Looking for a crispy, golden snack? Air fryer polenta is the perfect way to turn basic polenta into irresistible fries, sticks, or even savory cakes. Whether you call them polenta fries, rounds, or chips - this air fryer recipe delivers big flavor with minimal oil and effort.
Grab a tube of precooked polenta and watch it turn into the easiest air fryer polenta recipe. This corn-meal based staple product slices up into perfect round chips or crispy fries.
20 minutes is all it takes to prepare this light and healthy snack, side dish or lunch that you will be craving and find yourself making all year long.
Table of contents
- What exactly is polenta?
- What are the benefits of polenta?
- Why make this recipe?
- Air Fryer Polenta Sticks or Rounds - What's the Difference?
- Pin This Easy Air Fryer Polenta Recipe for Later!
- Frozen Polenta in Air Fryer: Can You Do It?
- Ingredients needed and Substitutions:
- How to Prepare Sliced Polenta in the Air Fryer:
- How to Make Polenta Fries in the Air Fryer
- Watch the How to Make Air Fried Polenta Video..
- Recipe FAQ's:
- Expert Air Fryer Tips:
- Tips for Perfectly Crispy Air Fried Polenta
- Are you are Weight Watcher?
- More Recipes you will Love!!
What exactly is polenta?
Polenta is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. The dish comes from Italy. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled
What are the benefits of polenta?
- Polenta is gluten free
- High in fiber and protein
- Rich in complex carbohydrates
- Low in Fat and Calories
- Contains Iron, Magnesium and Zinc - all essential minerals for a healthy diet.
If you love Air Fryer recipes make sure you check out my Avocado Fries, Air Fryer Beignets, Baked Apple Crisp Chips, Sweet Potato Fritters or my favorite Easy Air Fryer Hushpuppies.
Why make this recipe?
You don't want to miss out on this super easy air fried polenta recipe!
- Weight Watcher friendly - This easy low carb air fryer polenta recipe is only 1 point per serving on my WW Plan. Since the new Weight Watchers plan is personalized you will have to input the ingredients used into your WW app to get your exact points.
- Easy to make - These low calorie baked polenta slices and crispy polenta fries cook up in only 20 minutes.
- Kid friendly - These healthy vegan polenta fries and polenta rounds are so moist and crispy with a dusting of parmesan cheese the kids won't even know you are feeding them a vegan dinner. Oh and the best part is you can freeze the leftover air fried polenta for a quick after school snack or quick appetizer by re heating in the air fryer.
- Budget friendly - These air fried polenta snacks cost less than $20.00 to prepare and there is enough to feed the whole family.
- This air fried polenta is the perfect side dish to my favorite Cast Iron Skillet Chicken recipe.
Air Fryer Polenta Sticks or Rounds - What's the Difference?
When it comes to air frying polenta, the shape you choose-sticks or rounds-can make a subtle but tasty difference. Polenta sticks resemble traditional fries and offer more surface area for crisping, making them perfect for dipping into sauces like marinara or aioli.
On the other hand, polenta rounds (often cut from tube polenta) have a slightly creamier interior with crispy edges, ideal for serving as a savory appetizer or side dish. Both options are delicious, gluten-free, and easy to make in the air fryer-so the choice really comes down to how you want to serve and enjoy them!
Pin This Easy Air Fryer Polenta Recipe for Later!
Frozen Polenta in Air Fryer: Can You Do It?
Yes, you can cook frozen polenta in the air fryer, and it's a game-changer for quick meals or snacks. Whether you've pre-sliced and frozen homemade polenta or you're using store-bought tube polenta that's been frozen, the air fryer crisps it up beautifully without the need to thaw first.
Simply place the frozen polenta slices, rounds, or sticks in a single layer in your air fryer basket, spray lightly with oil, and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through. The result? Golden, crispy polenta with a tender center - perfect for dipping, layering, or enjoying on its own.
Ingredients needed and Substitutions:
- A Roll of Traditional Italian Polenta
- Spray Olive Oil
- Parmesan Cheese or you can also use Grated Asiago or Pecorino Romano cheese.
How to Prepare Sliced Polenta in the Air Fryer:
1: Grab your polenta roll and remove from the plastic wrap. Slice into ¼ inch thick rounds. If you want to make fries slice your rounds into ½ inch sticks.
How to Make Polenta Fries in the Air Fryer
2: Preheat your air fryer to 390 Degrees F. Once your air fryer is at the correct temperature add a sheet of aluminum foil and give it a spritz of olive oil. Now add your polenta rounds or fries to your air fryer basket on top of the foil. Give your polenta a spritz of olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3: Close your lid and air fry for 20 minutes until golden and crispy. Then remove and serve.
Watch the How to Make Air Fried Polenta Video..
