Fried Polenta

Why Make This Fried Polenta Recipe

• These polenta fries are seriously crispy, much crispier than French fries. They have the extra-crunchy exterior you get from fried homemade falafel or arancini. 
• While the exterior of these polenta fries is divinely crispy-crunchy, they’re creamy on the inside, for an irresistible combination of textures.
• These fries are great on their own, or you can make them your own with herbs, spices, or vegan cheese. I share my suggestions in the Variations section.
• Fried polenta is very versatile. Serve it as a vegan side dish, snack, or appetizer with dips, like aioli, pesto, or pomodoro sauce.

Notes on Ingredients

All you need is polenta and water, plus a few simple seasonings to add flavour to your fries. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Water – I use water, and not milk, to keep my fried polenta vegan.
• Polenta – You’ll need dry polenta grains, not the polenta that comes in a tube.
• Garlic powder – This adds savoury flavour to the polenta fries.
• Olive oil – I use olive oil to season the polenta, and canola oil for frying.
• Canola oil – Or another oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable oil, to use for frying.
• Vegan Parmesan cheese – I find that store-bought vegan Parmesan sticks to the fried polenta better than homemade vegan Parmesan cheese, but you can use either.
• Chopped fresh parsley – Optional, for garnish.

What Is Polenta?

Classic polenta is an Italian dish made from coarse yellow cornmeal. You can eat it warm, like porridge, or chill it to slice and fry to make crispy polenta or polenta fries. Some brands, like Bob’s Red Mill, do label their polenta as grits. That said, there is a difference, although you can use them interchangeably in this recipe. Polenta and grits are both made from ground cornmeal. Grits are finer ground and made from white corn, while polenta is coarser and usually made from yellow corn.

How to Make Fried Polenta

Before you start, liberally grease a square baking pan with olive oil or cooking oil. You don’t want your polenta to get stuck.

• Cook the polenta. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then whisk in the polenta. Keep whisking until the polenta absorbs most of the water. Stir in another cup of water, along with the garlic powder and olive oil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the polenta thickens. 
• Cool. Next, spread the polenta evenly into a well-greased pan. Allow it to cool to room temperature.  

• Get ready to fry. When you’re ready to make your fries, heat the canola oil in a heavy pot set over medium-high heat. Let the oil come to 375°F.
• Cut the polenta fries. Now, turn out the cooled polenta onto a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut it into strips, about 3 inches long and ½ inch thick. 
• Fry. Working in batches, carefully add the polenta strips to the hot oil. Fry for 3 minutes, gently flipping the fries with a slotted spoon every 30 seconds, so they cook evenly. Once crispy, transfer the fried polenta to a paper towel-lined plate. 
• Serve. Sprinkle the polenta fries with vegan Parmesan and fresh parsley before serving. 

Tips for Crispy Polenta

• Use a deep pot. The polenta may spatter as it cooks, so I like to use a deep pot so I don’t have to worry about making a mess on the stovetop!
• Don’t skip cooling the polenta. Warm polenta will not hold its shape when cut or fried, resulting in a crumbly mess. To avoid this, make sure your polenta is fully cooled before cutting and frying it.
• Keep an eye on the oil temperature. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the oil temperature and adjust the heat as needed to keep it between 375°F and 380°F.
• Don’t overcrowd the pot. Frying too much polenta at once can cause it to stick together or cool down the oil, making your fries soggy. It’s best to fry in batches, making sure the oil returns to temperature between each batch.

Variations

• Add herbs. While I garnished the fries with fresh parsley, you can also fold fresh or dried herbs into the polenta mixture itself. This adds more herbaceous flavour in every bite! Rosemary, basil, and thyme are all delicious options.
• Stir in vegan bacon. For a savoury twist, whip up some vegan bacon crumbles and mix them into the polenta before frying.
• Spice things up. Add cayenne pepper or chili powder to give your fries an extra kick.
• Add cheese. Fold vegan Parmesan or cheddar into the polenta, or use nutritional yeast, which also adds a cheesy flavour.

What to Serve With Polenta Fries

I like to serve fried polenta as a side with a Caprese sandwich, chopped cheese sandwich, or quinoa burgers. And of course, always with a dipping sauce! Marinara sauce, ranch dressing, or even spicy arrabbiata sauce are excellent for dipping these crispy polenta sticks. When entertaining friends, I’ll add these to an appetizer platter with homemade bruschetta, or I’ll swap these for regular French fries to make over-the-top loaded nacho fries!

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate leftovers. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To reheat, place the fries on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until crispy again. The air fryer also works well!
• To freeze your fried polenta for later, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as instructed above. Alternatively, you can also freeze the uncooked polenta strips and fry them straight from the freezer. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the frying time.

More Easy Vegan Side Dishes

• Pineapple Fried Rice
• Maple Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Pecans
• Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Lemon Garlic Grilled Zucchini

Enjoy friends! If you make this fried polenta, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!