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    Home » Recipes » Italian

    Published: Jul 13, 2021 · Modified: Jan 14, 2022 by Amanda · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    Polenta Cakes

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    Jump to Recipe
    polenta cakes topped with cheese and tomato bacon jam
    polenta cakes cooking in a pan

    Polenta cakes with tomato bacon jam are great for a main entree, side dish, or even appetizer. Creamy polenta is flavored with parmesan, then pan fried in olive oil till slightly crispy on the outside. This dish is then topped off with a sweet and salty tomato bacon jam and extra parmesan cheese!

    polenta cakes on a wooden tray with parmesan cheese and tomato bacon jam this recipe!
    polenta cakes with parmesan cheese and tomato bacon jam

    I love polenta because it is such a versatile dish. It can be served hot, with fruit or honey as a breakfast dish. It can also be served chilled and topped with vegetables or a savory sauce for a side dish along with meat or pasta. You can also saute or grill it to be served as an entree or even appetizer!

    Jump to:
    • 🧀 Ingredient notes
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • ⭐ Top tip
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 📋 Variations
    • 🥘 Make ahead instructions
    • 🍝 More italian recipes
    • 💬 Comments

    🧀 Ingredient notes

    • Polenta - Polenta is an Italian dish that is made from ground corn meal. It's similar to grits but is made with yellow cornmeal as opposed to white corn meal. Some grocery stores will sell prepared polenta in a tube that can be sliced and fried for a recipe like this. I like making mine from scratch as it doesn't take too much effort and ground cornmeal is typically easier to locate than premade polenta.
    • Tomato Bacon Jam - This sauce is killer. Fresh tomatoes are cooked down with crispy bacon and seasoning to create a both sweet and savory jam that can be used for many dishes. This jam would be great on a charcuterie board or on fish or chicken, however it pairs extremely well with these crispy polenta cakes.

    🔪 Instructions

    First, heat broth up in a large pot until it boils. Slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking until it is completely combined into the broth.

    whisk stirring polenta in a large pot
    cooking polenta

    Lower the heat and continue to cook while whisking until the polenta has thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.

    parmesan cheese, salt and pepper on top of polenta in a pot
    whisking in parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper

    Allow the polenta to cool for about 10 minutes and then pour it into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Lay a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the polenta and then place it in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 1 hour.

    polenta in a baking dish
    polenta in a baking dish to chill

    While polenta is chilling, the tomato bacon jam can be prepared. Dice the bacon and onions into small pieces and mince the garlic. Cook the bacon and onions in a large pot for about 15 minutes until the onions are softened and the bacon just starts to get crispy.

    cooked bacon and onions on a wooden spoon
    sauteed bacon and onions

    Add in the tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings and stir to combine.

    wooden spoon stirring tomatoes with bacon and onions
    tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings

    Allow the mixture to cook over low heat for about 45 minutes until it's thickened and reduced. Stir the mixture and mash down the tomatoes occasionally to help the tomatoes break down and incorporate into the sauce.

    wooden spoon holding a scoop of tomato bacon jam
    finished tomato bacon jam

    When the polenta is chilled, cut it into circles or squares using a cookie cutter, glass, or knife.

    circles of polenta on a cutting board
    polenta cut into circles

    Cook the polenta cakes in a non-stick pan with olive oil for about 2-3 minutes on each side until browned and lightly crispy.

    browned polenta cakes in a pan
    fried polenta cakes

    Top polenta cakes with tomato bacon jam and extra parmesan cheese if desired!

    polenta cakes topped with tomato bacon jam and cheese
    fried polenta cakes with tomato bacon jam

    ⭐ Top tip

    Make sure to allow the polenta cakes to chill completely before cutting them out and frying them. A minimum of 1 hour is required, however 4 hours over even overnight will make it easier to cut and fry them without them falling apart.

    📖 Recipe

    polenta cakes on a wooden tray topped with cheese and tomato bacon jam

    Polenta Cakes

    Amanda
    Polenta cakes with tomato bacon jam are great for a main entree, side dish, or even appetizer. Creamy polenta is flavored with parmesan, then pan fried in olive oil till slightly crispy on the outside. This dish is then topped off with a sweet and salty tomato bacon jam and extra parmesan cheese!
    5 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Dishes, Side Dishes
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 758 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Polenta Cakes

    • 5 cups chicken broth
    • 1 cup ground yellow cornmeal
    • ½ cup parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
    • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil

    Tomato Bacon Jam

    • 12 ounces bacon
    • 1 medium yellow onion
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 20 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
    • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions
     

    Polenta Cakes

    • Heat broth in a large pot over medium-high heat on the stovetop and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with baking spray or olive oil.
    • When the broth starts to boil, slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking continuously until it is completely combined.
    • Bring the mixture back to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook while whisking until the mixture thickens, approximately 3-5 minutes. 
    • Remove the pot off of the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt.
    • Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes and then pour it into the prepared baking dish. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the polenta and place it in the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 1 hour while you make the tomato bacon jam.

