baked polenta pie

Combine polenta, top with your favorite veggies, layer on some tomato sauce, pop it in the oven, and voilà… Polenta Pie is served! It’s like lasagna’s gluten-free cousin who just got back from a yoga retreat.

Servings

6

Ready In:

1 Hour

Inroduction

About this Recipe

Now, full disclosure: I don’t like grits. I do like cornbread. But polenta? Oh, I really like polenta—probably in the same way I “really like” shoes on sale or an unexpected glass of wine on a Wednesday. This is why I LOVE this recipe. It checks every box: hearty, flavorful, satisfying, and the perfect wingman for meat, fish, or (if you’re feeling virtuous) it can totally hold its own as a vegetarian main. Yes, it’s that confident.

Ingredients

  • To make the tomato sauce:

    1 spray of olive oil
    ½ onion diced
    1/2  garlic clove minced
    2 14.5 oz cans crushed tomatoes
    ⅛ teaspoon fennel seed
    ½ teaspoon dried basil
    ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    Dash of crushed red pepper
    Pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

    To make the polenta pie:

    1 small zucchini finely chopped
    1 small red pepper finely chopped
    1 small green pepper finely chopped
    1-2 sprays of olive oil
    Salt and pepper to season vegetables
    1 cup polenta
    3 cups milk I used skim
    ½ teaspoon  salt
    1/2 cup freshly grated
    Parmesan cheese

    When I first went hunting for polenta recipes, I stumbled into a cheese trap. Most were swimming in a molten lake of dairy—delicious, yes, but not exactly aligned with my current “healthier lifestyle” kick. (I say kick, but it’s more of a nudge. Let’s not get crazy.) The problem with cheesy dishes is that I never stop at one bite. Or one plate. It’s a slippery slope, and that slope is greased with melted mozzarella.

    That’s why this recipe stood out. I gave it a little makeover—less cheese, more veggies, and just enough comfort to make you feel like you’re indulging without needing to unbutton your pants after dinner. You’re welcome.

    Step by Step Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
    2. To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil spray over medium heat in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, fennel seed, basil, oregano, and red pepper. Season with salt and black pepper and let simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat.
    3. While the sauce is simmering, roast the vegetables. Place zucchini, red and green peppers on a baking sheet. Spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables are done roasting, set aside to cool and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
    4. In a large pot, bring the milk, and salt to a light simmer. Slowly add the polenta to the pot, whisking constantly. Once it starts to thicken, trade the whisk out for a spoon and stir until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pot. Add half of the Parmesan cheese to the polenta and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the other half of the parmesan.
    5. Evenly spread the roasted vegetables on top of the polenta. Spread the tomato sauce over the vegetables. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm.

    For a truer comfort food, cheesier Polenta Pie, you can add 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of sugar, full fat milk and more parmesan to the polenta mix and 1 cup of mozzarella to the top of tomatoes before baking.

    Adapted from a ‘two peas and their pod’ recipe