Thanks for joining Sarah and me for Meatless Monday again this week. We have had so many gray dreary days that have left me really craving comfort foods. My new obsession is Polenta. It’s just so versatile, hearty and filling. Today, I am sharing with you one of the new recipes I’ve been making. I know you are going to love this Polenta Eggplant Parm Pie.
Why Polenta? Once considered an Italian peasant food, Polenta is now a widely used carb. Made exclusively from corn meal, polenta, is naturally Gluten Free. This wonder carb is also relatively low is calories and high in fiber. Polenta is quick cooking and can be created to be different textures and is often used as a sub for potatoes or bread. Read more about polenta here.
Polenta Eggplant Parm Pie
This Polenta Eggplant Parm Pie is one of those recipes that looks like it took a long time to make but actually took under 45 minutes from start to table. As mentioned, this is gluten free and can easily become vegan if you leave the Parmesan cheese out. You can find Polenta at any grocery store or order it from Amazon. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
While the Polenta is cooking on the stove, you can roast the eggplant in the oven. Then do a quick transfer of the polenta to a springform pan to bake it into a “pie crust”. You can easily use a pie dish as well but I just liked the idea of the springform pan which allowed the crust to pop right out.
From there, it’s a quick assembly of the sauce, eggplant, spinach and Parmesan cheese. A short bake in the oven and voila! Ready to serve. I have to say this Polenta Eggplant Parm Pie made amazing leftovers the next day. Some variations would be to use Arugula instead of spinach. I should not say this on meatless Monday but, you could also easily add a “meatlike” protein to this recipe.
I think it makes a great vegetarian main dish or a perfect side dish for the whole family. I even ended up eating some leftovers for breakfast one day. Strange but good! Hope you try it out.
Tell me-Are you a fan of Polenta? How do you usually prepare it?
Polenta Eggplant Parm Pie
Ingredients
- 1 C Corn Polenta
- 2 3/4 C vegetable broth
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 C parmesan cheese
- 1/2 C Tomato sauce
- 1/2 Eggplant-thinly sliced
- 1 C spinach-raw
- Olive oil, pepper, garlic powder to taste
- garnish w cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- Place thinly sliced eggplant on baking sheet
- drizzle w olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder
- Bake for 20 min until soft
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan add broth and bring to a boil
- Whisk in polenta and salt, reduce to simmer
- Continue to stir until polenta thickens 5-10 min
- Add in Parmesan cheese and remove from heat
- In a springform pan or pie plate, give a spritz of cooking spray
- Pour Polenta into pan and bake for 15 min until solid
- Remove from oven and add tomato sauce, eggplant, spinach and tomatoes
- Drizzle a little more Parmesan cheese return to bake for 5 min
- Optional drizzle of balsamic or olive oil to serve
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I dont think I have ever tried polenta but it sounds good! And this recipe looks amazing- Im not surprised you wanted to eat it for breakfast!
Thanks! You have never had polenta? We need to fix that
This pie looks colourful and healthy, I love eggplant. Thanks for the information about polenta, I didn’t know.
Thanks for hosting and giving us bloggers chance to share our recipes.
Thanks to you for joining us!
YUM! I adore eggplant, and I’m trying to get myself to like polenta. Which is funny, considering I love cornbread and cornmeal!
Yes it does taste pretty similar!
That looks like the perfect anecdote for a cold winter day!
I think it might be 🙂
I so wish I could eat more eggplant. My husband and son are allergic though. Boo. :/
Wow never heard of being allergic to eggplant! You could also make this with zucchini or portobello mushroom
Polenta is one of those foods I don’t eat enough of! Love that you used eggplant with it!
I had forgotten about it for a while too but it’s so good
How delicious!! That really looks so good! I don’t cook with eggplant enough.
I tend to go in phases with it!
Yum! I’ve only had polenta a few times, but I’ve enjoyed it! My hubby and I were actually just talking about polenta last night because we were eating grits with dinner. We were trying to figure out the difference between the two because I know they’re both made with corn, but they have different flavor/texture. You just reminded me to go google it now, haha!
I am not sure they are different but I believe grits may have milk and butter in them generally giving them a different texture. Don’t quote me on that though!
This looks amazing. Not a big eggplant fan but I love polenta and I always feel like I just need the right recipe for the eggplant. 😃
I think this is it! However you could also sub zucchini and it would be good too
This is genius! I love eggplant parm, and this is a much healthier way to enjoy it!
Thanks so much I have been eating it a ton lately
YUM! I made ratatouille recently and it’s gotten me more into eggplant! This sounds delicious! It has such a perfect “meaty” texture that my husband really likes!
Yes exactly! Hope you both enjoy it
Eggplant and polenta are such a great combo.
Yes indeed! Happy Monday 🙂
EGGPLANT how I LOVE THEE 🙂
Sounds delicious! I’m with you, with how all over the place our weather has been lately I’ve been craving comfort food as well.
I love eggplant parmesan but have never used polenta for it. I’m sure it’s much healthier than the very caloric version you get at restaurants.
Oh yes way more healthy! No breading or frying 🙂
My husband really loves eggplant! Will have to give this a try! Thank you for sharing!
I really hope you both like it!
