Polenta Pizza Bites
Polenta pizza bites are a fun and tasty twist on pizza night! They’re made with slices of cooked polenta instead of dough, so they’re naturally gluten-free and super easy to make. Just add your favorite tomato sauce, toppings, and a sprinkle of plant-based cheese, then pop them in the oven until bubbly and golden.
These little bites are crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, and packed with pizza flavor. They’re great for parties, afternoon snacks, or even a quick dinner. You can mix and match toppings or keep it simple with classic flavors. Since they’re small, they cook fast and are easy to eat with your hands. Plus, they’re fun to make and a great way to get creative with plant-based ingredients.
If your mouth starts to water when you think of pizza, you must make these veggie-packed rainbow pizza and dairy-free matzah pizza recipes!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Polenta Pizzas
Start pre-heating your oven and you’re already halfway done! Here are more winning qualities that will have everyone asking for seconds—and thirds.
- They’re Easy to Make. With pre-cooked polenta and a few toppings, you can have these bites in the oven fast. No dough mixing or rolling needed—just slice, top, and bake!
- Perfect for Snacking or Sharing. These bite-sized pizzas are great for parties, game nights, or anytime snacking. They’re easy to pick up and fun to eat.
- Naturally Gluten-Free. Since cooked polenta is made from cornmeal, there’s no gluten to worry about. It’s a great option for gluten-free eaters without needing special ingredients.
- Crispy Outside, Soft Inside. Baking the polenta gives it a golden, crispy edge while keeping the center creamy. It’s the perfect combo of texture in every bite.
- Kid and Parent Approved. Even the pickiest eater adores a classic cheese pizza. They’ll never know they’re getting an extra serving of fiber along with those baked polenta slices.
Key Ingredients
These simple ingredients come together to make crispy, cheesy, and totally satisfying little bites. You’ll start with ready-to-slice polenta and add a few tasty toppings like sauce, veggies, and plant-based cheese. Each one bakes up golden and full of flavor!
- Polenta – Forms the firm, golden base for your bites! It gets crisp on the outside and stays soft in the middle, kind of like a mini pizza crust. For easy prep, use pre-cooked polenta in a tube. Want to switch it up? You can slice homemade firm polenta, but make sure it’s chilled and set before cutting.
- Pizza Sauce – Adds that zesty tomato flavor that makes everything taste like pizza. Pick a red sauce, any red sauce! Marinara works just as well, as does spicy arrabiata, briny puttanesca, or creamy pink sauce. No sauce on hand? A light spread of tomato paste mixed with a bit of olive oil and seasoning will do the trick!
- Vegan Cheese – Brings that classic pizza vibe with a melty, stretchy finish. Look for one that melts well—mozzarella-style is perfect! Don’t have vegan cheese? Try a sprinkle of umami nutritional yeast, a drizzle of cashew cheese, or skip it and load up on extra veggies instead.
Tempting Topping Ideas
Toppings are where you can have the most fun with when making polenta pizza! Keep it classic with vegan pepperoni or go fresh with chopped veggies and herbs. Mix and match your favorites to make each bite a little different and totally delicious.
Just like classic full-sized pizza or similarly miniature pizza bagel bites, no toppings are off the table for personalizing your savory snacks! Since it can be daunting to narrow down the options, here are my cheat sheet of tried-and-true go-tos:
- Olives, sliced (or fried olives)
- Vegan pepperoni, sliced or diced
- Fresh basil or oregano leaves, thinly sliced
- Jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced or diced
- Green bell pepper, diced
- Red onions, sliced (or these picked pink onions)
- Pineapple, tidbits
How To Make These Polenta Pizza Bites
Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for making these polenta pizza bites. It’s so easy and fun!
Step 1: Preheat and Assemble Pizzas – Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Slice the polenta into 1/3-inch thick rounds. You should end up with about 15 rounds.
Make your polenta pizzas! Add pizza sauce into the center of the polenta using a small spoon (leave the outer edges exposed).
Step 2: Add Toppings and Bake – Sprinkle with vegan cheese and top with desired toppings. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and polenta is nicely baked. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Leftover polenta pizza bites should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Let them cool completely before storing, and they’ll stay fresh for about 3–4 days. To reheat polenta pizza bites, pop them in a 400°F oven for 8–10 minutes or an air fryer at 375°F for 5–7 minutes to get them crispy again. If you’d rather keep them soft, just microwave them on a plate with a damp paper towel for 1–2 minutes. Easy and tasty either way!
You’ll need a bit more advanced planning, but you can totally DIY if store-bought polenta fails to deliver. Simply make your favorite polenta recipe and pour it into a lightly greased baking dish. Let it cool until completely set, then slice it into bite-sized squares. The shape will be less pizza-like, but the taste will be even better!
Yes! Place your fully assembled polenta slices with toppings in an air fryer basket lined with foil and air fry at 370 degrees for about 10 minutes.
If you’re cleaning out the pantry and need something right away, use a generous sprinkle of naturally cheesy nutritional yeast instead of shreds. If you want to get a bit fancier, you can make your own vegan parmesan from scratch, too.
More Easy Snack Ideas
Listen while you cook! Tune into my podcast, The Plant Powered People Podcast, while you’re cooking, folding laundry, or taking a bath. It may just change your life!
Polenta Pizza Bites (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 18-ounce tube pre-cooked polenta
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- ¼ cup vegan mozzarella cheese, shredded or grated
Optional Toppings:
- Olives, sliced
- Vegan pepperoni, sliced or diced
- Fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- Jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced or diced
- Green bell pepper, diced
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) and preheat oven to 400°F.
- Slice polenta tube into 15 rounds (about ⅓-inch thick).
- Using a small spoon, add pizza sauce on each polenta round and spread evenly over the round using the back of the spoon, leaving a small border around the edge uncovered. Sprinkle with vegan cheese and top with desired toppings.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and polenta is nicely baked.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Leave a Comment
These are super interesting & simple to make
These pizza bites are so awesome! Love this as a snack!
I love making these mini polenta pizzas with my family! I am always shocked by how simple they are to make, and my kid loves them!
These are genius for the kiddos! They love them 🙂
Pizza Bite Perfection! I am in love with these little pizza bite. They’re so adorable and super delicious!
Made these polenta pizza bites for a get together and they were a hit … thanks for the recipe!
I make these all the time for our movie nights. Everyone loves them. I top them with sundried tomatoes and diced basil leaves.
Love how easy these polenta pizza bites are! Definitely a new favorite snack!