instant cooking polenta, reduce the cooking time accordingly to avoid overcooking polenta because the consistency and flavor will be affected otherwise. 
    • While cutting fries, keep the size equal to cook evenly. 

    Flavor variations 

    The beauty of these fries is that they are so easy to customize. Here are some ideas we’ve tried: 

    • Use chicken stock. To add more nutrition and a different flavor to your fries, you can replace vegetable stock by chicken stock. 
    • Try different seasonings. To add some extra flair to the fries, you can mix different seasonings while cooking polenta. 
    • Use any oil. If you want to change the flavor a bit, you replace olive oil with sunflower oil, coconut oil, etc. 

    Storage instructions 

    • To store. Use airtight containers to store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. 
    • To freeze. In freezer-safe bags, you can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. 
    • Reheating. To reheat, heat them up in a preheated oven for 1-2 minutes. 
    fried polenta.

    What to serve with fried polenta

    • Pesto aioli
    • Peanut sauce
    • Tzatziki

    Frequently asked questions

    Are polenta fries healthy? 

    Yes, polenta is a whole grain and packed with fiber, making it a much healthier alternative to fried potatoes. 

    What does fried polenta taste like? 

    When polenta fries are cooked, they have a similar texture to thick-cut potato fries, but more soft and moist in the middle.

    How do you eat polenta?

    You can enjoy polenta as porridge, a grain, or as an alternative to French fries.

    polenta fries recipe.

    Polenta Fries | Crispy And Fast

    Crazy Vegan Kitchen
    Learn how to make polenta fries; a crispy alternative to traditional fried potatoes made with white or yellow cornmeal. Ready in minutes, they are sure to impress everyone! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 1 min
    Cook Time 9 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 157 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 1/2 cups Polenta
    • 3 cups Vegetable Stock
    • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
    • 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
    • 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot, bring vegetable stock to a boil with olive oil, nutritional yeast, paprika, dried parsley, dried mixed herbs, garlic powder, onion powder and sugar.
    • Once it comes to a boil, gradually stream polenta in whilst whisking. Continue whisking until you end up with a very thick mass of polenta. At this point of time you can taste and season to your liking.
    • Pour cooked polenta into a 8×8 inch, plastic wrap lined baking pan, or any other vessel you have around the kitchen. Smoothen surface and leave to set for an hour or until polenta is cold and firmed up.
    • Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with nonstick baking paper and brush lightly with a very very thin layer of oil.
    • Turn your polenta “block” out onto a cutting board and cut into fry-like shapes. Place polenta on prepared baking tray in a single layer without pieces touching each other. Bake for 30 minutes and then flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes or so.
    • Remove from oven, sprinkle with sea salt if you desire, and enjoy with some ketchup or marinara sauce!

    Notes

    TO STORE: Use airtight containers to store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. 
    TO FREEZE: In freezer-safe bags, you can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. 
    TO REHEAT: To reheat, heat them up in a preheated oven for 1-2 minutes. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 157kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 499mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 266IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword fried polenta, polenta fries
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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      Comments

      1. Veronica says

        at

        What happens if I don't use the yeast?
        Reply
        • Amrita says

          at

          Nothing much, you may just have a slightly less savoury flavour :)
          Reply
          • Chris says

            at

            Hi, These look yummy!! Curious if I could eliminate the oil in step 1 and still have the recipe work.
            Reply
      2. Kristina says

        at

        SNORT, you are a riot, lolzing over here. I *love* polenta fries, but no - they don't taste just like fries. these look fantastic, I pinned to make soon. ...and since this post is a couple months old, I am hoping your pain is long gone and you are enjoying the new additions! I have had a few friends go through that, it sounded painful! CHEERS to you, thanks for the genuine laughs tonight!
        Reply
        • Amrita @ Crazy Vegan Kitchen says

          at

          Haha! Big love for you Kristina! We hope to keep you laughing with our random commentaries. :) Polenta fries are really good in their own right. I wouldn't eat them TOO often, but a few times a month is always good. :) Amrita is now fully recovered and feeling great! It's nice to have two new members in the family :P Levan
          Reply
      3. Amanda @ The Chunky Chef says

        at

        These "fries" look amazing!! Your honesty is refreshing and awesome :) Congrats on the new twins lol... once I am finished having kiddos, I seriously want a lift and possible reduction (definitely don't need to be any bigger, I'd fall over lol). Hope you continue to feel better!
        Reply
        • Amrita @ Crazy Vegan Kitchen says

          at

          Thanks so much Amanda, haha! Yes, EVERYONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD LOVES THE NEW TWINS. I mean like, everyone :D Including the cats, heh. In all seriousness though, polenta fries are pretty amazing! I wouldn't call them substitutes for potatoes by any measure, but they are definitely worth trying at least once. You could also try them with some Smoked Spicy BBQ Sauce -- a lovely add on, IMHO. .
          Reply
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      Amrita @ Crazy Vegan Kitchen
      I'm the crazy cat behind this blog. Curious? Find out more about me.


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