Best 7 Baked Polenta With Tomato Sauce And Ricotta Recipes

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Baked polenta with tomato sauce and ricotta is an easy and delicious dish that can be served as a main course or a side dish. Also known as polenta al forno, it is a classic Italian dish that can be traced back centuries. The combination of creamy polenta, tangy tomato sauce, and creamy ricotta offers an explosion of flavors and textures. This simple yet satisfying dish is a great way to use up leftover polenta, and it can also be made ahead of time and reheated when you're ready to serve.

Let's cook with our recipes!

EASY POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE



Easy Polenta with Tomato Sauce image

My entire family loves this recipe. A quick baked polenta topped with red sauce. Very easy to make and great the next day too (and the day after that!) Top with additional Parmesan cheese if you like.

Provided by Jacquita

Categories     Side Dish     Grain Side Dish Recipes     Polenta Recipes

Time 20m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 5

2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups spaghetti sauce, or your favorite recipe

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
  • In a large pot, combine the milk and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it is at a rolling boil, gradually whisk in the cornmeal, making sure there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
  • Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish, and spread spaghetti sauce over the top.
  • Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until sauce is bubbling.

BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA



Baked Polenta with Tomato Sauce and Ricotta image

I turn to polenta when I am in need of some good, old-fashioned comfort food. I suspect it's because there is not much difference between polenta and the grits I was raised on in North Florida. This simple dish relies once again on my favorite tomato sauce and not much else other than freshly cooked polenta made better than ever with a little added ricotta.

Provided by Art Smith

Categories     HarperCollins     Hominy/Cornmeal/Masa     Tomato     Vegetarian     Parmesan     Basil     Ricotta     Healthy     Dinner

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

For the tomato sauce:
4 tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion, skin on
1 small bulb garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
For the polenta:
1 cup polenta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the garnish:
4 tablespoons chopped basil

Steps:

  • To prepare the tomato sauce:
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes.
  • Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use.
  • To prepare the polenta:
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces.
  • To serve:
  • Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.

CHEESY BAKED POLENTA IN TOMATO SAUCE



Cheesy Baked Polenta in Tomato Sauce image

This recipe is quite forgiving in that there's plenty of wiggle room to play. Use whatever herbs and cheeses you have on hand, for example, adjust the spice levels as preferred, and opt for fresh tomatoes if they're in season, or chopped canned tomatoes instead of whole. You can also veganize the dish entirely by using a nondairy milk and vegan cheese, adding some nutritional yeast if you like. This hearty main needs nothing more than some lightly cooked greens to eat alongside.

Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi

Categories     dinner, casseroles, main course

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 3/4 cups/660 milliliters whole milk
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/3 cups/200 grams instant polenta
2/3 cup/60 grams roughly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup/60 milliliters olive oil
2 small yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups/360 grams)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/3 packed cup/10 grams fresh oregano leaves
2 (14-ounce/410-gram) cans (tins) plum tomatoes, roughly crushed by hand
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
7 ounces/200 grams fontina cheese or buffalo mozzarella, very thinly sliced
1/3 cup/30 grams finely grated Parmesan
2 scant tablespoons/5 grams finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Steps:

  • Cut out a piece of parchment paper about 16-by-12 inches/40-by-30 centimeters in size and lay onto a clean work surface.
  • Prepare the polenta: Add the milk, garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to a medium saucepan. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the polenta, whisking continuously, until completely incorporated and there are no lumps. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the while with a spatula. When cooked, the mixture should pull away from the sides of the pan and be quite thick.
  • Add the Parmesan, stirring for another 30 seconds to melt. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the parchment paper. Use your hands to quickly shape the polenta into a large cylindrical shape, about 13-inches/32-centimeters long. Use the parchment paper to help you tighten the cylinder and then gently roll the whole thing in the paper, tightening as you go, then twisting in opposite directions at both ends. Refrigerate to set for about 1 hour, or longer if time allows.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce: Add the olive oil to a large, ovenproof cast-iron pan that is roughly 11-inches/28-centimeters wide, and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until softened and lightly colored.
  • Stir in the garlic, red-pepper flakes and oregano, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar, a scant 1/2 cup/100 milliliters water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Set aside until needed.
  • Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/230 degrees Celsius.
  • Gently unwrap the chilled polenta and transfer to a cutting board. Trim about 1 inch/2 to 3 centimeters off the ends and then cut the polenta into 24 (1-centimeter-thick) slices.
  • Top the tomato sauce evenly with the sliced fontina, then fan out the polenta slices, overlapping slightly, so that they're spiraled to cover the top, leaving a 1-centimeter gap from the edge of the pan. Drizzle the polenta with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until polenta is golden in places and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes to settle.
  • While the polenta cools, in a small bowl combine all the topping ingredients. Sprinkle a handful of the topping over the polenta and serve the remaining in a bowl alongside. Serve warm.

BAKED POLENTA WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND PARMESAN



Baked Polenta with Fresh Tomatoes and Parmesan image

This recipe is a perfect way to highlight and use fresh summer tomatoes. It makes a great side dish for grilled chicken or pork chops.

