Baked Polenta Italian Casserole
Baked Polenta Italian Casserole layers creamy, cheese-rich polenta with ribbons of tender zucchini and a bright basil-garlic cherry tomato sauce. Pecorino Romano adds a sharp, salty depth while a melting Italian cheese blend turns golden and bubbly in the oven. Serve for a comforting weeknight dinner or a cozy weekend meal with a simple green salad.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook55 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Baked Polenta Italian Casserole, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 48 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 13
- Heart Health
- 32
- Metabolic
- 30
- Digestive
- 23
- Inflammatory
- 43
- Performance
- 41
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.
- 2
In the bowl of a food processor, combine cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, red wine, and 1/8 teaspoon salt for the marinara. Pulse several times to puree. Set aside.
- 3
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Return to a boil; reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Pecorino Romano cheese and butter.
- 4
Pour 1/2 of the polenta into the prepared casserole dish. Arrange 1/2 of the sliced zucchini on top, slightly overlapping the slices. Spoon 1/2 of the marinara sauce over the zucchini, then sprinkle with 1/2 of the Italian-style cheese. Repeat the layers once more.
- 5
Bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the cheese on top is slightly browned, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
- Calories 421.5 kcal High 21%
- Protein 22.25 g Good Source 45%
- Carbohydrate 23.34 g 8%
- Total Fat 26.98 g High 35%
- Saturated Fat 15.89 g High 79%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 76.18 mg High 25%
- Sodium 810.3 mg High 35%
- Dietary Fiber 3.95 g Moderate 14%
- Total Sugars 7.76 g --
- Added Sugars 4.97 g Moderate 10%
- Calcium 639.27 mg Good Source 49%
- Iron 0.75 mg Low Source 4%
- Potassium 234.79 mg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin A 72.74 mcg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin C 14.77 mg Moderate 16%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Baked Polenta Italian Casserole is an Italian dinner recipe made with 11 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Butter, Diced Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, and Garlic. Each serving provides about 421.5 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Baked Polenta Italian Casserole?
- It is an Italian casserole recipe made with 11 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Baked Polenta Italian Casserole made of?
- The main ingredients are Butter, Diced Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, Garlic, Grated Parmesan Romano Cheese. The full list of 11 is above.
- What goes well with Baked Polenta Italian Casserole?
- Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Baked Polenta Italian Casserole?
- About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 55 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 421.5 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Baked Polenta Italian Casserole easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 11 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Baked Polenta Italian Casserole healthy?
- Baked Polenta Italian Casserole has an easyChef Pro health score of 41/100. Per serving, it provides 421.5 calories and 22.25 g of protein, or 45% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 810.3 mg (35% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 15.89 g (79% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 4.97 g (10% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Tomatoes, Garlic and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required