This Sloppy Joe with Creamy Polenta recipe is a grown-up twist on a childhood favorite! A tasty homemade sloppy joe sauce served over polenta that gets baked in the oven and requires minimal stirring. Doesn’t get much easier than this!
If you’re a fan of sloppy joes and polenta, then you are going to love today’s recipe. And, if you are NOT a fan of the tedious process of having to continuously stir polenta, then you are going to like this even more. The only stirring you have to do is at the beginning and once towards the end. That’s it.
I ran across an article on Fine Cooking, which told how to get creamy polenta without stirring. Whoa. Creamy, delicious polenta without stirring? YES!
How To Cook Polenta In The Oven
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 1 1/2 or 2 quart baking dish with butter. Add the water, polenta, salt and butter and mix together with a fork. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes Remove from the oven and stir. Place back into the oven and bake for another ten minutes. Let the polenta rest for five minutes before serving.
If you prefer, you could certainly serve this the traditional way on a hamburger bun. I just happen to love it served over a nice bed of creamy polenta. A total comfort food meal.
Can polenta be reheated?
Yes, absolutely! There are two options for reheating. You can cut it into pieces and pan fry it in a little butter until golden and crispy. My personal favorite! Or, you can reheat it in a saucepan gently on the stovetop, adding a little water at a time to bring back to your desired consistency.
Sloppy Joe with Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
Creamy Polenta
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup polenta meal
- 1 tbsp butter , plus more for greasing baking pan
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt or more to taste
Sloppy Joe
- 1 tbsp ghee , coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 lb . ground chicken
- 1/2 medium onion , finely chopped
- 1 stalk of celery , finely chopped
- 2 small carrots (or 1 large), finely grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups of strained tomatoes (or tomato puree)
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- three green onions (green parts only), thinly sliced
Instructions
Polenta
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 1 1/2 or 2 quart baking dish with butter. Add the water, polenta, salt and butter and mix together with a fork. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes Remove from the oven and stir. Place back into the oven and bake for another ten minutes. Let the polenta rest for five minutes before serving.
Sloppy Joe
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium high heat. Add the ground chicken, breaking up with a spoon while it begins to brown. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the grated carrot, smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt and tomato paste, toss to coat the meat mixture, and let cook for about a minute. Add the strained tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar and honey to the pan and stir to combine. Bring to a slow simmer and let cook for about 15-20 minutes. Serve over creamy polenta and garnish with sliced green onions.
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