With a firm outer crust and and soft creamy inside, this simple fried polenta recipe makes a delicious side dish for any saucy meal.
We love our saucy dishes! From beef goulash, chicken ragu, simple vegetable salsa and pork with mushroom sauce, many of our favourite meals have a sauce base.
But with a sauce we also like a side dish! This simple fried polenta recipe is a great alternative to pasta, rice or potatoes to accompany our favourite sauces.
While traditional polenta, made from ground yellow corn (also called cornmeal) has a mushy, porridge-like consistency.
Although we like using the cornmeal as an alternative to flour-based sides such as pasta, we’re not too crazy about adding a saucy dish to a more liquid polenta.
Instead, we take the extra step to lightly fry the polenta to make it firmer to enjoy along side our sauce-based dishes.
Ingredients Needed for this Corn Polenta Side Dish
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil (divided)
- 3 cups corn meal
How to Cook Polenta
Combine all the ingredients in a large sauce pan. Slowly bring to a boil.
Once boiling, stir often for 4-5 minutes to keep the mixture from burning on the bottom. The polenta will thicken as you cook: you are aiming for a thick porridge consistency.
Pour the hot mixture into a large dish so that it is about 1 1/2 inches thick. Let cool completely to set (you can even leave this overnight in the fridge).
Once cooled and set, cut into small squares, about 2″ across. Place into heated pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. Sear each side for 1-2 minutes, until slightly golden.
Serve and enjoy!
Searing the polenta squares gives the outside a slightly firmer “crust” while the inside remains soft and creamy.
What to Serve with Fried Polenta
This polenta is great as the base for any sauce-type dish including:
- our homestyle beef goulash;
- easy chicken cacciatore;
- red chilli pesto;
- vegan romesco sauce.
Then add a simple dessert such as this easy cuban flan or bite-sized homemade donuts and you’re good to go!
Easy Fried Polenta Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups corn meal
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large sauce pan. Slowly bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir often for 4-5 minutes to keep the mixture from burning on the bottom. The polenta will thicken as you cook: you are aiming for a thick porridge consistency.
- Pour the hot mixture into a large dish so that it is about 1 1/2 inches thick. Let cool completely to set (you can even leave this overnight in the fridge).
- Once cooled and set, cut into small squares, about 2″ across. Place into heated pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. Sear each side for 1-2 minutes, until slightly golden.
Nutrition
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Hi ladies, these polenta cubes look so perfect, I can imagine just how good they must be, on their own or with the sauces you’ve suggested! Thank you for including the red chilli pesto.