Lentil Polenta Casserole
If you've got these two components, and you have five minutes, you can get a dinner like this in the oven, pronto.
More times than not you'll find some sort of leftover soup in my refrigerator. And, despite creamy stovetop polenta being exponentially better, there is usually one of those ubiquitous tubes of polenta in the pantry as well. If you've got those two components, and you have five minutes, you can get a dinner like this in the oven. It's for those nights when an absolute minimum effort to get dinner on the table is where it's at. I like to use lentil soups (this one and this one work particularly well), but the general idea is incredibly flexible.
I suspect some of you might ask about the stoneware casseroles pictured here. Love them! They're made by Workaday. Enjoy! -h
More Polenta Recipes
- Creamy Polenta (a great, classic stovetop polenta recipe)
- Caramelized Fennel on Herbed Polenta
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Lentil Polenta Casserole
This is a real flexible, throw-it-together situation. You can use a range of leftover soups, stews, or chili here. Leftover ribolitta is also particularly good. You can also add dollops of ricotta in a layer between the soup and the polenta for a more indulgent version. Or do dollops on top of the polenta. If you're feeling extra pressed for time, or really want to minimize effort, you can use a canned soup/stew you like - for example, Amy's Lentil soup (also, not sponsored, just a good option)l, etc. Alternately if you have leftover homemade polenta on hand, definitely use that!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
- zest of one lemon
- 3 cups favorite lentil soup
- 1 (8-ounce tube polenta)
- toppings: big handful of chopped kale + scallions tossed with lemon juice, and a bit of olive oil, finish with a light toss with avocado // chive flowers (optional)
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Preheat oven to 400F with a rack in the middle. Rub the inside of a 9x12 (or equivalent) casserole dish with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle the lemon zest across the pan.
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Arrange soup in bottom of your baking dish. Arrange polenta slices on top in slightly overlapping concentric circles or rows. Cover with foil and bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and brush polenta with a bit of olive oil. Finish by broiling 6-12 inches from heat for a minute or two, watching carefully, until the polenta is golden brown, and crisps up at the edges a bit. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve topped with the suggested kale situation.
Serves 4-6.
Related Recipes
Creamy Polenta
If you want to make beautifully creamy polenta on the stovetop, you're on the right page. The ingredient list is short, and the leftovers deliver meals for days.
Caramelized Fennel on Herbed Polenta
A creamy, herb-flecked polenta spiked with Pecorino, and topped with caramelized slabs of pan-seared fennel. A favorite recipe from Sarah Britton's beautiful My New Roots cookbook.
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