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Crispy Fried Polenta Cakes are a savory dish made from cooked polenta, fried until crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. Finished off with a rich tomato bacon jam, they make a great appetizer or side dish!
Fried polenta cakes, also known as polenta fritta or crostini di polenta, are a popular dish in Italian cuisine. Delicious and a great way to enjoy leftover polenta, they're also a great alternative to traditional fried foods.
My recipe is simple but takes a bit of time and attentiveness, like risotto, but I promise the end result is very much worth the work! These crispy polenta cakes would be a great idea for a dinner party or special occasion. Serve them alongside Italian steaks, roasted chicken, or salmon.
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What is Polenta?
Traditional polenta is a classic dish that originated in Northern Italy. It has been a staple food in this region for centuries, dating back to the Roman Empire.
Polenta is made from coarsely ground yellow cornmeal that is cooked with water or broth until it becomes a thick, creamy porridge. It was considered food for the poor and was often eaten as a substitute for bread or pasta. Over time, it has become a popular dish in Italian cuisine all over the world and is a favorite in my home, just like my creamy polenta with Parmesan recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Polenta - I recommend using coarse-ground cornmeal for this fried polenta recipe. It gives the cooked polenta a nice creamy texture without being overly mushy or requiring eggs or flour as binders. Some stores will have coarsely ground cornmeal labeled as polenta. That is fine to use as well. If fine or medium ground is the only kind available, it will still work. Just keep an eye on the texture, as cooking times may be shorter.
- Broth - I find that using chicken stock or broth when cooking the cornmeal adds a delicious depth of flavor to the polenta. Water can be a substitute if needed, but it will provide a less flavorful result.
- Cheese - A hard, salty cheese is best, adding a sharp, cheesy bite that pairs well with the rich flavor of the creamy polenta. Parmesan, asiago, or pecorino romano cheeses are my favorite options.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetarian - Use vegetable broth and omit the savory bacon jam for a vegetarian version.
- Shapes - Cut the polenta into any shape and size. Be careful not to cut the pieces too large, or they will be difficult to work with. Small or medium-sized squares or circles work great. Cut into small rectangles to create crispy polenta fries.
- Toppings - Serve the pan-fried polenta with different toppings. Italian gravy, pesto, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes, shrimp, or fresh herbs like thyme are great options.
- Small batch - Cut the recipe in half and pour into an 8x8 baking dish or small cake pan instead.
- Thinner cakes - These polenta cakes will be about 2 inches in thickness. For thinner cakes, spread the polenta onto a baking sheet or split it into two 9x13-inch baking dishes.
Want the quick version? Jump to the recipe card below. Or, keep reading for a detailed, step-by-step guide.
How to Make Crispy Polenta Cakes
Heat the broth - First, heat the chicken stock or broth over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven until it boils. Slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking continuously until it starts to thicken.
Cook the polenta - Reduce the heat to low and let the polenta cook for 45 minutes, whisking every 1-2 minutes. Remove the polenta from the heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and kosher salt.
Transfer the polenta - Pour the hot polenta mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to smooth it into an even layer.
Chill - Place a layer of plastic wrap on top of the surface and refrigerate until completely chilled. Use a glass or round cookie cutter to cut polenta into small circles.
Fry - Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat on the stovetop with the olive oil. Pan-fry the pieces of polenta in the hot oil for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Enjoy - Serve the crispy fried polenta cakes with your favorite toppings!
Amanda's Expert Tips
- Whisk the cornmeal in slowly so that it doesn't clump in the broth.
- Make sure to lower the heat and stir the polenta every 1-2 minutes so that it doesn't stick to the bottom or burn.
- Coarse ground cornmeal will take time to cook and become creamy. It should not be gritty and should be lighter in color. You can cook it less, but for the cakes to hold up best after chilling, they should cook for at least 45 minutes.
- Let the polenta cool completely so it cuts easily into shapes.
- Use a non-stick pan to make sure our polenta doesn't stick while frying.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Make Ahead - The polenta can be made up to two days ahead of time and stored in a bowl in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. When you are ready to serve, cut into the desired shape, fry, and serve with your desired toppings.
Store - Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Reheat - Warm polenta cakes in a bit of oil or butter in a skillet or the microwave until warmed through.
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
Italian Side Dish Recipes
If you loved these Crispy Fried Polenta Cakes, check out these other Italian recipes that I know you will love too!
- Air Fryer Calamari - A lightened-up take on a classic that's crispy, savory, and so delicious.
- Parmesan Bread Bites - Bite-sized pieces of heaven doused in savory garlic herb butter and Parmesan cheese.
- Italian Arugula Salad - A simple lemon vinaigrette adds a bright, tangy taste, creating a simple side that pairs perfectly with any course.
- Grilled Italian Zucchini - A fresh, flavorful side dish that takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
Recipe
Fried Polenta Cakes
Ingredients
Polenta Cakes
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 2 cups ground yellow cornmeal, coarse ground
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- tomato bacon jam, for serving
Instructions
Polenta Cakes
- Heat broth in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stovetop and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with baking spray or olive oil.