Hmmmm.. I’ve never had polenta! 🙂 To be honest, eggplant scares me too, but I felt the same way about brussel sprouts at one time and I now can’t get enough of them! The dish truly looks awesome and so colorful and pretty.
They look so delicious. I have never tried polenta with eggplant but that sounds good. I will prepare a table that is full of food around me before reading your posts next time. I’m starving :((((
Ha ha thanks I hope you enjoy it
I can’t eat polenta :(, but I’m all about eggplant! I could eat it all day everyday!
ooh no polenta? I will have to think of a replacement for you
You have probably already guessed I am culinary challenged, LOL This may be the first time I’ve heard of polenta,
I wish I lived near you, I’d make you teach community cooking classes so I could gain some of your culinary genius!!
What!? Really? It’s kind of like grits but without the butter or milk. I wish you lived closer too-road trip! 🙂
I never make polenta, but I do use the polenta in rolls sometimes. I wonder if I could somehow adapt them? Hmm, now I’m thinking . . . .
You could use the one in the roll and slice them and them put them into a pie pan. However, this is such an easy recipe I have no doubt you can make it!
I must try this… it looks fabulous!
Thanks so much hope you enjoy it
I’m drooling, this looks sooooo good! I love polenta!
I am so into it right now! Thanks
I have been loving eggplant lately! It really is such a great addition to any italian inspired dish 🙂
Definitely!
Comfort zone! Alert! Comfort zone! Alert! I don’t think I’ve ever tried eggplant, and I know (for certain) I’ve never had polenta…..I might have to go a search and destroy mission at the grocery store LOL
Ok seriously!? You have to take a road trip to the DC area so I can cook for you. I know they have eggplant in Iowa 🙂 don’t they?
This looks so perfect for this time of year! I runfess I’ve never cooked polenta before. My bad!
REally?! It’s so easy I know you can do it 🙂
This sounds amazing– I need to eat more eggplant!
Thanks for hosting! 🙂
Thanks so much I go in phases with it for sure
Oh, I do so love polenta. It is just the yummiest! Eggplant…. not so much. But I bet if it was with polenta, I could make it work.
You could also use zucchini and that would work really well
Looks delicious! It’s been awhile, a long while, since I’ve had polenta and I think that needs to change. Happy Meatless Monday!
Yes indeed! Have a great week
This looks delish! Can’t remember the last time I had polenta. Will have to try it.
Thanks so much!
This looks so warm and filling!
Perfect comfort food for sure
I like the idea (but not the eggplant). I’m thinking I might try it with portobello mushrooms and maybe *cough*sausage*cough*.
The first time I made it w portobellas they just did not look good in the photos. Zucchini would also work really well
It’s been ages since I cooked with Polenta. That looks great.
It’s so easy too I think you would like it
Man, every time I see an eggplant recipe, I wish I liked eggplant because the dishes always look so good! But I just can’t with the taste. Boo! But…it looks good, though! haha!
So you could try it with zucchini that would work too
This looks fantastic! I have never cooked polenta, but this is a great idea to sub out grain for a pizza! Plus this looks so dang pretty!
Thanks so much and super easy to work with
I think I definitely make this dish for my breakfast. I’m a big fan of eggplant.But I really don’t like tomato sauce. So, I want to ask you if I can change to any other sauce? Thank you for your sharing.Btw, It was decorated beautifully
Sure I don’t see why not!? Let me know if you try it out
Looks like a supped up version of pizza! Super healthy and super colorful!
Thanks so much
I love cooking for my kids. Your dish looks so delicious and attractive. It makes me hungry lol. I’ll try cooking it tonight
Hope you all really enjoy it
I was so excited to read this recipe when I saw your post on Instagram! I love polenta and it’s been WAY too long since I’ve had it. 🙂
I forget about it too but it’s so easy to make and very versatile
i have a tube of polenta needing to be used, will it work here?
Well you could cut up the tube and layer it in a dish should be similar
I love polenta. I’m getting better at making it each time I do. The first one didn’t turn out so great, but now.. Yum.
This recipe looks delicious! Will have to try it out for sure!
Fabulous hope you enjoy it!
I love how colorful it is! Looks very appetizing and healthy!
Thanks healthy indeed!
i love eggplant! and this looks delish!!!
Thanks so much hope you try it out
This looks good! I haven’t had eggplant in far too long and my husband loves it.
OH great hope you both enjoy!
Oooh, I loveee polenta and this looks PERFECT! What a delicious meal!
Thanks so much hope you enjoy it
I have never tried to cool polenta myself but this looks like a winner! What a beautiful presentation too, looks like you worked all day on it! 🙂
I promise you it’s so easy to make!
I’ve never cooked polenta and I’ve never been able to master eggplant but I’d love to give this a try as it looks so good!
I promise it is so easy you can do it!!
wow that is stunning Deborah, Its a pie, but i think it could even be a pizza too. I need to get me some aubergines, thats what we call eggplants in the UK.
Yes they sound much fancier in the UK lol. It could be a pizza as well hope you enjoy it
Eggplant is one of my favorite meat alternatives and this eggplant parm pie looks super delicious! Pinning and stumbling! Yum!!
Thanks so much!
This looks so amazing! I pinned it to try this week 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up at Sunday Fitness & Food.
Hope you enjoy it!