When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, right?
But what about when your garden gives you rosemary?
As in lots, and lots, and lots of rosemary?
You make Rosemary Parmesan Polenta Fries.
As in a heaping batch of deliciously crispy quinoa studded polenta fries flecked with savory parmesan cheese and fresh rosemary.
I first made my own version of these rosemary parmesan polenta fries a few weeks ago, after inspiration from this recipe at Kitchen Vignettes.
Since I didn’t have any uncooked polenta on hand, I decided to use my Ancient Harvest Quinoa Polenta log chub instead, and use up some of that rosemary from my garden, plus I added a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Just because.
Oh, my goodness!
So simple.
So delicious.
And, dare I say it, a little bit healthy too.
Here’s the recipe…
Rosemary Parmesan Quinoa Polenta Fries
Ingredients
- 1 18 ounce tube Organic Ancient Harvest Quinoa Polenta
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut polenta tube in half, then cut each half in to 16 "fries". You should have 32 fries altogether.
- Place polenta fries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and brush olive oil on fries. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until light brown and crispy. You may wish to turn the fries every 15 minutes to get them extra crispy.
- While the fries are baking, combine the rosemary and parmesan cheese and set aside in a small bowl.
- Remove fries from oven when done. Place them on a serving dish and sprinkle the parmesan cheese/rosemary mixture on top. Serve while nice and hot.
Nutrition and Ingredient FYI…
- Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
- Rosemary, like many herbs, provides health benefits, including possible protection against cancer due to the antioxidant carnosol. It also has been shown to improve blood flow to the head and brain, improving concentration, and acts as an anti-inflammatory within the body.
- One serving of these fries provides 14 percent of your daily calcium needs.
- Each serving of fries provides 11 grams of fat, some of which comes from the parmesan cheese, but mostly from the olive oil which is monounsaturated fat, and also acts like an anti-inflammatory within the body similar to the rosemary.
- If you are avoiding GMO’s make sure you use organic polenta, as the majority of non-organic corn comes from GMO crops.
- You can purchase Ancient Harvest Polenta on-line, or in the San Diego area I have found it at Jimbos, Whole Foods, and Cost Plus World Market.
We enjoyed these for Meatless Monday, served with a tomato and fresh mozzarella salad, some leftover quinoa salad, and fresh cherries for dessert. For more healthy dinner inspiration, check out my latest weekly dinner menu plans posted here on Pinterest.
Have you ever tried polenta fries? Do you like rosemary? If so, what are your favorite ways to cook with it? Do you grow any herbs at home???
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“Variety is the very spice of life that gives it all it’s flavour.”
William Cowper, 1785. 
These sound amazing. I love polenta, love parmesan, and LOVE rosemary. Pinning this pronto!
I hope you love these as much as I do Gina
WOW! Now this polenta I can really eat! Pinning it!
Thanks Laura! Feel free to stop by my garden anytime and pick some rosemary
Now I’m jealous. Super jealous! Rosemary doesn’t grow as a perennial in Colorado so I have to start each year with a little plant and really watch how much I use so that I leave enough for more to grow. The two herbs I love the most are rosemary and basil and they are the two that are not prolific. Murphy and his law at work?
If you ever come out to SanDiego you are invited to come to my house and pick as much rosemary as you want
I am a basil lover too! {And cilantro}
Drooling – love polenta, rosemary + parmesan so these look like heaven. Have never seen quinoa polenta – very interesting. I never liked rosemary until I was adult and now I’m obsessed – would kill for that gorgeous plant of yours but alas, I have a black thumb. Love rosemary + olive oil baked into any type of bread, roll, pizza, etc. and in pasta fagioli
Deanna-I have kind of a black thumb too, but my rosemary is prolific. It is planted with my bougainvillea which is on a drip system {light water} and that’s it! I know you could grow it too under these conditions
What a creative recipe! I love rosemary and this seems like the perfect use for it. Recipe printed to try!
Thanks Tanya~Let me know how it turns out!
Great minds think alike for sure, LOL! I love finding easy dishes to prepare when I get home late from work. This would be hearty, AND delicious:-) I adore polenta, but I have not had the quinoa polenta yet….I MUST FIND IT:-) Hugs, Terra
Great minds indeed
I hope you can track down a polenta chub to try Terra!
wow, i never thought about making polenta into fries!!! and i’ve never seen quinoa polenta before. thanks for the creative recipe EA!
Thanks Junia, and you’re most welcome
HOLY CRAP…look at all that rosemary!!!!! WOW!!! I bet that is so fragrant!! I love the pungent smell of rosemary!! I have seen the ‘chubs’ of polenta but I have not seen this variety. Look how full of goodness it is! I hope I can find this at my market because I am all over making this recipe…how easy and delicious it looks! YES, I love plolenta but rarely eat it. Beautiful post!!!
Thanks so much Teri! If you can’t find the quinoa polenta this would be yummy with the plain kind too, although the quinoa adds a nice little bit of crunch. Happy hunting!
These look so delicious. I’ve never seen quinoa polenta before but will be on the lookout! Thx!
I hope you find some Vanessa! Thanks so much for your comment
Oh wow! This looks fabulous!!
I have only made polenta once before but I love this take. Delicious!
Thanks Swanky!!
I have yet to try polenta but this did the trick – must try!!
Thanks so much for stopping by and for your comment Renae
I hope you finally get to try some polenta!
Thanks so much for linking to my blog, this looks wonderful! I’m a huge quinoa fan, and never thought to put it in polenta, looks delicious, gorgeous photos!! Aube
No, thank YOU for the inspiration and for your sweet comment!
THAT is a lot of rosemary! And again, the photos – even of the one of your brush dripping with oil – are beautiful!! You’ve inspired me to make polenta…haven’t made it forever…excellent idea for fries before potatoes are ready!
LOL! And, this is only one little bit of my rosemary…The wall wraps around our courtyard, so there is way more rosemary to be had! Thanks Serena
I have had polenta fries before but I have never made them myself. I would love to try that quinoa polenta, but sadly I haven’t seen it at our commissary. Darn!
Believe it or not here in Scotland rosemary not only grows but thrives. I love rosemary in most anything (chocolate and rosemary ice cream, anyone!) and when paired with something as simple as this it is a must-make. Hopefully it will work just as well with home-cooked ‘proper’ polenta. But I would like to add in a handful of leftover cooked quinoa to keep with the spirit of this lovely recipe. Yum! Would be nice with a spicy salsa I imagine.
I’ve never seen polenta in a tube before but these fries look wonderful!
Polenta in a tube is great- doesn’t get more convenient than that! The dish looks wonderful! I bet your backyard smells fantastic
This is simply awesome, EA.. quinoa polenta and a healthy and yum recipe from it..I in love with those bars!
Great idea! Rosemary is such a great herb!
Oh. My. Gosh. I loooove these! I think I’m going to put them on my meal plan for next week! I’ve never seen that polenta before, but perhaps if I can’t find it, I’ll try making it myself?
EA, look at that beautiful rosemary! I remember being in LV and heading into the grocery store. On my list … rosemary … but lo and behold, what was the landscaping in the parking lot … ROSEMARY! Let’s just say I didn’t pay for : )
Rosemary is truly my favorite herb, even more so in desserts believe it or not, these fries look amazing!!
Soooooo glad I came across your site!!!! Can’t wait to make this for my family.
Hi, I loved reading this and kind of tasting it virtually but where would one buy this kind of polenta, other than online? Thanks
You can buy it at any grocery store.