Can polenta be frozen? - Step by Step

Who doesn’t enjoy a comforting bowl of creamy polenta or crunchy polenta chips with herbs, spices and cheese? But making polenta can be tricky, as you often end up with large amounts of leftover polenta.

Can polenta be frozen? You can freeze polenta, and this is the best method for storing this cooked cornmeal dish. Polenta freezes well into smaller pieces, which can then be fried, grilled, or baked. Polenta keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

And during those three months, you will have great options for breakfast, lunch and dinner almost ready in the freezer.

If you’ve ever thought about freezing polenta, this article will be your guide to doing so. If you’re on the fence about whether or not freezing polenta is a good idea, read on to learn how to ease the stress of making quick meals by freezing leftover polenta.

Can polenta be frozen?

Polenta expands once you cook it, so sometimes you can cook more polenta than you need. And you end up with so much leftover polenta that you won’t be able to finish it even if you eat it for every dinner the following week.

Luckily, you can freeze polenta. In most cases, the texture and flavor of the polenta are not affected by the freezing process. So it’s a great way to extend the life of this ground cornmeal dish. You can also make it in advance to always have it on hand.

How to freeze polenta? - Step by Step

If you don’t plan on eating your leftover polenta for 2-3 days, store it in the fridge.

But if you want to keep it for another time, it is best to put the cornmeal directly in the freezer. The fresher the polenta is before you store it in the freezer, the better it will taste when you decide to eat it. 

One thing to keep in mind is that you should wait for the polenta to cool down before putting it in the freezer.

Here are step-by-step instructions for freezing polenta:

1. Take a shallow baking tray and line it with a layer of food paper or parchment paper.
2. Pour the polenta that is still hot or warm on the tray. Use a spatula to get it all out of the pan.
3. Spread the polenta evenly on the baking sheet so that it is the same thickness across the entire sheet. Smooth the top with the spatula.
4. Clear some space in the fridge and place the pan with the polenta in the fridge for 30 minutes or as long as it takes to cool completely.
5. The polenta solidifies when it cools. Take it out of the fridge and spread it out on the kitchen counter or cutting board. This will be easy to do thanks to the plastic wrap used to line the baking tray.
6. Cut the polenta into even pieces. You can cut it into squares, triangles or circles. Slicing them evenly will make your job easier when you decide to defrost multiple pieces of polenta. Uneven pieces of polenta won’t take as long to thaw.
7. Wrap each piece of polenta in food wrap. Make the plastic wrap as tight as possible to maintain the shape of the pieces.
8. Wrap the polenta pieces in the food wrap with a layer of aluminum foil to ensure they do not burn in the freezer and do not absorb any odors.
9. Place the foil-wrapped pieces in a plastic bag for safe storage in the freezer. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can.
10. Label the bag with the date.

You can freeze polenta in bulk.  You can use a plastic container to shape a large piece of polenta. Similar to the freezing instructions above, it should also be wrapped with a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

However, it is recommended to freeze polenta in smaller portions so that texture changes are minimal.

Tip : For best results , freeze polenta quickly. The lower the temperature in your freezer, the faster the polenta will freeze. This means that fewer crystals will form, allowing the food’s original texture and flavor to be preserved as much as possible. 

How does freezing affect polenta?

In general, polenta freezes well. However, the texture of the polenta may be affected after freezing if it has been made with milk or heavy cream.

As you may know, milk and cream separate and become grainy after being frozen and thawed. If you have leftover polenta made with heavy cream or milk, freeze it in smaller portions so that texture changes are minimal.

The dairy products in the polenta will complicate matters when you decide to thaw and cook the cornmeal.

Freeze the polenta in advance

The polenta takes about 45 minutes to cook and you have to stir it constantly to get the perfect consistency of the porridge. But what if you love polenta for dinner but don’t have time to cook it?

Of course, you can opt for instant polenta, which only takes a few minutes to cook. However, not everyone likes the taste and texture of quick-cooking polenta. If you’re looking for true Italian-inspired dinners, you may not like instant polenta.

A great solution to this problem is to cook a large batch of polenta and store it in the freezer in smaller portions. This way you’ll have most of your dinner ready and you won’t have to stand in front of the oven for 45 minutes after a hard day’s work.

When making a large batch of polenta ahead of time with the intention of freezing it, make regular polenta without any flavoring, butter, or cream. Simply cook the polenta in the required amount of water or broth, let it cool, and freeze it.

Having flavorless polenta means that you can use it combined with any other ingredient that you fancy that day.

How long does polenta last in the freezer?

Cooked polenta keeps for about 3 days in the fridge. But it can dry out quickly if you don’t cover it with a towel and a plastic wrap.

Polenta stored in the freezer has a much longer shelf life. It keeps well for up to 3 months in the freezer. However, it is recommended to use frozen polenta for the first few weeks, as the quality of the food deteriorates while it is in the fridge.

How to defrost polenta

The best way to defrost any frozen food is to move it from the freezer to the refrigerator to avoid drastic changes in temperature. 

If you want to have pan-fried polenta for dinner, put as many servings as you need in the fridge in the morning or a few hours in advance, but don’t forget to remove the aluminum foil and plastic wrap from the polenta so as not to trap any moisture it releases on the polenta. its interior.

To remove as much moisture as possible from the thawed polenta, gently press a paper towel over the sides of the polenta piece.

If you’re short on time, you can thaw the polenta at room temperature. However, be careful not to miss the moment when the polenta has defrosted but is still cold. That’s when you should pat it dry with a paper towel and cook it.

How to use thawed polenta

Having thawed polenta in the freezer means you can have a quick fried or baked cornmeal for your breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can also grill the thawed polenta.

This is what you can do with thawed polenta

• Make fried or grilled polenta cakes for breakfast with a side of fried bacon.
• Bake the polenta and serve it with some sauce, beans, and crumbled cheese for lunch.
• Make fried polenta with mushrooms and cheese for dinner.

Related questions

How to reheat polenta?

If you want to reheat polenta to bring it back to its creamy texture, you have to work a little.

Reheating polenta to make it creamy again should be done either on the stove over low heat or in the microwave. Adding some liquid, such as water, milk or broth, as well as butter, will help the polenta to become creamy again.

Can polenta chunks be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze polenta chips for a quick, fresh snack when you need it.

Freeze the no-bake polenta chips by placing them on a parchment paper-lined tray and store in the freezer until firm. This can take 3-4 hours.

Once the chips are frozen and not sticking together, put them in a resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out excess air and make sure the bag is tightly closed. If it isn’t, use transparent paper to secure it.

Polenta chips last more than 4 weeks in the freezer.

Reheat them by baking in a preheated oven for 25 minutes until the chips are golden brown and crisp.