I thought it would be fun to make a pizza for Brown bag Lunch Month. I mean, who doesn’t like to get pizza in their lunch bag! And, a fun new twist on the traditional pizza was in order. That’s where this easy to make Polenta Pizza comes in. Fun, yummy, and topped with lots of veggies!
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The crust on this Polenta Pizza reminds me of a deep dish Chicago-style pizza. It’s thick and rich and as an added bonus, it’s gluten-free.
I used regular polenta. I can’t seem to find anywhere that sells instant polenta anymore. So, the instructions I’m giving are for regular polenta. I suspect that you could do the same with instant polenta, just shorten the cooking time in the pan based on the package directions.
After you bake the polenta, a nice little crust will form over the top, this is where you’ll want to top your Polenta Pizza. The crust gives a more firm and sturdy area to work on.
About ½ cup pizza sauce, or more or less to your liking. My favorite pizza sauce is this homemade one, and it comes together in just a couple minutes, so it’s worth it to make your own.
You could roast your own red peppers using these instructions, or simply use jarred roasted red peppers to save yourself a little time.
And remember, you can take a look at lots of lunch ideas over on my Pinterest Board: Brown Bagging it: Great lunch ideas!
And, this would be a really fun appetizer at a party! Just cut them up into small bite sized pieces for Polenta Pizza Nibbles! Fun!
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Polenta Pizza Recipe
Polenta Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil plus additional for oiling the pan
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup polenta
- ½ large yellow onion chopped
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 2 ounces queso fresco crumbled
- 2 jarred roasted red peppers chopped
- 1 small handful fresh oregano roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F. Oil the bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast iron or oven-proof skillet, and set aside.
- Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium pan over medium-high heat, and slowly stir in polenta. Stir polenta constantly until thickened, about 25 minutes.
- While the polenta cooks, place 1 teaspoon oil in a heavy bottomed skillet, and heat over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions, and cook until onions soften and caramelize, about 20-30 minutes, stirring often. If onions begin to cook too fast, or burn, add a small amount of water to the pan and continue to cook. Once onions are done to your liking, remove from heat and set aside.
- Pour cooked soft polenta into the prepared cast iron skillet, and bake in the 400º F oven for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and top with the pizza sauce, queso fresco, caramelized onions, chopped red peppers, and oregano. Return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove pan from oven, and allow to cool, about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh oregano if desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
This looks so healthy and delicious Debi! Pinned and shared!
You don’t know how much I love polenta! This pizza is just delicious, love all the flavors!