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Mexican Polenta Bites are the perfect two-bite appetizer that is full of flavor and simple to make! They take just a few ingredients and are very versatile.
Mexican Polenta Bites
Even though I bake with corn meal quite often, until a few weeks ago, I had never worked with polenta before.
After making little polenta pizzas and these yummy polenta bites, I am a fan! My family requests them now on a weekly basis.
If you’d like to skip to the main points below, just click on the link and you will be taken right there.
If you aren’t familiar with polenta, it’s quite simply boiled cornmeal. So if you love baking with corn meal, you will love working with the different flavors of polenta. Another reason I think you will absolutely love working with polenta is that it’s already ready to be heated! It will be great for a quick weeknight dinner when the kids go back to school!
Polenta, which is originally from Northern and Central Italy, has quite possibly been around since 1550.
If you’ve never worked with Polenta before, here are some answers to questions that you may have:
HOW DO YOU PREPARE POLENTA?
It can be baked, fried, or grilled.
IS POLENTA PANTRY SAFE?
Yes, it is until you open it. Once it’s opened, it will need to stay in the fridge.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT FLAVORS OF POLENTA AVAILABLE?
Yes! There are many wonderful polenta flavors available. You can find flavors such as:
Sun-Dried Tomato & Garlic
Traditional Italian
Basil & Garlic
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN POLENTA BITES
Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger, browned and drained
1/2 small onion, diced
Package of taco seasoning (and water as directed)
1 tube Polenta (we used Ancient Harvest’s Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic), sliced
Small tomato, diced
Sour cream (optional)
Green onions (optional), sliced
Cilantro (optional)
Limes (optional)
Directions:
Turn the broiler on to high on your oven.
Slice the polenta and put the slices onto a baking sheet or a cast iron pan.
If you are using a cast iron skillet, your slices will get oiled from flipping the slices. If you are using a regular baking sheet, you will need to spray the pan, add the slices, and then slightly coat the slices with oil to help them brown.
You will need to brown the slices to your liking under the broiler. We toasted ours until they were very crisp, which was about 20 minutes total. Make sure to flip the slices over so each side is equally browned.
While the polenta slices are browning, season the ground beef with to your liking with salt and pepper. Then cook the ground beef until it’s almost done.
Then add in the onions and continue to cook the beef mixture until the onions are translucent and the beef is done.
Add in the taco seasoning plus required water and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the mixture is simmering, dice the tomatoes.
Once the polenta is browned, remove it from the pan and place them on paper towels so the excess oil can drain.
Assemble the polenta bites on a tray, add a teaspoon of the beef mixture to the slice of polenta, top with tomatoes, sour cream, cilantro, or cheese if you’d like. Or for a party, you could add each component onto a party platter and let your family make their own customized bites!
MEXICAN POLENTA BITES - ONE BITE APPETIZERS
Ingredients
- 1 lb hamburger browned and drained
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 1 package of taco seasoning and water as directed
- 1 tube Polenta we used Ancient Harvest's Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic, sliced
- 1 small tomato diced
- Sour cream optional
- Cilantro optional
- Green onions optional, sliced
- Limes optional
Instructions
- Turn the broiler on to high on your oven.
- Slice the polenta and put the slices onto a baking sheet or a cast iron pan.
- If you are using a cast iron skillet, your slices will get oiled from flipping the slices. If you are using a regular baking sheet, you will need to spray the pan, add the slices, and then slightly coat the slices with oil to help them brown.
- You will need to brown the slices to your liking under the broiler. We toasted ours until they were very crisp, which was about 20 minutes total. Make sure to flip the slices over so each side is equally browned.
- While the polenta slices are browning, season the ground beef with to your liking with salt and pepper. Then cook the ground beef until it's almost done.
- Then add in the onions and continue to cook the beef mixture until the onions are translucent and the beef is done.
- Add in the taco seasoning plus required water and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.
- While the mixture is simmering, dice the tomatoes.
- Once the polenta is browned, remove it from the pan and place them on paper towels so the excess oil can drain.
- Assemble the polenta bites on a tray, add a teaspoon of the beef mixture to the slice of polenta, top with tomatoes, sour cream, cilantro, or cheese if you'd like. Or for a party, you could add each component onto a party platter and let your family make their own customized bites!
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