Provided by rjohl

Categories     Side Dish     Grain Side Dish Recipes     Polenta Recipes

Time 40m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 ¼ cups water
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter, chilled and cut into pieces
2 tomatoes, sliced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
  • Place the water, milk, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 chopped basil leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the polenta to the prepared baking dish and arrange the remaining chilled pieces of butter over the top.
  • Bake the polenta in the preheated oven until bubbly and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
  • Decoratively arrange the slices of tomato over the top of the polenta, spread the remaining basil leaves over the tomatoes, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
  • Return to the oven and bake until the tomatoes are warm and the Parmesan cheese is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 427.6 calories, Carbohydrate 37.5 g, Cholesterol 56.5 mg, Fat 21.1 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 22.4 g, SaturatedFat 11.9 g, Sodium 1013 mg, Sugar 6.8 g

BAKED POLENTA WITH RICOTTA AND PARMESAN



Baked Polenta With Ricotta and Parmesan image

This no-stir method produces an effortless polenta. The ricotta adds lightness and turns the polenta into an elegant side dish. It may be baked up to 2 hours in advance and reheated, if desired.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     dinner, grains and rice, side dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 cup coarse polenta
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan
Black pepper

Steps:

  • Soak polenta in cold water for 1 hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Drain polenta, then place in a heavy-bottomed pot or ovenproof baking dish. Add salt and 4 cups water.
  • Place pot in oven, cover, and bake for 45 minutes. (The polenta will begin to simmer and absorb water after a few minutes. No need to stir.)
  • After 45 minutes, uncover and stir in the olive oil, ricotta and Parmesan, but don't overmix. Some of the ricotta should remain in big blobs. The mixture may be a bit soupy at this point, but will thicken as it continues to cook. Bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes, until top has browned. Finish with a generous amount of pepper.

BAKED POLENTA WITH A TOMATO SAUCE



Baked Polenta With a Tomato Sauce image

This is a very tasty, filling meal. It can be used as a side dish or as a main course. For those following Weight Watchers, the whole recipe provides 16.5 points, assuming you use low fat cheese. Prep time includes time for the polenta to set.

Provided by Shuzbud

Categories     Low Protein

Time 2h40m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 cups water
1 cup quick-cook polenta (yellow cornmeal)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 (14 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes (14oz=400g)
10 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or mozzarella)
plastic wrap (saran wrap or cling film)

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
  • Pour 3 cups of cold water into a saucepan and turn the heat up to high.
  • Add 1 cup polenta/ cornmeal gradually, stirring until it is all mixed in.
  • Stir in the paprika and nutmeg.
  • Heat until boiling, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. NB: The polenta may spit if not stirred so be careful!
  • When the polenta has thickened at the end of the 2 minutes, remove from the heat. Line a loaf pan with cling film/ saran wrap and pour the polenta in
  • Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours until solid.
  • Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet and cook the onion and garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes until soft.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste then simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, turn the polenta onto a chopping board and remove the cling film. Cut it into about 18 squares. Slices can also be used if they fit your baking tray better.
  • Pour a third of the tomato sauce into a baking tray, top with half the polenta squares. Repeat the layers ending with sauce (alternatively I use a large shallow baking tray so I use a single layer of polenta squares with tomato sauce underneath and poured over the top).
  • Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, sprinkle the cheese over the top and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.

DELICIOUS AND SIMPLE RICOTTA AND TOMATO PASTA SAUCE



Delicious and Simple Ricotta and Tomato Pasta Sauce image

I just love this recipe! Mum used to make this for us when we were kids. It's apparently a traditional Roman dish, great for vegetarians and very easy and quick to whip up, an awesome dish with a real 'rustic' feel to it! The kids will love it! It is to be served on top of steaming, hot pasta...wholemeal pasta works quite well with this recipe too! Enjoy!

Provided by LovelyRitaMeterMaid

Categories     Sauces

Time 15m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 cups fresh ricotta
1 (400 g) can crushed tomatoes
1 yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 leaves fresh basil
1 (500 g) package pasta (spirals work well with this recipe)

Steps:

  • Firstly, put on a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil, add pasta to water and cook until'al dente' approximately 8- 10 minutes.
  • While pasta is on the go, finely dice your onion and crush your garlic.
  • In a saucepan, put in the olive oil, when the oil is warm, add your garlic and onion and gently saute these until they are transparent.
  • Add the ricotta to the pan, and stir through the onions and garlic well.
  • At this stage, add your salt and pepper, parmesan, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.
  • Mix well and let simmer gently for 10 minutes.
  • Drain pasta.
  • Turn the ricotta sauce off from the heat, add your fresh basil leaves, roughly torn, into the sauce.
  • Dish up some pasta into a bowl, put some of the ricotta sauce on top of the pasta, and finish off with some extra shavings of parmesan if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 762.9, Fat 22.2, SaturatedFat 11.5, Cholesterol 64.9, Sodium 979.2, Carbohydrate 107.8, Fiber 6, Sugar 8, Protein 32.5

Tips:

  • Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the sauce for the best flavor.
  • If you don't have time to make your own tomato sauce, you can use a good-quality store-bought sauce.
  • Be sure to season the polenta well with salt and pepper.
  • Don't overcook the polenta, or it will become too thick and mushy.
  • Top the polenta with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Conclusion:

Baked polenta with tomato sauce and ricotta is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that's perfect for a weeknight meal. The polenta is creamy and flavorful, the tomato sauce is rich and tangy, and the ricotta cheese adds a touch of creaminess and richness. This dish is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

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