Cheddar Bacon Baked Polenta Fries
Having the same old French fries can get boring Try changing things up with Cheddar Bacon Baked Polenta Fries dipped in Chipotle Aioli Sauce!
This is a great recipe for you to try if you have never cooked with polenta, a cornmeal-based soft food. You will get a soft and tender interior texture like a potato, with a crispy outside that gives you the feeling of a french fry with a deeper flavor and texture. Pair your polenta fries with this smokey and slightly tangy sauce to dip them in and you will have a new favorite side dish for your burgers and chicken.
Why you’ll love Cheddar Bacon Bake Polenta Fries
Loaded fries meet polenta fries in this delicious recipe that includes a fantastic dipping sauce. This recipe works with cheese and bacon or without depending on your flavor craving. You can even change up the add-ins to try other fun combinations!
Other Recipes to Serve with Cheddar Bacon Baked Polenta Fries
- Jalapeno Popper Burgers – burgers and fries just go together, and this recipe brings some heat
- Easy Wedge Salad – a nice wedge salad goes well with just about anything, filling and easy to make any day of the week
Ingredients:
Polenta: You want to use “instant” or “quick-cooking” polenta for this recipe. Regular polenta takes 30-40 minutes to cook, where instant polenta is ready in about 5 minutes. You can get instant polenta at the grocery store or on Amazon.
Seasoning: We’re using a yummy combination of garlic, thyme, and chives. It’s like upgraded loaded potatoes toppings! Add in the bacon and cheddar for some serious wow factor!
Sauce: This is a spicy and smokey variation of a traditional aioli that is ah-mazing with these polenta fries!
How to Make Cheddar Bacon Baked Polenta Fries
STEP ONE: Stir the instant polenta, garlic, herbs, cheese, bacon, salt, and pepper into boiling water in a medium pan. Keep stirring until the polenta thickens. Let rest for 5 minutes off the heat.
STEP TWO: Pour the polenta into a square baking dish lined with parchment paper and then freeze for 15 minutes. (The paper makes it easy to lift out the polenta later.)
STEP THREE: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Take the polenta out of the baking dish and cut it into 1/4-inch thick “fries”. Put the fries on a greased baking sheet. Then gently coat in with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
STEP FOUR: Backe for 30 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through. Mix up the aioli ingredients and serve with the fries once they’ve cooled enough to eat.
Tips for Success
- Freeze the polenta in a pan that will allow it to be thick enough to cut into fries. If you double the recipe, use a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish instead.
- You can use bacon bits in a pinch if you don’t have fresh bacon on hand.
- Garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic – you will need one teaspoon of garlic powder for this substiution.
- If you like your dip extra spicy, use two chipotle peppers instead of one for the aoili.
How do I store and reheat polenta fries?
You can store them in the refrigerator, and to reheat the best option is to heat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake again for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
What are polenta fries?
Polenta is a cornmeal-based food similar to cornmeal or grits. When the polenta is cooked, it has a thick and creamy oatmeal-ish texture. When frozen into a thick sheet, the polenta becomes firm and can be cut into french fry-shaped sticks. Then bake the sticks as a great alternative to potato french fries.
Other “french fry” recipes
Cheddar Bacon Baked Polenta Fries
Ingredients
Polenta Fries
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 strips bacon cooked crispy & chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Chipotle Aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo chopped
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Polenta Fries
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the polenta, garlic, thyme, chives, cheddar cheese, bacon, salt, and pepper. Stir until the polenta is thick, about 3 minutes. Then turn the heat off, cover the saucepan, and let the polenta sit for 5 minutes.
- Line an 8-inch x 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Scoop the polenta into the baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Freeze it for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Lift the polenta out of the baking dish and cut it into "fries" that are about 1/2-inch thick. Place the polenta fries onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Then gently coat the fries in olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Spread the fries in an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway in between cooking.
Chipotle Aioli
- Mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, chipotles, smoked paprika, and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Sprinkle the cooked polenta fries with chives and serve with chipotle aioli. Enjoy!
