Vegan Baked Polenta with Tomato Compote and Roasted Zucchini
This vegan baked polenta recipe is a celebration of 3 simple, wholesome ingredients layered together : polenta, tomato and zucchini.
My vegan baked polenta with hearty tomato compote and roasted zucchini is a perfect weeknight meal that’s easy to prepare for the whole family. The delicious creamy polenta provides a comforting base, topped with the vibrant tomato sauce and finally layered with perfectly roasted zucchini.
Reasons to adore this recipe?
- This entire dish is plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
- It is easy to prepare, with simple ingredients.
- Plus, it’s effortlessly customizable. Want to mix some cheese right into the polenta? Go for it! Prefer eggplant or yellow squash to zucchini? Absolutely! A sprinkle of extra parsley, a drizzle of tahini, a layer of cooked coral lentil or quinoa? The possibilities are endless!
How is this polenta easy to make?
While polenta can seem difficult to make, I have an easier way to make it, as always, to avoid long cooking, endless stirring, and lumps.
Pre-cooked or express polenta
There’s a secret weapon for delicious polenta ready in minutes: pre-cooked or express polenta! It’s ridiculously easy and quick. I’ve tried a few, and these two brands are my top picks :
All you have to do is bring some water to a boil, switch off the heat, add the vegetable cube, add the polenta slowly, and keep stirring for a few minutes. Then add any nut milk for a creamy polenta and let it sit ! You can always double check the instructions and cook accordingly.
Blend polenta into powder to avoid lumps
If you are still facing some lumps, I have tried a few times to reduce my polenta into fine powder whenever I can’t find my usual brand, using my high-speed blender. This helps to reach a creamier polenta. Another tip that might be useful to improve creaminess.
A fully plant-based (vegan) polenta dish that’s still creamy
To make my polenta (250 g), I use 750 ml of vegetable broth and 250 ml of nut milk to keep the creaminess in full swing. Macadamia, cashew, or almond milk are some of my favorite plant-based milk options here. This way, it is completely dairy-free.
You could even use some soya cream if desired.
A comforting polenta base with 2 vegetables layered on top
Over the polenta, I layered on my delicious tomato compote. This was made with 800g of fresh baby tomatoes, simmered with olive oil, rosemary, onion, and a lot of garlic for 15 minutes. A touch of coconut sugar helped preserve the vibrant flavor, which is absolutely fantastic.
Finally, I finish this vegan dish with sliced zucchini on top (a mandoline makes quick work of this!), a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and your choice of vegan cheese or nutritional yeast. Seriously, it’s that easy. But if you want to take it to the next level, my vegan parmesan is a fab addition here. It’s the perfect finishing touch to this comforting vegan baked polenta creation.
The magic happens in the oven
After layering all that goodness, I bake my vegan polenta dish for 25 minutes.
Then, for that irresistible golden-brown crust, a quick trip under the grill for 5-7 minutes (or until it’s beautifully bronzed and bubbling), and this delicious vegan polenta gratin dish is ready.
Comforting food you should try next !
- Vegan chili bowl
- Comforting curry coconut dal
- Butternut squash noodles
- Roasted winter vegetables and Tahini
Healthy Vegan Baked Polenta With Tomato Compote and Roasted Zucchini and…
Comfy dinner, fulfilling, winterish, family approved !
– Healthy greetings, Laetitia –
Vegan Baked Polenta With Tomato Compote and Roasted Zucchini
Ingredients
LAYER 1 : polenta
- 250 g pre-cooked polenta or polenta express, Bob Reds'Mill or Bohlsener Muehle
- 750 ml water, (or more)
- 250 ml nut milk (at room temperature), (macadamia or almond)
- 1 organic vegetable cube, (to make vegetable broth)
LAYER 2 : TOMATO COMPOTE
- 800 g baby tomatoes, cut in half
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1-2 tsp coconut sugar
- Himalayan salt (or gomasio) and fresh ground pepper
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 cups water
LAYER 3 / TOPPING : ZUCCHINI
- 2-3 small light green zucchinis, (or 1 big) approx. 400g.
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to brush or drizzle
- ⅓ cup vegan cheese or vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast flakes (plain)
- Himalayan salt (or gomasio) and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
LAYER 1 : POLENTA
- Bring 750ml of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan or a pan. Add the vegetable cube, a pinch of Himalayan salt and stir until fully dissolved. Turn the heat down.
- Gradually whisk in one-third of the polenta, ensuring to stir continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. Repeat until all of the polenta has been added and fully incorporated.
- Stir in 250ml of room temperature nut milk (macadamia or almond). Continue stirring until the polenta is smooth and creamy. If the polenta is too thick and difficult to stir, add ¼ cup of hot water at a time until you reach your desired consistency (keep in mind the polenta will harden more while cooking in the oven).
- Pour the smooth and creamy polenta into a lined rectangular baking dish (23cm x 30cm) and spread it evenly. Set aside.
LAYER 2 : TOMATO COMPOTE
- Wash the baby tomatoes and chop them in half. Set aside.
- Finely chop the red onion. Grate the garlic cloves.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and grated garlic to the pan and saute them until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Then add the chopped tomatoes, sprigs of rosemary, coconut sugar, and a splash of water to the pan and bring to a simmer. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes (cover eventually). Stir occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly (compote style).
- First, remove the rosemary sprigs, then pour the tomato compote over the polenta, spread evenly, and set aside.
LAYER 3 / TOPPING : ZUCCHINI
- Preheat oven to 180C (fan).
- To finish the dish, wash the zucchini and trim the ends. Using a mandoline, slice the zucchini medium-thin, creating even slices. Arrange the zucchini slices over the tomato compote, slightly overlapping them. Drizzle with olive oil (or brush the oil on using a cooking brush). Season with salt and fresh pepper to taste, and sprinkle with cheese, vegan cheese, or vegan parmesan.
- Bake at 180°C (fan) for 25 minutes. Then, switch to the grill setting and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the zucchini is roasted as desired (keep a close eye to prevent them from burning).
- Time to enjoy! This dish is even delectable the next day, as the polenta firms up beautifully.