    Tomato Bacon Jam

    • While polenta is chilling, dice bacon and onions into small pieces and mince garlic. 
    • Heat a medium pot or skillet over medium heat on the stovetop and add bacon and onions. Cook onions and bacon, while stirring frequently until the onions are softened and bacon starts to become crispy, approximately 15 minutes.
    • Add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to cook for about 45 minutes until reduced and thickened. While the mixture is cooking, stir it occasionally and mash the tomatoes down as they softened to help them combine with the other ingredients. 
    • When the polenta is completely chilled, using a cookie cutter, glass, or knife, cut into smaller circles or squares. 
    • Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat on the stovetop and add olive oil. Working with 2-3 pieces at a time, cook polenta cakes in the pan for 2-3 minutes on each side till browned and lightly crispy.
    • Serve polenta cakes with extra parmesan cheese and tomato bacon jam.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2cakesCalories: 758kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 8gFat: 65gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 1338mgPotassium: 512mgFiber: 4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 534IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 2mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @SaporitoKitchen or tag #SaporitoKitchen!

    📋 Variations

    • Vegetarian - Polenta cakes can be made with vegetable broth and without tomato bacon to make this dish vegetarian.
    • Gluten free - Make sure to use cornmeal that is gluten free to ensure this dish is gluten free.
    • Served warm - Instead of chilling the polenta, serve it warm with the tomato bacon jam and shredded parmesan cheese on top.

    🥘 Make ahead instructions

    • Polenta - Polenta can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in fridge covered in plastic wrap. When you are ready to serve, cut the polenta in circles or squares and fry in a non-stick pan as instructed above.
    • Tomato Bacon Jam - Tomato bacon jam can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge in an air tight container. Re-heat the jam in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave and serve over polenta cakes.

    🍝 More italian recipes

    If you loved this recipe for polenta cakes, check out these other Italian recipes that I know you will love.

    • Baked Eggplant Parmesan
    • Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
    • Creamy Mushroom Risotto

    Don't forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.

    • Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Marsala
    • Casarecce Pasta with Asparagus and Peas
    • Baked Mostaccioli con Ricotta
    • Pastina with Egg
    « Pasta with Pancetta and Peas
    Tiramisu Brownies »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brad The Gay Gay says

      January 23, 2022 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      5-Stars with a caveat! The bacon tomato jam was off the chart delicious, I added extra brown sugar to sweeten it up, but that probably wasn't necessary.

      My problem was with the polenta. I have only eaten it once or twice in my life, and have never cooked it so I followed the recipe exactly and thank g-d for the internet so I could figure out how to fix it!

      For starters, every other recipe I found for polenta had a ratio of liquid to cornmeal of 3:1 or 4:1, this recipe called for 5:1. Second, it stated to cook it for 3-5 minutes, when it probably should have been 30-50 minutes. And finally, trying to pour that little polenta into a 9x13 pan made for the thickness of a corn tortilla, not a luscious, creamy, smooth fried polenta cake. Next time I will use an 8x8 pan.

      Back to the Bacon Jam... Holy Tomatoes Batman, people will think you are a gourmet chef with this simple recipe. You will instantly become more beautiful and your sex life will improve! I bet you will receive a letter from the IRS saying you have a large tax refund coming and probably win the lottery! It's that good!

      I cooked it in an 8" pot. Next time I will do it larger pot or pan. It took a long time to crisp up the bacon - even on high heat. Other than adding more brown sugar, I followed the recipe exactly, After about 45 minutes it was perfect. Unfortunately, I forgot to turn the stove off and it kept cooking for another hour - still great!

      For the amount of polenta in the recipe you probably only need half this amount of jam. A better idea? Make twice as much polenta!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        January 24, 2022 at 11:41 am

        Hey Brad! Thanks so much for your feedback, I'm sorry the polenta didn't turn out the way you expected. I'm glad you loved the tomato bacon jam and in my opinion, more polenta is ALWAYS a good idea 🙂

        Reply
    2. Chef Dennis says

      August 23, 2021 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I am really excited to taste this! The tomato bacon jam looks yummy.

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 24, 2021 at 9:24 am

        Thank you, the tomato bacon jam is the best part!

        Reply
    3. Agnieszka says

      August 23, 2021 at 8:16 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great appetizer! I love polenta!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 23, 2021 at 8:44 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Rob says

      August 23, 2021 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delicious! Can't wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 23, 2021 at 8:44 pm

        Thanks! Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    5. Michelle | Taste As You Go says

      August 23, 2021 at 7:31 pm

      5 stars
      These are always a hit in our house! The kids gobble them up faster than the adults!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 23, 2021 at 8:44 pm

        Same at our house!

        Reply
    6. Angela says

      August 23, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      The polenta cake recipe is delicious and the tomato and bacon jam is wonderful with it.

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 23, 2021 at 5:56 pm

        Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    7. Audrey says

      August 23, 2021 at 4:33 pm

      5 stars
      These are so tasty!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 23, 2021 at 5:56 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    8. Jeri says

      August 23, 2021 at 11:18 am

      5 stars
      Such great flavor! We loved the bacon jam too!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 23, 2021 at 11:50 am

        Thank you, it's my favorite part too!

        Reply
    9. Kristina says

      August 23, 2021 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      Awesome- my family loved!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 23, 2021 at 11:11 am

        That's great, thank you!

        Reply

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