Crispy Baked Polenta

Baked Polenta: Polenta is cut into cubes and baked until golden brown. It has a crispy outside and a soft and creamy inside. The dish is topped with marinara sauce, vegetables, and lentils for a complete sheet pan meal!

Polenta is an Italian dish made from coarsely ground cornmeal. Make it from scratch or buy it in a tube at your local grocery store. When cooked over the stove, it is served as a creamy side dish. It can also be cooled, rolled into a tube, sliced, and grilled or baked.

Cut polenta into small cakes and sauteed or grilled, but this recipe calls for something different. The tube of polenta is cut into equal-sized cubes, spread on a sheet pan, and baked until crispy on all sides.

While polenta tastes delicious with a bit of salt and pepper, this recipe takes it to new heights, making it a complete sheet pan meal with vegetables, lentils, marinara sauce, and topped with melted vegan mozzarella and fresh herbs.

If you’re bored with your usual pasta night, make this baked polenta instead! It’s a unique twist on Italian flavors.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love Baked Polenta
• Ingredients and Notes
• Substitutions
• How to Make Crispy Baked Polenta
• Cooking Tips
• Storage
• More Vegan Sheet Pan Recipes!
• Recipe

Why You’ll Love Baked Polenta

Easy Sheet Pan Meal: Sheet pan meals are perfect for busy weekdays. They are quick to prepare and don’t require a lot of clean-up or hands-on time. The polenta is prepared on one sheet pan, while the vegetables are prepared on another. By doing this, the polenta gets nice and crispy. If you add everything to the same sheet pan, the moisture from the vegetables will cause the polenta to become moist.

Vegan and Gluten-Free: Polenta is made from cornmeal, which doesn’t contain gluten. Always check your ingredient list and label to be sure it is not cross-contaminated. The bake is made hearty with the addition of vegan-friendly lentils and vegetables. I’ve topped the bake with vegan mozzarella cheese, but feel free to leave this off or use regular mozzarella if that is your preference.

Versatile: This is an excellent recipe for a meal or an appetizer for a dinner party. You can use your creativity by using vegetables of your choice or adding other protein sources instead of lentils.

Excellent Texture: The combination of crispy polenta, roasted vegetables, smooth marinara, and ooey-gooey cheese topping has all of the elements of a multi-faceted meal!

Ingredients and Notes

Polenta: Tubes of polenta are in the international aisle of the grocery store near the pasta.

Olive Oil: Ensures the polenta is crisp and golden brown in the oven. If you are oil-free, leave out this ingredient.

Vegetables: I used red bell pepper, zucchini, and yellow squash for this recipe, but feel free to use what you have on hand.

Herbs and Spices: Oregano, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper adds seasoning to the vegetables.

Cooked Green Lentils: You can either meal-prep your lentils or buy prepared lentils. Prepared lentils come canned or in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. I find prepared lentils at Trader Joe’s, or you can buy Eden Organics canned lentils.

Marinara Sauce: Use a simple jarred marinara sauce of your choice, or if you’re really ambitious, make homemade hearty marinara.

Vegan Mozzarella: When I’m in a hurry,I use store-bought vegan mozzarella shreds, but making it at home will save you money. It’s also much more nutritious, without added oils and preservatives. This is my favorite vegan mozzarella recipe.

Fresh Parsley: A touch of roughly chopped parsley adds a finishing touch to this dish.

Substitutions

Oil-Free: Use a small amount of vegetable broth or water instead of olive oil.

How to Make Crispy Baked Polenta

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.
2. Remove the polenta from the packaging. Cut into even ½ inch cubes using a sharp knife.
3. Add the polenta cubes to a large mixing bowl. Add one tablespoon of the olive oil and gently toss until evenly coated. Spread the polenta cubes in a single layer on one of the prepared baking sheets.
4. Using the same mixing bowl, add the diced veggies, including the red bell pepper, zucchini, and yellow squash. Add olive oil, oregano, garlic, powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly with the oil and seasoning. Transfer to the second prepared baking sheet.
5. Place the baking sheets on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. At 10 minutes, remove the baking sheets, turn the polenta cubes to bake evenly, and toss the vegetables. Return to the oven to bake for ten more minutes or until golden brown.
6. Spread the vegetables on top of the baking sheet with the cubed polenta. Add the cooked lentils, the jar of marinara sauce, and the vegan mozzarella. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes or until the sauce is warm and the cheese has melted.
7. Remove from the oven and top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve and enjoy!

Cooking Tips

• Cut the polenta cubes and the vegetables into pieces of the same size. This allows them to cook evenly.
• To prevent the polenta from becoming soggy, use two different sheet pans, one for the polenta and one for the vegetables. If you have a large oven, you can use one large baking sheet, 17×12, and a baking pan divider to keep the two elements separate.

Storage

Refrigerate: Allow the baked polenta to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. It will keep for up to 3 days.

Reheat: Place leftovers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until warmed through, and the cheese has melted.

More Vegan Sheet Pan Recipes!

Recipe