Swap Out Your Typical Pizza Crust With Polenta And Taste The Magic

There are several reasons why people reach for foods to use for pizza crust that aren't dough, usually being that they are looking for a gluten-free option. If you are searching for something with a little more staying power than cauliflower crust, you might want to consider trying out polenta.

If you are still a little confused as to what polenta is, don't worry. It's simply cornmeal that has been brought to a boil with water to produce a creamy dish similar in texture to oatmeal. Polenta can be eaten as a breakfast cereal or as a side the same way you would eat rice or potatoes. However, what many people don't realize is that it's also possible to pour that polenta into a pan, set it in the fridge for an hour and then bake it into an incredible gluten-free pizza crust.

This crust makes the perfect base for pizza, giving a solid, chewy texture and gorgeously subtle corn flavor. It's perfect for those nights when you want to make homemade pizza but don't want the extra hassle of dealing with regular pizza dough.

When picking up polenta to make pizza crust, there will be a few options on the shelves: regular, instant, and precooked. Regular polenta needs about 40 minutes of cooking time (try this trick for faster polenta). Instant polenta, on the other hand, has been pre-prepared to shorten the amount of cooking time needed (it will be ready in a fast five minutes). 

Instant polenta has more of a grainy texture, but this won't matter much when it's baked, making it ideal for making pizza crust. Finally, precooked polenta comes in tubes and, as the name implies, it's already cooked and ready to go. It's possible to roll out precooked polenta into a baking sheet for pizza crust, significantly cutting down on prep time.

Polenta pizza crust has a just-firm-enough texture and a neutral taste, so whatever ingredients you use, the crust will absorb the flavors beautifully. Fresh mushrooms, caramelized onions, and stronger flavored cheeses can work well with this crust. Mexican-inspired pizza also works wonderfully with a polenta. Consider using any ingredients you would normally use in tacos: Ground beef, tomatoes, lettuce, hot peppers, or cheese topped with sour cream and avocadoes.