+GF
Crispy, crunchy, potato-free? Yep, you betcha. And just as full of flavor as the original, but crunchier! And crunchy fries are my favorite. Polenta, a simple grain-based dish that cooks up a little like steel oats (but way creamier), is a great replacement here. The flavor is a little corn-y, the crunch is unbeatable and the cheesy flavor takes the whole dish up a notch. Plus, polenta fills you up and is a seriously cheap kitchen staple that is great to keep on hand. —AS
SERVES 2 TO 4
3 cups (710 ml) water
1 tsp salt
1½ cups (240 g) uncooked instant polenta (bramata)
½ cup (40 g) nutritional yeast
¼ cup (55 g) vegan butter
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
Coconut oil, for greasing pan
OPTIONAL
Ketchup, sriracha mayo or vegan ranch dressing
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, reduce the heat and pour in the polenta, stirring to combine. Cook the polenta over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the sides of the pot, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast, butter, salt and pepper. Stir well, until the butter has completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
Pour the mixture onto a smooth surface like a large baking sheet (or two smaller ones), and spread it out using a rubber spatula to about a ½ inch (1.3 cm) thickness. Let it cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes, until the polenta becomes solid and cools off completely. While waiting, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Once your polenta slab has cooled, gently move it from the pan to a cutting board (best done in sections) to be cut. You can leave the mixture on the baking sheet and use a pizza cutter, if that floats your boat. Otherwise, use a large knife to cut the slab in half, and then into ¼- to ½-inch (6-mm to 1.3-cm) strips, until all the polenta has been cut. Transfer the fries to a greased (coconut oil works great in the high heat!) baking sheet, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, flipping once, until the fries are crispy and golden.
Remove them from the oven and serve with ketchup, sriracha mayo or vegan ranch.
Note: The polenta sticks can be made ahead, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated overnight or until ready to bake.
Don’t have coconut oil? That’s okay. Just try to use a high-heat oil (sesame, grapeseed, avocado) to avoid burning!
Fries can be reheated in the oven at 400°F (204°C) for about 10 minutes. Overcooking them will result in uber-crunchy fries, so be careful. Cooking them just right, however, results in more deliciousness.