Food & Cooking Recipes Lunch Recipes Baked Polenta Fries 4.4 (81) We swap polenta for the usual potatoes in this lighter take on crispy fries. Close Credit: Jake Sternquist Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 4 Jump to recipe These crispy polenta fries call for only three ingredients and can be prepped in minutes using pre-cooked polenta from the grocery store. After cutting the tubes of polenta into planks, you’ll lightly coat them in oil and arrange them on a baking sheet. They bake at a high temperature for 40 to 50 minutes, which helps pull out their moisture, leaving you with crunchy, golden fries. A light sprinkle of Italian seasoning or dried oregano adds just the right amount of flavor without overpowering the polenta. Serve them with tomato sauce, aioli, or even ketchup for a lighter take on French fries. What Are the Differences Between Polenta, Grits, and Cornmeal? What Is Polenta? Polenta is a type of cornmeal that's made from ground flint corn. When cooked with liquid such as water or stock, it becomes a creamy, thick porridge of the same name that's native to Italy. Polenta is similar to grits, but is typically made with yellow corn rather than white (which is the preferred ground corn for grits). Depending on how it's prepared and served, polenta can be loose and pudding-like or firm and solid. 3 Types of Polenta You'll Find in the Grocery Store When shopping for polenta, you'll find a few different options tailored to cooking and prep time. Pre-cooked or instant polenta is quick to make since, as it's name implies, it has already been cooked and dehydrated. After briefly heating it with liquid, you'll have a smooth polenta product that's great for weeknight cooking.For the creamiest, best textured polenta, you'll want to make it from scratch from ground yellow corn. The process takes some time and a good amount of stirring but is well worth the effort. Note: While it's similar to cornmeal, ground polenta is not the same thing, so look for a ground corn product that specifically mentions polenta on the label.For this recipe, we're using pre-made polenta which you'll find sold in tubes. It is already solid and set up, so it only requires unwrapping and slicing into rectangles before it's ready for the oven. If you can't find tubes of polenta at the store, you can still make this recipe by preparing instant or from-scratch polenta according to package instructions and spreading it onto a greased baking sheet to cool. Cover and refrigerate it until firm, about 1 hour, before slicing and proceeding with the recipe. Directions Credit: Jake Sternquist Preheat oven; cut polenta: Preheat oven to 450°F. Unwrap and cut each tube of polenta in half crosswise. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 planks, then divide each plank into 4 wedges. Credit: Jake Sternquist Arrange on a baking sheet and coat in oil: Drizzle olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place polenta wedges on baking sheet; season with salt and pepper, and turn gently to coat with oil. Arrange wedges in a single layer. Credit: Jake Sternquist Bake until golden and crisp; toss with seasoning: Bake, turning once with a thin metal spatula, until golden and crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Transfer to a shallow dish, and toss with Italian seasoning before serving. Credit: Jake Sternquist Storage and Reheating Leftover polenta fries can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat them in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven or air-fryer until crispy, about 10 minutes. Sauces to Serve with Baked Polenta Fries While you can use ketchup, be adventurous and try these crispy polenta fries a with any of the following sauces for dipping: Test Kitchen's Favorite Aioli Zesty Tomato Dipping Sauce Curried-Sour-Cream Dipping Sauce Spicy Romesco Dipping Sauce Miso Aioli Lemon-Horseradish Sauce Garlic-Vinegar Mayonnaise Variations Instead of leaning Italian with the seasonings, try a smoky or spicy seasoning like smoked paprika, chili flakes, or chili powder. Other herbs or herb blends would work beautifully with the polenta fries too, such as dried thyme or herbes de Provence. You can also toss the baked fries with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, a dusting of garlic powder, or a drizzle of truffle oil before serving. More Oven-Baked Fry Recipes to Try: Sweet Potato Fries With Brown-Butter Marshmallow Sauce Crisp Zucchini-Panko Fries Crispy Oven-Baked Potato Wedges Italian Fries Oven-Baked Shoestring Fries Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.