How To Turn Polenta Into Croutons For A Unique Caesar Salad Topping

Those who love Caesar salad know the joy of choosing the best ingredients to create a bowl filled with refreshing savory and umami flavors in every bite. With a variety of unique, crunchy additions and even several substitution options for croutons, you can dress up or dress down your Caesar salad from very basic to extremely indulgent. If you're looking for a crunchy mix-in and basic bread simply won't suffice, get creative and consider an Italian-inspired addition. Knowing that Caesar salad was invented in Mexico by an Italian immigrant, the addition of polenta-based croutons isn't all that much of a stretch. It is, however, one that you'll come back to time and time again.

The Italian cornmeal known as polenta is typically prepared as a porridge, but it can easily be repurposed into a crunchy snack, which makes an ideal salad topping. Start with a package of Trader Joe's organic polenta (available on Amazon) and cut it into bite-sized chunks before crisping up pieces, either by pan-grilling, air-frying, or oven-roasting. The creamy corn flavor will add a layer of sweetness and decadence to your Caesar salad, which, in crispy form, is all the more satisfying. This will strike an ideal balance between sweet and savory flavors for an overall elevated twist on a classic Caesar salad recipe.

It's fairly easy to make croutons at home with just a few thoughtful steps. With polenta croutons, it's important to determine with which cooking method you'd prefer to crisp the pieces as well as any additional fats, flavors, and other considerations you'll need for the ultimate Caesar salad topper. Air-frying and baking are two popular options while using a pan or skillet on the stovetop is another method with more of a hands-on approach. For a Caesar salad, you'll want to consider the other flavors at play, specifically the anchovies and garlic.

Grab a tube of Crown Prince Anchovy Paste (available on Amazon) or use anchovy oil to toss your cubed polenta with salt and pepper or any other seasonings prior to crisping for an extra punch of fish flavor. If your favorite part of Caesar salad is the cheesy goodness, toss your polenta cubes with a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese before frying, roasting, or baking. The actual cooking process takes around 15 to 30 minutes depending on which method you choose, so be sure to set aside a little bit of extra time to accommodate the process. When you taste the polenta croutons in your Caesar salad, you'll know it was worthwhile!