- When the broth starts to boil, slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking continuously until it is completely combined and starts to thicken.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the polenta cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes, for a total of 45 minutes until cornmeal is completely soft and creamy.
- Remove the pot off of the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the polenta. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours until completely cooled.
- When the polenta is completely chilled, using a cookie cutter, glass, or knife, cut into smaller circles or squares.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat on the stovetop and add olive oil. Working with 2-3 pieces at a time, cook polenta cakes in the pan for 2-3 minutes on each side till browned and lightly crispy.
- Serve polenta cakes topped with tomato bacon jam and extra parmesan cheese.
Notes
-
- Whisk the cornmeal in slowly so that it doesn't clump in the broth.
-
- Make sure to lower the heat and stir the polenta every 1-2 minutes so that it doesn't stick to the bottom or burn.
-
- Coarse ground cornmeal will take time to cook and be creamy. It should not be gritty and should be lighter in color. You can cook it less, but in order for the cakes to hold up best after chilling, it should cook for at least 45 minutes.
-
- Let the polenta cool completely so it cuts easily into shapes.
-
- Use a non-stick pan to make sure our polenta doesn't stick while frying.
Substitutions and Variations
-
- Polenta - Coarse ground cornmeal will give a nice creamy texture without being overly mushy. If fine or medium ground is the only kind available, it will still work. Just keep an eye on the texture, as cooking times may be less.
-
- Broth - Water can be a substitute if needed, but will be less flavorful.
-
- Cheese - Parmesan, asiago or pecorino romano cheeses are all great options.
- Vegetarian - Use vegetable broth and omit the tomato bacon jam.
-
- Shapes - Cut the polenta into any shape and size. Do not to cut the pieces too large or they will be difficult to work with. Small or medium sized squares or circles work great. Cut into small rectangles to create crispy polenta fries.
-
- Toppings - Marinara sauce, pesto, sautéed mushrooms, roasted vegetables or shrimp are other great options for toppings.
-
- Small batch - Cut the recipe in half and pour into an 8x8 baking dish instead.
-
- Thinner cakes - These polenta cakes will be about 2 inches in thickness. For thinner cakes, spread the polenta onto a half sheet pan or split into two 9x13 inch baking dishes.
Lisa
Hi! So I just prepped the polenta and poured it into a 13x9 dish and it appears as though they will be very thick?! Is that accurate? I’m worried lol.
Amanda
Yes! Don't be worried! They will be about 2 inches thick and this helps them to hold up after it cools and you cut them into smaller shapes. It also helps them hold up when you are frying them later.
Brad The Gay Gay
5-Stars with a caveat! The bacon tomato jam was off the chart delicious, I added extra brown sugar to sweeten it up, but that probably wasn't necessary.
My problem was with the polenta. I have only eaten it once or twice in my life, and have never cooked it so I followed the recipe exactly and thank g-d for the internet so I could figure out how to fix it!
For starters, every other recipe I found for polenta had a ratio of liquid to cornmeal of 3:1 or 4:1, this recipe called for 5:1. Second, it stated to cook it for 3-5 minutes, when it probably should have been 30-50 minutes. And finally, trying to pour that little polenta into a 9x13 pan made for the thickness of a corn tortilla, not a luscious, creamy, smooth fried polenta cake. Next time I will use an 8x8 pan.
Back to the Bacon Jam... Holy Tomatoes Batman, people will think you are a gourmet chef with this simple recipe. You will instantly become more beautiful and your sex life will improve! I bet you will receive a letter from the IRS saying you have a large tax refund coming and probably win the lottery! It's that good!
I cooked it in an 8" pot. Next time I will do it larger pot or pan. It took a long time to crisp up the bacon - even on high heat. Other than adding more brown sugar, I followed the recipe exactly, After about 45 minutes it was perfect. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn the stove off and it kept cooking for another hour - still great!
For the amount of polenta in the recipe you probably only need half this amount of jam. A better idea? Make twice as much polenta!
Amanda
Hey Brad! Thanks so much for your feedback, I'm sorry the polenta didn't turn out the way you expected. I'm glad you loved the tomato bacon jam and in my opinion, more polenta is ALWAYS a good idea 🙂
Susan M
Yeah, agree this recipe is off, especially if you look at other recipes for polenta medallions. Absolutely needs to cook for longer, needs to sit in the fridge for *much* longer, etc. I’m not sure I can save this and should have researched other recipes instead of using just this one. Sad I put a lot of time into this already and not sure it’s going to amount to anything close to what it should be.
Amanda
Hey Susan - I'm sorry to hear that it didn't quite work out for you. I have made it a few times likes this and haven't had an issue, but I'm going to take this one back to the testing kitchen and see if we can't find some ways to help improve it so some of you don't have problems with it.
Amanda
Hey Susan - I wanted to let you know that we took this recipe back to the kitchen to test and have now improved it with a change in ratio, cooking times and quantity to make sure it holds up better and gives you those thick medallions you are looking for. Thank you for your feedback!
Amanda
Hey Brad! I wanted to let you know that we took this recipe back to the kitchen to test and have now improved it with a change in ratio, cooking times and quantity to make sure it holds up better and gives you a better result. Thank you for your feedback!