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crispy fried polenta, plated with shredded zucchini and cheese on a plate

Crispy Fried Polenta with Zucchini Au Gratin

Crispy, golden, pan-fried polenta topped with cheesy and savory zucchini in under an hour? You'll make this quicker than you can get takeout and it'll satisfy that cheesy comfort food craving too.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean, American
Keyword fried polenta, polenta
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

Polenta (or make your own)

  • Slicing Polenta if making homemade polenta, add parmesan
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil for pan frying

Zucchini au Gratin

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil for pan frying
  • 1 tbsp Butter salted
  • 2 cups Shredded zucchini and/or summer squash about 3-4 zucchinis or 2 zucchini per person
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
  • 1/2 tsp Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp Parsley
  • 1/4 tsp Sage
  • sea salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup parmesan
  • 1/4 cup more parmesan or gorgonzola or dolce

Protein Topping (if not a vegetarian):

  • Grilled fajita strips I like to use leftovers after taco night
  • Sausage

Instructions

Polenta

  1. Coat a saute pan in olive oil

  2. Slice the polenta about a 1/4" thick

  3. Follow the polenta instructions or fry until crispy, flipping halfway through so it doesn't stick.

  4. Add 4 slices to each plate you are preparing

Zucchini Au Gratin

  1. Add olive oil to the same pan

  2. Grate the zucchini in the food processor with a shredder attachment, or a cheese grater/shredder

  3. Add the grated zucchini to the pan

  4. Once the zucchini is soft, add the pad (1 tbsp) of butter

  5. Add the garlic

  6. Add the spices you enjoy: rosemary, oregano, parsley, sage

  7. Plate the Zucchini (either on top of all 4 or over each polenta cake)

Protein

  1. In the same pan, grill up the fajita strips or sausage and plate on top of the zucchini

  2. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

This is a meal you could make in advance and then bake to reheat. It's also great when you have leftover ground beef, fajita strips, or sausage from the night before.