Friends, listen up! This is a PSA for all parents who need another delicious, freezer-ready, not-your-typical casserole, weeknight-friendly, all-family-members-like-it recipe in your repertoire. Enter a new favorite—>Rustic Polenta Casserole.
This is it, folks.
We LOVE Italian food, and as hearty mid-westerners, we love a good casserole, too. One that warms your belly from the inside and fills you right up without breaking the bank! I also like a good casserole that freezes well, I can make ahead if I want to, can double or triple without any *surprises* AND is super flavorful.
Enter the Rustic Polenta Casserole. It’s different because it uses polenta for a base instead of mashed potatoes or pasta and I use ground Italian sausage or lean ground turkey as a protein. It also has hefty portions of tomatoes & spinach so everyone in your family is getting a decent dose of color & nutrients here! I love it because it doesn’t break the bank, I can usually whip it up with pantry staples & (this is HUGE) everyone in my family LOVES IT!
I hope your family enjoys this Rustic Polenta Casserole as much as mine has. Feel free to double or triple the recipe and freeze a few extra for later!
And…after you’ve made yourself a few dozen Rustic Polenta Casseroles for the freezer, try out my version of Shepherd’s Pie! It’s a full-on WINNER at my house & will be at your’s, too! Enjoy, friends!
Rustic Polenta Casserole
An easy Italian casserole for weeknight cooking OR make-ahead!
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 1 1/3 cups whole milk
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 cup coarse-ground polenta
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 T. butter
- 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground Italian sausage or ground turkey
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
- 5-6 cups baby spinach
- To finish:
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
- Step 1 To Prep: Bring water and milk to a boil in a large saucepan. Once boiling, stir in 1 tsp. salt and then very slowly pour the polenta into the rapidly boiling liquid while stirring constantly in a circular motion. Reduce the mixture to a simmer, cover partially and cook, stirring often and making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan clean. Cook until the polenta is soft and all of the liquid has been absorbed. The mixture should be uniformly smooth but very loose, about 15-20 minutes.
- Step 2 Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan and butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the polenta mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and let it cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Step 3 In a 12-inch skillet heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until soft and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add the sausage and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, breaking the meat into large chunks with a spoon and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
- Step 4 Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 7-10 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the spinach, 1 handful at a time, until the spinach is wilted and soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture cool completely, about 30 minutes. Spread the cooled sausage mixture evenly over the cooled polenta.
- Step 5 To store for cooking later: Wrap dish tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate OR wrap in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Step 6 To Finish & Serve: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Unwrap the dish and cover tightly with greased aluminum foil. Bake the casserole until hot throughout and bubbling around the edges, about 30-35 minutes if refrigerated and about 1 hour if taken directly from freezer. Remove the foil and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning blend over the mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with flat-leaf Italian parsley if desired & Enjoy!
