Polenta and Vegetable Bake Recipe

Polenta and Vegetable Bake Recipe

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium eggplant, diced
  • 1 small zucchini, finely diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 10 ounces baby spinach
  • 1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce, preferably lower-sodium
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 14 ounces prepared polenta, sliced lengthwise into 6 thin slices
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degree F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, zucchini, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add water and spinach; cover and cook until wilted, stirring once, about 3 minutes. Stir marinara sauce into the vegetables and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in basil.
  3. Place polenta slices in a single layer in the prepared baking dish, trimming to fit if necessary. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese, top with the eggplant mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake until bubbling and the cheese has just melted, 12 to 15 minutes. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.