You guys loved my polenta cake recipe, so I’m back with another recipe featuring this epic grain: crispy baked polenta chips! They’re quick, easy, healthy and oh so tasty. What more could you want from a side dish/ snack/ breakfast? (okay, I think I went too far…?)
What exactly is polenta?
Polenta is yellow cornmeal. It is made by grinding dried corn, and is often eaten as a ‘porridge’ by cooking it in water. What you may not know, is that chilling this porridge causes it to firm up, so we can make it into chips – yay! And to make things even easier, I’m using ready-made polenta in this recipe (though I have also given instructions for you to make your own if you’d like to).
Is Polenta Healthy?
Polenta is a low-fat carbohydrate rich in fiber. If you know me, you’ll know I’m in a long-term relationship with carbs, which doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. However, carbohydrates are essentially sugar molecules, which means that they have the potential to increase your blood sugar levels. Luckily, polenta has a low glycemic index, meaning that it breaks down to sugar less easily in the body than say, white bread. You get me?
I don’ t know if I’d go as far as calling polenta a “superfood” (what even is a superfood these days?!) but it’s definitely one of my favourite grains. And guess what? It’s super cheap! So move aside fancy overpriced quinoa, and step in super affordable and tasty polenta.
How to make Baked Polenta chips:
Making your own polenta chips at home couldn’t be easier. All you need is some ready made polenta and a few seasonings, and you’re good to go! This is one of those whack-everything-on-a-tray and chuck it into the oven kinda recipes, i.e. the best kinda recipe for busy people looking for healthy eats. YAY!
I chose to serve my polenta chips with a super quick avocado pesto. You could also make your own traditional-style vegan pesto if you prefer. This dip is made by simply mixing fresh chopped basil, lemon juice and seasonings with some mashed avocado. Zero blender, zero oil, and zero nuts. (So basically not even pesto anymore. But whatever this is, it sure is tasty.)
What to serve with Polenta Chips:
Polenta goes with EVERYTHING. Trust me, polenta is the new potato. I love to make these chips to have with black bean burgers for a healthier take on a diner-style meal. Alternatively, you can eat them on their own for a light lunch with some hummus. You could also make a sandwich on the side, cus why not?
I do hope you try this recipe! If you do, tag me on Instagram @shivanilf – I love to see your creations! You can also say hello on Pinterest and Facebook – I hope to see you there!
More vegan dinner recipes:
Crispy Baked Polenta Chips
Ingredients
For the Polenta Chips:
- 300 grams Ready-Made Polenta
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- Spray Oil
For the Avocado Pesto:
- 1/2 Avocado
- 1 sprig Fresh Basil
- pinch Salt
- pinch Pepper
- 1/4 Lemon juiced
Instructions
For the Polenta Chips:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Slice the polenta into chips and spread out on a baking tray.
- Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast, then toss together gently to make sure the chips are evenly coated.
- Spray lightly with the spray oil. Bake at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
For the Avocado Pesto:
- In a medium bowl, mash the avocado until smooth. Finely chop the basil, then add to the mashed avocado along with the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the hot polenta chips. Enjoy!
Shivani’s Tips
- If you don’t have ready made polenta, you can make your own by cooking 150g polenta according to packet instructions, then pouring into a tray and transferring to the freezer to firm up. Once cool and firm, continue from step 1.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @shivanilf and use the hashtag #shivanilovesfood!
Pin this recipe:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019 Shivani Raja
Love this recipe, the pesto is an amazing addition! Thanks for the share 🙂
Hi Noelle – I’m so glad you like it!
I never tried polenta chips before! Looks so delicious and such a great snack!
They’re super tasty – let me know if you try them! x
So delicious and just perfect with the avocado pesto!
Thank you Tara – the avocado pesto really makes it!
I simply love this idea! I’ve made polenta cakes out of the ready made polenta but I never thought about making it into fries. This would be great to have with burgers in lieu of french fries. Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh they’re so easy to make and super tasty! I hope you like them linda, and save me a burger 😉
I have been looking for a good appetizer to replace the fries for quite some time now. I like the shape of the standard fries so it has been a bit difficult to find something that would at least slightly resemble it. Until now. Fantastic chips recipe that I am adding to my recipe kit!
Aww so glad to hear this laura! I hope you like them as much as I do, if that’s even possible! x