Baked polenta casserole with marinara and mozzarella
Cheesy polenta spread in a dish, covered with marinara, spinach and mozzarella and baked until bubbling, like lasagna with no noodles to boil.
- 65 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 6
- About $1.31 a serving
- 360 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 6 servings.
- 1½ cups cornmeal
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 6 cups water
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Each serving has about 360 calories, 14 g protein, 41 g carbs and 15 g fat, and costs about $1.31 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No baby spinach? Kale or arugula works.
- No shredded mozzarella? Provolone slices work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 400°F and rub a 9x13-inch baking dish with the oil.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Bring the water and salt in a large over high heat. Pour in the cornmeal in a slow stream, the whole time.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
High heat
Dolly’s tip: Pour slowly and keep whisking or the cornmeal clumps.Turn the heat to low and cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until very thick.
Low heatTimer: 20 min
Dolly’s tip: It bubbles and spits, so use a long spoon and set the lid half on between stirs.Stir in the butter and parmesan, then spread the polenta evenly in the dish.
Stir the spinach into the marinara, spread it over the polenta, and top with the mozzarella and Italian seasoning.
20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and in spots.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 22 min 30 sec
Let it 10 minutes so it firms up, then cut into squares and scatter the basil over.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Timer: 10 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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