Baked Polenta Fries or Air Fryer Polenta Fries are the perfect appetizer, snack or side dish for any meal. They are crispy on the outside, yet fluffy and creamy on the inside.
Suitable for Vegan and Gluten Free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
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.
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 french fries.
You can also use spiced Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge to make a sweeter version to be served with a sweet dip.
These make a perfect appetizer or snack, party food, and a side dish for any lunch or weeknight dinner or any meal you want to. Plus if you love fries then check out these Air Fryer Zucchini Fries, easy Air Fryer Frozen Waffle Fries and delicious Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
Table of Contents
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. You can start with store-bought cooked polenta logs or blocks. These come in various flavors. Anything to make life easier right? But if you prefer you can cook the polenta from scratch, which means you can add flavors that you like. See how to whip up polenta from scratch below.
Ready to learn just how easy it is to make flavorful Polenta Fries in air fryer or oven or stovetop? Then gather up your ingredients and let me show you…..
How To Make Polenta Fries Air Fryer
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees F / 190 degrees C.
- Cut polenta into fries.
- Place Polenta Fries in a single layer inside the air fryer basket.
- Air fry in the preheated Air Fryer for 8-10 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- 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.
How To Make Baked Polenta Fries
No air fryer? No worries! You can make oven Baked Polenta Fries instead. Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 400F /200C / gas 6.
- Cut polenta into fries.
- Lightly oil lined baking sheet (or spray with cooking spray) and transfer fries on the tray.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning over once halfway through or until crisp and golden.
Make Them In The Instant Pot
- Put the Instant Pot Air Fryer Basket In the Instant Pot.
- Place Polenta Fries in a single layer inside the air fryer basket.
- Lock the Air Fryer Lid, Select air fryer function, set to 380F / 190C for 15 minutes, and press start.
- 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).
- Cook for another few minutes and test again and continue till done at which point they should be golden and cooked through.
Fry Them
- Heat up a 2 tbsp of oil into a heavy based frying pan. Add some of the polenta chips to the pan and fry on all sides until they are golden brown.
- Add some of the polenta chips to the pan and fry on all sides until they are golden brown.
- Remove from the pan and repeat until all the polenta chips are done and serve.
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.
- 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 chopped rosemary or thyme. Or if you like a little heat, then add some chilli flakes.
- Add more seasoning – if cooking polenta from scratch (see below) you can add in things like garlic powder, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano 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,
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.
- Add the coconut milk, water and spices into a heavy bottomed saucepan and slowly bring to the boil.
- Then slowly add in the polenta whisking all the while till it thickens.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir for a few minutes with a wooden spoon.
- 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.
- When the polenta is cooked, switch off the heat and pour into a silicone tray to the thickness you desire and allow to cool .
FAQs
Because the temperature of air fryers can vary depending on the make and model, this recipe includes a range of cook times. It is important to keep in mind that the bigger and thicker your fries are, the more cook time will be needed.
This recipe recommends a cooking time of between 14 and 16 minutes. Aim for 14 minutes the first time you make your fries check them for doneness, and then adjust your total cook time from there.
Polenta is quite simply a dish made of boiled cornmeal. The word polenta is derived from the Latin term pollen that roughly translates to mean ‘fine flour’.
The name sounds fairly exotic, but what is the difference between cornmeal and polenta.
Polenta is actually just a cooked cornmeal.
Cornmeal is commonly served as a hot porridge. It may also be cooled and solidified into a loaf or individual pieces that can then be baked, fried, or grilled.
This gluten-free goodness, made from corn carries flavour really really well. Trust me I have tried it with everything. EVERYTHING. A good thing about polenta is that you can cook it in a porridge-like consistency or much firmer and use it to mop up a little bit of this and that.
My advice – cook lots and lots of it and throw it in the fridge. Then you can grill or fry this into crunchy on the outside and warm and flavourful on the inside perfection whenever. Snacks, salads, soups, polenta fries – it is all covered
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.
- For dipping sauce for polenta fries try 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
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How to Make Polenta Fries
Ingredients
- 1lb packet pre cooked polenta (450g)
Instructions
Make In the Air Fryer
- Preheat air fryer to 350F / 180C.
- Cut polenta into fries.
- Place Polenta Fries in a single layer inside the air fryer basket and lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Cook for 14-16 minutes, turning half way through until golden and crispy.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve.
Fry Them
- Heat up a 2 tbsp of oil into a heavy based frying pan. Add some of the polenta chips to the pan and fry on all sides until they are golden brown.
- Add some of the polenta chips to the pan and fry on all sides until they are golden brown.
- Remove from the pan and repeat until all the polenta chips are done. Serve immediately with some dips like a sweet chilli sauce.
Bake Them
- Preheat the oven to 400F /200C / gas 6.
- Cut polenta into fries.
- Lightly oil lined baking sheet and place polenta fries on the tray.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning over once halfway through or until crisp and golden.
Make In the Instant Pot
- Put the Instant Pot Air Fryer Basket In the Instant Pot.
- Place Polenta Fries in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. (you will need to cook these in batches)
- Lock the Air Fryer Lid, Select air fryer function, set to 380F / 190C for 15 minutes, and press start.
- 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 for around 12 or 13 minutes).
- Cook for another few minutes and test again and continue till done at which point they should be golden and cooked through.
I am glad I am not alone with an over stocked pantry!!
The ‘chips’ look delicious – I will definitely be trying out!
I have tried to make use of polenta twice but it never worked… I don’t think I was doing it right, thank you for sharing this.