Air fryer polenta fries (using tubed polenta)

Do you love cornbread, arepas, or grits?

If so, you’ll love air fryer polenta fries.

They have the mild, cozy flavors of cornmeal, but with the texture and bite of a french fry.

Best of all, they’re super easy to make, thanks to the help of prepared polenta in a tube. It’s just a matter of cutting, seasoning, and air frying. Can’t beat that!

Air fryer polenta fries get beautifully crispy on the outside, while the inside is creamy and tender.

(Don’t have an air fryer? There are oven directions in the notes section of the recipe card below.)

They are perfect for dunking into warmed marinara, ranch dressing, or barbecue sauce.

Enjoy them on their own. Or have them as a side dish with a sandwich or soup. They’re loved by kids & adults alike.

Tubed polenta: Look for tubed polenta in the center aisles of Trader Joe’s or your local grocery store. It’s often near other Italian foods like pasta, shelf stable gnocchi, and spaghetti sauce. You can also find it online.

Tubed polenta is a shelf stable item that you can store in the pantry until you’re ready to open it. Once opened, it must be stored in the refrigerator.

Oil spray: Any oil spray will work for this recipe. Buy it in a can or use a refillable oil sprayer.

Or if you’d rather, drizzle a little oil on the fries, and gently coat them evenly with your hands.

Dried herbs & seasonings: Finish with dried basil, dried oregano, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper.

1. Open a tube of prepared polenta.

2. Lay it on its side. Cut in half.

3. Stand the halves up, cut side down. Cut each one straight down the middle.

4. Now you have 4 sections. Cut each one in half, straight down the middle.

5. Now you have 8 slabs total. Lay them flat.

6. Cut each slab into 4 equal-sized fries.

Here’s how to cook polenta fries at a glance. For complete instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Put the cut polenta fries into a large mixing bowl.

Spray with oil & season with the following:

• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Granulated garlic
• Salt
• Pepper

Use your hands to gently toss the fries, so that they’re evenly coated with herbs. Give another spray of oil if you like.

Put the fries in a single layer in an air fryer basket, being careful not to overcrowd.

(Overcrowded baskets don’t brown as nicely. And it’s tough to flip the fries when it’s too full. You’ll likely need to work in batches.)

Air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until they’re starting to get crispy and browned on the exterior.

Gently flip & air fry for 2 to 4 minutes more. (Remember, air fryers vary. Yours may take a little longer or shorter, depending on the model.) Remove from basket.

Continue with the next batch until all of the fries are golden brown. (Second batches usually cook in less time, because the air fryer is hot.)

You can make this polenta fries recipe your own by varying the seasonings.

Omit the herbs & garlic

If you have tubed polenta that’s already seasoned, or if you just prefer to go the simpler route, you can simply oil the fries, season with salt & pepper, and air fry.

Vary the spices

Or you can vary the seasonings by using a generous sprinkle of Italian seasoning, pizza seasoning, smoked paprika, chili powder, or Cajun seasoning salt.

Cut the polenta into different shapes

You can cut it into wedges or rounds. Keep in mind that the air frying time will vary, depending on how thickly or thinly you cut it.

Keep an eye on it, and flip once it looks fairly browned. (Polenta can be a little floppy & difficult to flip if it isn’t done enough.)

You can certainly enjoy air fried polenta on its own. But it’s even more fun & delicious with a dipping sauce.

Warmed marinara is a great option if you want to lean into those Italian vibes. Use jarred or homemade marinara sauce.

But my personal favorite dipping sauce is vegan ranch dressing.

Here are some other dip ideas:

• Barbecue sauce
• Ketchup
• Cocktail sauce
• Lemon garlic aioli
• Buffalo sauce
• Vegan sriracha mayonnaise
• Vegan honey mustard

Polenta fries are a tasty snack in their own right. And since they’re so pantry-friendly, it’s easy to whip up a batch when you’re feeling peckish.

They also work well as a side dish, anywhere you’d typically serve baked fries or alongside dishes with an Italian bent.

• Eggplant parmesan sandwich
• Meatball burger
• Air fryer stuffed peppers
• Creamy tomato soup
• Three bean chili
• BBQ jackfruit sandwich
• Buffalo chickpea sandwich

(For more air fryer inspiration, check out these vegan air fryer recipes.)

📖 Recipe

Air fryer polenta fries

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 4 votes

Polenta fries are so easy to make in the air fryer. Simply cut prepared polenta into sticks, season with spices, and air fry until crisp. Serve with warmed marinara or your favorite dipping sauce.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Course: Air Fryer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: easy snack, gluten free side dish

Ingredients

• ▢ 18 ounces prepared polenta in tube
• ▢ Oil spray
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano or dried parsley
• ▢ ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ▢ Dash of salt
• ▢ Dash of pepper

Instructions

• ▢
  Remove polenta from plastic tube. If it's damp, gently dry it off with a clean kitchen towel.
• ▢
  Now its time to cut the polenta into fries. (See the blog post for detailed pictures showing how to do it.)

  Start by laying the polenta log on its side on a cutting board. Cut it in half. Then stand those halves on their ends, cut side down. Cut them in half straight down the middle. Then cut each half into halves. Now you should have 8 flat slabs total. Lay the slabs flat, and cut them into fry-shaped sticks (4 sticks per slab).
• ▢
  Put the polenta fries into a large mixing bowl. Spray with oil. Then sprinkle on dried basil, dried oregano (or dried parsley), granulated garlic, a dash of salt, and a dash of pepper.

  Use your hands to carefully toss the polenta fries in the spices, so that they're evenly coated. Be gentle, so that they don't break. Give another spray of oil, if you like.
• ▢
  Place about half of the seasoned polenta fries into the air fryer basket. (Be careful not to overcrowd, or they won't brown as nicely. You'll likely need to cook in batches.)

  Air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until they are starting to look brown & crispy around the edges. Carefully flip with a spatula. Air fry at 400 degrees for 2 to 4 more minutes, until they are browned & crisp all over.
• ▢
  Remove the polenta fries from the air fryer basket & put on a serving plate.

  Cook the remaining polenta fries in the same fashion. Be aware that they may cook slightly faster since the air fryer is now hot.
• ▢
  Serve polenta fries with warmed marinara or your favorite dipping sauces like vegan ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, or ketchup.

Notes

Polenta fries are best fresh. However, you can store & reheat them, if needed.

Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. They will last 3 or 4 days.

Reheat in the air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, stopping once to carefully flip.

Oven instructions

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake polenta fries on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Stop to flip halfway through.

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Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg