Baked Polenta Pie! Creamy Polenta on top of a thick sausage ragu. Talk about comfort food! This delicous and flavor packed meal is easy on the cook. Made with fresh and simple ingredients….just the way we like it!
Polenta is a blank canvas for flavor. Add herbs, butter, cheese – your imagination is your only limit! This makes a very hearty meal and a small serving fills up a hungry dude. Our recipe card makes it easy to double this recipe for a 9 x 13 pan. Simply hover over the serving size and a slider will pop up! Oh I love food technology!
FAQ about cooking with Polenta:
- What is polenta? Polenta is simply ground dried yellow corn. Finer ground than corn meal. It produces a thicker texture.
- Are grits and polenta the same thing. They are both made from dried corn but I do not consider them completly interchangeable. Polenta is yellow corn and a courser grind where grits, which are moe southern than Italian are a finer grind and white in color. That being said, if you are not a total traditionalist either would work for this recipe.
- Polenta is really a blank canvas for flavor. Add butter, cream, cheese, herbs, just about anything to enhance the flavor. It’s the creamy texture we love!
Ingredients to make Baked Polenta Pie:
- Polenta (you will find this with the baking supplies near the cornmeal at your local grocer)
- sausage
- crushed tomatoes
- tomato paste
- garlic
- onion
- red pepper
- parmasan cheese
- mozzarella
- oregano
- basil
To get started, simply bring a large pot of water to boil and follow the instructions for polenta in the recipe card. It’s so simple!
While your polenta is cooking away, make the easy sausage ragu!
Brown your sausage, drain any excess grease and add the veggies, tomatoes and herbs.
When your polenta is done add cheese and plenty of salt…taste taste taste! This is the fun part! Polenta needs some added flavor hugs, be generous!
Now pour that smooth creamy comfort stuff right on top of your warm sausage ragu! Oh be still my comfort casserole loving heart!
Sprinkle with more cheese and in the oven it goes!
Serve this hearty polenta casserole with an Italian Green Salad and fresh baguette !
Still craving Italian? We have you covered!
Mangia Mangia!
Kathi & Rachel
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Baked Polenta Pie
Ingredients
To make Polenta
- 5 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups Polenta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup grated parmasan cheese
- 2 teaspoons salt minimum...taste for more!
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. While polenta is cooking start Ragu:
- 1 pound Italian Sausage or ground beef, chicken or turkey
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 4 oz can tomato paste
- 1 14.5 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 red pepper - chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- In large pot or dutch oven bring water to full boil. Add salt. Slowly add polenta. Whisk for 5 minutes until slighly combined. Some water will remain. Cover with lid slightly askew so some steam escapes. Continue to simmer stirring every few minutes for about 25 minutes or until polenta is smooth ans soft.
- Remove polenta from heat. Add butter and parmesan.
- While polenta is cooking, start sausage ragu
- In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Drain any exccess grease. Add onion and pepper and cook until soft. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Simmer for a few minutes. Add herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes until thick. Taste. More salt?
- Pour the polenta over the ragu and smooth with the back of a spoon
- Bake for 30 minutes or until puffy and hot in the middles. Top with mozzarella and bake for additional 5 minutes.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. The longer you allow to cool the firmer the polenta will become.
- Store leftovers in fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- This recipe easily doubles for a 9 x 13 pan.
- Substitute the sausage for ground, beef, chicken or turkey.
- Store in refridgerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Did you bake the polenta pie right in the frying pan or transfer to a baking dish?
Hi JoAnn – we baked it right in the same skillet. Although if you don’t have a oven proof skillet you can transfer to a baking dish. Hope you love it!
The pic associated with the recipe shows the rage on top of the polenta. Recipe said to put polenta on top! Confused
Hi Virginia – I’m thinking you got the picture from Pinterest and it’s an old one. I updated the recipe to put the polenta on top. Either version works but I preferred the polenta on top as is in the recipe. Sorry for the confusion.
Is this instant polenta?
Hi Kay – no it is regular but quick cooking would work!
No it is not but instant would work!
I don’t see what temp the oven needs to be on
Hi Lisa First line of instructions “Preheat oven to 375 degrees” :). Hope you love it!
How much Polenta? if the amount is indicated I don’t see it?
1 1/2 cups..it is in the ingredient list!
Can this be made ahead?
Well, I’m Italian, and I grew up eating polenta, and I have to say this sounds wonderful. Comfort food, for certain,just right for the rain. Brava!
What a huge compliment! Personally I’m a fan of the creamy polenta – like oatmeal consistency with enough cheese and butter to clog an artery. But you have to serve that right off the stove and I never quite make it. Hope you try it would love to hear what you and and your Italian taste buds think…
Kathi
That looks so good, and just right for this weather! 🙂
So excited fall is here! We haven’t had any rain yet, but I am very much looking forward to our first rainy, cold day. This polenta pie sounds delicious!