With its origins in northern Italy, a creamy bowl of polenta is the perfect accompaniment to a range of delicious rich Italian sauces. However, itās tough to make the right amount of polenta. So, what do you do with those leftovers?
Can You Freeze Polenta?
Yes, you can freeze polenta for up to 3 months. As polenta solidifies when it cools, you should cut polenta into even pieces before wrapping them and placing them in the freezer.
Do Does Polenta freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Polenta? No
How to Freeze Polenta
If youāre staring in disbelief at how much polenta you prepared, donāt worry, youāre not alone! Itās a notoriously difficult dish to get right in terms of portion control and almost always results in abundant leftovers.
The saving grace is that polenta can be frozen, and its taste wonāt be drastically affected. Below are the steps that you need to follow to freeze your leftover polenta:
- Cool: Line a baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper and evenly spread out your leftover polenta. This will help it to cool and will do so evenly. Polenta solidifies when it cools, so itās important that you have an even layer that you can then cut and freeze.
- Cut: When your polenta has cooled and hardened, cut it into even pieces. The reason for this ensures you can remove the polenta from the freezer piece by piece, as opposed to a whole frozen block that you may not have use for.
- Wrap: Take each piece of polenta and wrap it tightly in cling film, ensuring there are no gaps or tears in the wrap. This ensures each piece is protected from freezer burn and wonāt take on any odours from inside the freezer.
- Place in a Container: Lay your individually wrapped pieces of polenta in a freezer-safe container and fix the lid.
- Label and Freeze: Write the date that you prepared the polenta, as well as the use-by date on the lid of the container, before placing it in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze polenta for around three months.
Yes, ready-made polenta can be frozen unless the packaging states it is not suitable for home freezing. Usually, freezing ready-made polenta is fine, however.
3 Tips for Freezing Polenta
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing polenta to have the best results:
Freeze in Bulk
If youāre in a hurry and donāt have time to slice and wrap polenta in individual portion sizes, you can freeze it in bulk. Again, just make sure itās well wrapped and transfer it to a suitably sized container.
The Texture Might Change
Be mindful that the texture of your polenta might change during the freezing process. This is particularly the case if youāve used milk or cream. Dairy products separate and become grainy after being frozen or defrosted, so you should be mindful of this if you plan to freeze your leftovers. Freezing smaller portions of polenta will minimise the texture changes.
Freeze Polenta Quickly
Itās important to freeze polenta as quickly as you can. As soon as it has cooled, place it towards the back of your freezer and allow it to freeze quickly, as this will allow fewer ice crystals to form and wonāt significantly affect the taste of the dish when it has been defrosted.
How Long Can You Freeze Polenta?
You can freeze polenta for around three months.
Polenta leftovers will be fine in the fridge for 2-3 days if you plan to reheat them and enjoy them for lunch or dinner within a couple of days. However, the quicker you get the polenta in the freezer, the fresher it will be when you thaw and enjoy it in the future.
Cooked polenta will last for up to 5 days in the fridge. However, it won’t remain creamy and soft but will set. This makes it good for frying into chips.
How Do You Defrost Polenta?
When youāre ready to enjoy your polenta leftovers, transfer the desired portion (or indeed the whole block of polenta) to the fridge and allow it to thaw.
To avoid trapping the moisture inside, remove the polenta from the plastic wrap before you place it in the fridge.
And finally, before reheating it, you will need to dab your polenta dry with paper towels and remove any excess liquid that has formed on the surface during the defrosting process.
Can You Refreeze Polenta?
We wouldnāt recommend refreezing polenta. As you freeze and thaw polenta, youāre affecting the moisture content of the dish, which can affect its overall texture and consistency.
If you have a considerable amount of polenta leftover, itās a good idea to freeze it in individual portion sizes, so you donāt need to worry about wastage and can easily remove what you need there and then.
Does Polenta Freeze Well?
Polenta freezes well, and youāre unlikely to notice any significant changes in its taste or texture.
For the best results, freeze your polenta leftovers as soon as they have cooled, and avoid using excess dairy in your recipe if youāre planning to freeze the leftovers.
Otherwise, you should encounter no issues when freezing polenta, and itās an excellent way of preserving the leftovers for future meals.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing polenta or polenta in general, then these may help:
Yes, you can freeze polenta chips. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper then spread the chips out on the tray. Place the tray in the freezer for a few hours for the chips to freeze solid. Once frozen, tip the chips into a bag for the longer term.
Polenta cake can be frozen in the same way you would freeze other cakes. You need first to decide whether you want to freeze it as a whole cake or slices. The next step is to wrap the whole cake or each slice in clingfilm before placing it into a bag then into the freezer.