Recipe FAQ's:
Sliced polenta can make wonderful layers for many recipes. Use it to create a low carb side dish or a replacement for bread. Perfect for breakfast to add a fried egg on top. I love to keep it on hand to replace noodles for a pasta-free lasagna, or to slice into polenta crinkle fries.
Polenta is much lower in calories and fat, yet still provides a source of complex carbs that are much-needed for energy.
Polenta is low calorie . Providing about 70 calories per 100 grams (g) cooked per serving. Nutritious, whole foods that are low in calories, such as polenta, are a great choice for people looking to lose or maintain weight.
Try topping polenta with your favorite pasta sauce and cheese for an air fryer polenta pizza. Slice into crinkle strips and make a batch of parmesan polenta fries. Make polenta rounds as a bread swap or use for breakfast to place your eggs on top. Polenta rounds are also great as a pasta swap for making a vegan lasagna. The options are endless!
Yes! Sliced polenta fries, rounds, or sticks air fry beautifully to a crispy texture.
Both tube polenta and homemade firm polenta work great - just make sure it's chilled and sliceable.
Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Expert Air Fryer Tips:
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket you need room for the heat to circulate.
- Grease your air fryer basket with a spritz of olive oil.
- Flip foods halfway through the cooking time to insure even cooking.
- Open the air fryer as often as you like to check for doneness.
Tips for Perfectly Crispy Air Fried Polenta
Achieving perfectly crispy air fried polenta is all about the right prep and technique. First, make sure your polenta is firm and chilled-this helps it hold its shape when slicing into sticks, rounds, or cakes. A light spray of oil or brush of olive oil on all sides is key for that golden, crispy exterior without deep frying.
Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to ensure even airflow, and flip the pieces halfway through cooking to promote uniform crispness. Cooking at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes usually delivers the best texture, but thinner slices may need less time. For extra crunch, sprinkle with a bit of cornmeal or grated Parmesan before air frying.
Are you are Weight Watcher?
If you follow my Blog you probably already know I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and I like to point all of my Recipes with the WW Points System.
This Air Fried Polenta Recipe is only 2 Points on my app for one serving which is equal to 2 slices of polenta rounds or about 10 polenta fries. These air fried polenta wheels are perfect for dunking in the WW One Point Chickpea Stew Recipe.
Weight Watchers has a new individualized program right now to make it easier to enjoy the foods you love and still lose weight.
Just plug the ingredients into your WW app to confirm the points for your individual program.
Don't forget dessert - try a single serving of chocolate chip cookie baked oatmeal at only 2 points.
If you want to see the old Purple, Blue and Green WW Food Lists for each plan just click Here…
Make sure check out my Newbie WW Tips and Tricks Guide if you are just getting started.
I used to go back and forth between the Purple Plan and the Blue Plan prior to the new program and whenever I hit a plateau I did my own 30 Day Low Carb Meal Plan. It's super easy to follow. You can grab a copy on Amazon here.
If you are impatient like me and want the 30 Day Low Carb Meal Plan now I am offering an instant digital download of the entire plan for my Blog Visitors only for $8.97 today..just click HERE. Limited time only...
If you are planning to travel soon make sure you check out my 100 Tips for healthy eating on the go.
More Recipes you will Love!!
The Easiest Air Fryer Polenta Recipe (Chips and Fries)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 rounds
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
Grab a tube of precooked polenta and watch it turn into the easiest air fryer polenta recipe. This corn-meal based staple product slices up into perfect round chips or crispy fries.
20 minutes is all it takes to prepare this light and healthy snack, side dish or lunch that you will be craving and find yourself making all year long.
Ingredients
- A Roll of Traditional Italian Polenta
- Spray Olive Oil
- Parmesan Cheese or you can also use Grated Asiago or Pecorino Romano cheese.
Instructions
1: Grab your polenta roll and remove from the plastic wrap. Slice into ¼ inch thick rounds. If you want to make fries slice your rounds into ½ inch sticks
2: Preheat your air fryer to 390 Degrees F. Once your air fryer is at the correct temperature add a sheet of aluminum foil and give it a spritz of olive oil. Now add your polenta rounds or fries to your air fryer basket on top of the foil. Give your polenta a spritz of olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3: Close your lid and air fry for 20 minutes until golden and crispy. Then remove and serve.
Notes
Air Fryer Expert Tips:
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket you need room for the heat to circulate.
- Grease your air fryer basket with a spritz of olive oil.
- Flip foods halfway through the cooking time to insure even cooking.
- Open the air fryer as often as you like to check for doneness.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 slices
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 360mg
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0
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Johnny D.
I’m air frying my polenta from Trader Joe’s now. I’m topping it with black bean soup heated until thick. I’ve used it before on home made polenta and it’s a delicious combination.
Incidentally, cheese is acceptable for vegetarian, but NOT for vegan. Vegan means no animal products. Vegetarian can include cheese and eggs, known as lacto-ovo-vegetarian.
Javier
Great alternative to french fried potato
Taste great with maple syrup too.