I love these crispy polenta cakes. Try this crispy polenta recipe in the oven or the air fryer for a quick and easy recipe in under 20 minutes!
I have a new obsession with polenta, and this crispy polenta is a perfect appetizer or meal. Today, I made crispy polenta cakes with an Italian flare and served them with a marinara sauce for dipping. Crispy on the outside and soft and delicate on the inside, I'm addicted.
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I'm always looking for recipes with few ingredients that cook quickly in the middle of the week. We are all busy, but eating healthy is essential, so if there's a way to eat healthy in a minimal amount of time, I'm in!
For this crispy polenta recipe, I took a shortcut and bought prepared polenta in a tube in the Italian section of my local grocer.
What is Polenta?
Polenta is a northern Italian dish made from coarsely ground corn. Freshly cooked polenta is soft and creamy, similar to grits or porridge. And it's gluten-free! Many people enjoy polenta as a substitute for rice or pasta for dinner or as a breakfast alternative to cereal or oatmeal.
When polenta cools, it solidifies enough to be sliced. Then choose to grill, air fry, bake, or saute. I couldn't help but think of how to use polenta in future recipes. Since discovering polenta, I've made polenta croutons and polenta fries. Both were a hit with my family!
Instead of lasagna noodles, layer polenta in butternut squash lasagna. And, of course, I plan to grill polenta with vegetables and a fabulous chimichurri sauce.
So, don't be surprised if you see polenta a lot in the next few months.
Polenta Nutrition
Plain polenta without cheese or cream is fairly low in calories and contains negligible amounts of various vitamins and minerals. Plus, like other grains, it’s a good source of carbohydrates.
A ¾-cup (125-gram) serving of polenta cooked in water provides:
- Calories: 80
- Carbs: 17 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: less than 1 gram
- Fiber: 1 gram
And most polenta only contains cornmeal, water, and sometimes a little salt.
Polenta Cakes Ingredients
- Prepared Polenta: Tubes of premade polenta are located in the Italian section of the grocery with the pasta, or sometimes it is found in the refrigerated section.
- Unsweetened, Unflavored Plant Milk: I like oat milk because it's naturally creamy.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard has a tangy flavor which seasons the milk mixture.
- Bread Crumbs: For oil-free bread crumbs, choose your favorite oil-free bread, toast it, and crumble it in a food processor.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder gives the bread crumb mixture additional flavor.
- Onion Powder: Onion powder gives the mixture an additional layer of flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning is a blend of herbs present in Italian seasoning usually consisting of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram, with other herbs and spices sometimes making an appearance
- Nutritional Yeast: The nutritional yeast is mixed with the bread crumbs and provides a cheesy taste to the breading.
- Parsley: I used parsley for a pretty green garnish.
- Marinara Sauce: I make marinara sauce and freeze it using freezer cubes for recipes throughout the year.
Polenta Cakes Ingredient Substitutions
- Make polenta from scratch and create different shapes and sizes by placing it in a square pan. Use cookie cutters to make it festive for the holidays.
- Any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk works well for this recipe.
- You can use prepackaged bread crumbs.
- If you don't care for nutritional yeast, leave it out of the mixture.
- Choose a marinara sauce in a jar or can that you prefer.
How to Make Crispy Polenta
First, whisk the plant milk and the dijon mustard and set aside. Ina separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, and spices.
Then, dip each polenta slice into the plant milk mixture, then dredge through the breadcrumb mixture, covering both sides.
Place each breaded polenta slice onto an air-fry plan or a prepared baking pan.
Because polenta is sticky and wet, it is the perfect canvas for seasonings and herbs to stick to the fries without using any oil.
Next, choose if you want to bake or air fry. I air-fried mine because I'm in love with my air fryer. And it takes half the time.
Cooking Crispy Polenta Cakes
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the breaded polenta slices on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley if desired.
- Serve with a marinara sauce for your favorite vegan dipping sauce.
Air Fry
- Preheat the air-fryer to 350 degrees.
- Place the breaded polenta slices in an air fryer basket, in a single layer, or on an air fryer pan in a single layer.
