Roasted Root Vegetables With Polenta

Name: Roasted Root Vegetables With Polenta
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: italian, mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 large carrots (3/4 to 1 pound), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (quarter at the fat ends, cut in half at the thin ends, then cut in thick slices); 1 large parsnip (about 1/2 pound), quartered, cored and cut in 3/4-inch pieces; 1 medium-size fennel bulb, quartered, cored and cut in 3/4 inch pieces; 1 medium or large red onion, cut in large dice; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; Chopped fresh rosemary, thyme or sage, about 2 teaspoons (optional); 1 cup polenta; 1 quart water; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional but recommended); 1 batch marinara sauce (optional)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: About 1 hour, or 1½ hours if roasting vegetables separately from polenta
Rating: 5(591)
Comments: Read comments

In this comforting, perfect winter dinner I roast the vegetables and make the polenta in the oven at the same time. To accommodate the temperature requirements of each element of the dish, I use a slightly higher temperature than I usually use for polenta and I roast the vegetables at a lower temperature for longer. I top the polenta with a ladleful of marinara sauce, and spoon the vegetables on top. You could serve the polenta with only the roasted vegetables as well, so I have made the marinara sauce optional.

Featured in: Heat Up Your Kitchen: Roast Vegetables

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4 to 6

2large carrots (¾ to 1 pound), peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces (quarter at the fat ends, cut in half at the thin ends, then cut in thick slices)
1large parsnip (about ½ pound), quartered, cored and cut in ¾-inch pieces
1medium-size fennel bulb, quartered, cored and cut in ¾ inch pieces
1medium or large red onion, cut in large dice
2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh rosemary, thyme or sage, about 2 teaspoons (optional)
1cup polenta
1quart water
1teaspoon salt
1tablespoon unsalted butter
½cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional but recommended)
1batch marinara sauce (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan or a baking dish with parchment or foil. Toss vegetables with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add fresh herbs if using. Spread vegetables in an even layer.
Step 2
Combine polenta, water, and salt in a 2-quart baking dish and stir together. Place polenta and vegetables in the oven. If you can’t fit both pans on the same (middle) rack, place vegetables on a lower rack. Roast vegetables for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or until soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove from the oven.
Step 3
If serving this with marinara sauce, make the sauce while the vegetables and polenta are in the oven.
Step 4
Continue to bake the polenta until it has been in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes and has absorbed the water. Remove from oven and stir in butter. Use a fork or a spatula to stir the polenta well, and return to oven for 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and stir again. Carefully taste a little bit of the polenta; if it is not completely soft, return to the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes.
Step 5
Remove polenta from oven and stir in ⅓ cup grated Parmesan, if using. Immediately spoon polenta onto plates and make a depression in the middle. Ladle on some marinara sauce and top with a generous spoonful of roasted vegetables. Sprinkle on remaining Parmesan and serve.

Tip

Advance preparation: The roasted vegetables will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. Once polenta stiffens, slice it and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Grill or sauté the squares, or reheat in a baking dish.

Ratings

5 out of 5

591 user ratings

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Comments

brcooks7 years ago

Made this on Saturday evening for some friends. I also used rainbow carrots. Worked well. Since no fennel enters my body ever, used a medium celeriac which added an additional layer of flavor- caramelizes as it roasts; forgot to buy red onion, but had a few leeks so used instead. What could be bad? Made the marinara and served as described. Rave reviews.
Note: I always do polenta in the oven at 350 and found that it cooked too fast at 375...wasn't as creamy as usual.

Rachel Slater7 years ago

Grease the casserole before adding the polenta. And, this is the best kind of vegetarian comfort food.

Kathryn B.7 years ago

Made but guilty of considerable changes--no marinara, no parm, cooked at 350F. Was focused on polenta as I had never made it before. I REALLY like the no fuss oven method. I had to add ~1/2 cup water 3 times for a cup of coarse red mill brand polenta; next time will prob just make it (this brand) 5:1 water to polenta. Topped w/chopped parsley tossed in OO and balsam vinegar. The fennel was dazzling with this combo. Polenta was creamy goodness; looking forward to trying sauteing slices tomorrow.

tips6 months ago

Polenta cook time was much longer for me. Added sausage. Nice low fuss way to cook polenta!

Haml9 months ago

Just the roasted vegetables, no polenta.

Beth1 year ago

Really delicious. Topped with Adam Lang/Oliver Schwaner-Albright's Crisp Pork Belly. Added thyme and rosemary to the veg. Stirred a little parm into the polenta. Left off the marinara. Drizzled some of the (reduced) braising liquid over the veg and polenta. Perfect for a rainy spring night.

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