Crispy Polenta Fries (Air Fryer Or Baked)

Jump to Recipe

If you love polenta then you will find that these Polenta Fries are amaaaaazing. And once you try them and you’ll agree. They are crispy on the outside and creamy inside which make the fries instantly satisfying.

What Are Polenta Fries

There are made from polenta, which has been set, cooled and

Crispy Polenta Fries are a great snack for both kids and adults alike. They are satisfyingly crispy on the outside, creamy inside and super dip-able. Plus Air Fryer Polenta Fries earn major bonus points for being a healthier option than regular deep frying french fries.

You can also use spiced Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge to make a sweeter version to be served with a sweet dip.

This is a great recipe to make as a delicious appetizer or snack, party food, and a side dish for any lunch or weeknight dinner or any meal you want to.

Why Make This Recipe

• Super simple to make with just 1 pantry ingredient.
• They make a frugal yet tasty snack. 
• You can triple or quadruple the recipe to feed a crowd. #winningealready.
• They are super adaptable – see some suggestions below
• They are suitable for gluten-free and vegan diets.

Ingredient Notes

• Polenta – You have 2 options when making these polenta fries.
  • Pre – cooked polenta – You can start with store-bought cooked polenta logs or blocks. These come in various flavors. Anything to make life easier right? Juts pull out and cut into the shape you prefer and cook them as you with
  • Home cooked regular polenta – But if you prefer you can cook the polenta from scratch, which means you can add flavors that you like. Then you would use regular polenta. See how to whip up polenta from scratch further below.

Ready to learn just how easy it is to make crispy baked polenta Fries in the oven or air fryer or stovetop or Instant Pot? Then gather up your ingredients and let me show you…..

How To Make Polenta Fries In The Oven

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Here is how you can make oven Baked Polenta Fries.

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F /200 degreesC / gas 6.
• Cut prepared polenta into fries.
• Lightly oil a parchment paper lined baking sheet or baking dish (or spray with cooking spray) and transfer fries tot he prepared baking sheet.
• Bake polenta fries for 25-30 minutes, turning over once halfway through or until crisp and golden.

How To Make Polenta Fries Air Fryer

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees F / 190 degrees C.
2. Cut the polenta into fries.
3. Place Polenta Fries in a single layer inside the air fryer basket.
4. Air fry in the preheated Air Fryer for 8-10 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
5. Remove Air Fryer Polenta Fries from the air fryer and serve.

Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting out with less cook time, checking for doneness, and then adding more time as needed.

Make Them In The Instant Pot

1. Put the Instant Pot Air Fryer Basket In the Instant Pot.
2. Place Polenta Fries in a single layer inside the air fryer basket.
3. Lock the Air Fryer Lid, Select air fryer function, set to 380F / 190C for 15 minutes, and press start.
4. Let cook and halfway, then open the lid and carefully flip them and check you get an idea of how much more cook time is needed (plan fro around 12 or 13 minutes).
5. Cook for another few minutes and test again and continue till done at which point they should be golden and cooked through.

Fry Them On The Stove Top

• Heat up a 2 tbsp of oil into a heavy based frying pan over medium heat.
• Add some of the polenta chips to the pan and fry on all sides for a few minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels and repeat until all the polenta chips are done and serve.

How To Make Polenta On The Stove Top From Scratch

• 4 cups (1 litre) of vegetable broth (or mix of vegetable broth and coconut milk)
• 1 cup (160g) of polenta
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 oz (60g) grated Parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Add the coconut milk, water and spices into a heavy bottomed saucepan and slowly bring to the boil.
2. Then slowly whisk in the polenta all the while till it thickens.
3. Reduce the heat to low and stir for a few minutes with a wooden spoon.
4. Then cover and stir every 8 or so mins until the polenta is cooked. The whole cooking process takes about 45 mins. The Polenta is cooked when it is very thick and falls away from the side of the pan.
5. When the polenta is cooked, switch off the heat and pour into a silicone tray to the thickness you desire and allow to cool .

Recipe Tips

• Thick cut – make sure the fries are cut thick so that they are easier to handle.
• Cut fries into the same size so they cook at the same rate.
• If starting with store bought polenta, then pat polenta dry before cutting.
• If cooking polenta from scratch you would need 45 minutes of cooking and at least 1 hour of cooling and refrigeration for it to harden.
• If you want to season fries add them to a bowl, season and gently toss so they don’t break but till they are well coated.
• Use some tongs to carefully turn and remove the polenta from the air fryer basket or oven tray so that they do not break.

Delicious Variations

• Vary the seasoning to suit your taste. Sprinkle on some fresh herbs like chopped rosemary, thyme, cayenne pepper. Or if you like a little heat, then add some chilli flakes.
• Add more seasoning – if cooking creamy polenta from scratch (see below) you can add in things like garlic powder, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, oregano, butter, olive oil etc.

Storage

• Store – Store cooled fries in a airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The will loose their crispiness.
• Reheat – Reheat for 2-3 minutes in the air fryer.
• Freeze – Half freeze cooled fries on a parchment lines tray, before transferring to an freezer bag, remove all the air and freezing for a couple of months,

FAQs

More Air Fryer Recipes (Fries)

• You’ll also love these Air Fried Zucchini Fries, sweet Maple Carrot Fries and easy Sweet Potato Fries and best ever Air Fryer Potato Wedges. For something different try these Air Fry Green Beans.

Serving Suggestion And Dips

• Meat eaters will love this with a Juicy Grilled Steak, an Air Fryer Hamburger or Parmesan Crusted Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, family friendly Instant Pot Sloppy Joes or the best ever Air Fried Hot Dogs.
• Serve the crispy baked fries with your favorite dipping sauce or Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip, creamy 5 minute Yum Yum Sauce or Basil Pesto. Or serve simply with marinara sauce or ketchup.

More Polenta Recipes

• Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge.
• Instant Pot Polenta.
• Grilled Scallops and Herb Oil Polenta.

Thank you for reading Polenta Fries recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.

How To Make Crispy Baked Polenta Fries Recipe