- Air fry for 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve with marinara sauce or your favorite vegan dipping sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Since I chose Italian seasoning and marinara sauce for dipping, I also served an Italian chopped salad.
I also love this crispy polenta dipped in mustard sauce for different dipping sauce options, and my kids love vegan ranch.
For Christmas this year, I'm thinking about cutting the polenta with Christmas cookie cutters to add to my charcuterie board.
Recipe FAQs
Polenta is considered a relatively healthy dish. And although it doesn't contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals, it is an excellent source of carbohydrates to keep you fuelled throughout the day.
Polenta is often used to substitute grains like pasta and rice, as it's lower in calories and is a source of complex carbohydrates. Because complex carbohydrates aren't broken down as quickly as simple carbohydrates, it's ideal for individuals who watch their blood sugar levels.
Because of its fiber content, polenta is excellent for digestion and helps to balance out the gastrointestinal tract while promoting healthy gut bacteria. Most people should consume more daily fiber, so polenta is a great way to get that extra fiber.
Tips
- Most people suggest drying the polenta before cutting and seasoning. However, because I cook without oil, its natural stickiness and the plant milk mixture make the breading stick to the slices.
- If you have a basket air fryer, remember that the first batch takes longer to cook than the subsequent batches.
- Preheat the oven to 325 if batch cooking the crispy polenta in an air fryer to keep the cooked ones warm.
- Other sauce suggestions are lemon basil dressing, mustard sauce, and vegan ranch.
- Make it fun for the family and kids and cut animal shapes with cooking cutters for a great snack for the kids.
- Try using cookie cutters to make bite-sized polenta bites for an appetizer or for a charcuterie board.
Try crispy polenta cakes for a quick appetizer or weeknight meal. Make dinner in less than 20 minutes!
Other Great Italian Recipes to Try
If you love crispy polenta, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Polenta
Ingredients
- 1 18 ounce Tube of prepared polenta cut into ½ inch slices
- 1 cup unsweetened, unflavored plant milk I used oat milk
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons garlic power
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped Optional garnish
- 1 ½ cups Marinara sauce
Instructions
- Unwrap the polenta tube.
- Cut the polenta into ½-inch slices.
- Prepare two wide shallow bowls.
- In one bowl, whisk together the plant milk and dijon mustard.
- Combine the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, and spices in the second bowl.
- Dip each slice of polenta into the milk mixture bowl and then directly into the breadcrumb mixture, covering each slice of polenta with teh bread crumb mixture.
- Transfer each breaded slice of polenta to a prepared baking sheet or an air fryer pan.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the breaded slices on the baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a small space between each slice.
- Bake for 30 minutes until crispy.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley.
Air Frying
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees.
- Place breaded polenta slices in the air fryer basket or an air frying pan.
- Cook for 15 minutes until fries are crispy.
- Remove from the air fryer and sprinkle with parsley.
Marinara Sauce
- Heat the marinara sauce in a small sauce pan or heat in the microwave while the crispy polenta cooks.
Notes
- Most people suggest drying the polenta before cutting and seasoning. However, because I cook without oil, its natural stickiness and the plant milk mixture make the breading stick to the slices.
- If you have a basket air fryer, remember that the first batch takes longer to cook than the subsequent batches.
- Preheat the oven to 325 if batch cooking the crispy polenta in an air fryer to keep the cooked ones warm.
- Other sauce suggestions are lemon basil dressing, mustard sauce, and vegan ranch.
- Make it fun for the family and kids and cut animal shapes with cooking cutters for a great snack for the kids.
- Try using cookie cutters to make bite-sized polenta bites for an appetizer or for a charcuterie board.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Alocasia
This sounds delicious. Is it possible to use a homemade polenta in place of the tube? We're trying to watch sodium intake and can't find a low sodium version.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Aolcasia, yes, of course, you can. And you can choose your shapes. Use a cookie cutter or cut into squares. You need to ensure the pieces are 1/2 inch thick, or the cooking time will be changed a bit. For thinner pieces, reduce the time, and for thicker pieces, and additional time.
Mary E. Asmus
I don't know how to give stars, but Kathy's recipes get a million! Always good. Always doable for an average cook. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Mary, Thank you so much. I appreciate your feedback.