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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Vegan Polenta Puttanesca

    LAST UPDATED: January 28, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: May 12, 2017

    Vegan Polenta Puttanesca

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    Vegan Polenta Puttanesca

    This spicy vegan polenta puttanesca is made with pan-fried slabs of polenta, layered with tofu ricotta and smothered in spicy tomato sauce.

    Vegan Polenta Puttanesca and Fork on a Plate, Fresh Basil and Water Glass in the Background

    This was one of my favorite pub dishes when I lived in Philadelphia. Yes, a pub dish. I was blessed to have lots of places in the neighborhood that offered not just a veggie burger or two, but all kinds of creative and delicious vegan and vegetarian options. Polenta puttanesca was my favorite.

    Overhead View of Three Slices of Vegan Polenta Puttanesca on a Plate with Fork

    Tofu ricotta is pretty amazing. Even after I'd made the stuff myself, when I first ordered this dish out I had to repeatedly ask the server "Really? This can't be vegan." It felt so rich, even more so than in other tofu ricotta dishes I'd had, and then being buried under heaps of spicy puttanesca sauce...I never would have guessed I was eating tofu. Now that I've made it myself, I finally believe it.

    Vegan Puttanesca Sauce in a Pot with Wooden Spoon

    What makes this dish even more scrumptious is the puttanesca sauce. This part of the dish was new to me. When I ordered polenta puttanesca while eating out, it came with a super flavorful, extra spicy red sauce. I didn't really think much of it (other than "yum"), and actually assumed puttanesca was like regular old red sauce and the cook at my local pub was really into spice.

    Close Up of Vegan Polenta Puttanesca on a Plate with Fork

    As it turned out, puttanesca is more of an amped up red sauce, containing capers, Kalamata olives, red pepper flakes and lots of garlic. If you're that person at the table who is known for dumping hot sauce on everything, puttanesca might just be your red sauce of choice. It just became mine.

    Vegan Polenta Puttanesca and Fork on a Plate, Fresh Basil and Water Glass in the Background
    5 from 2 votes
    Print

    Vegan Polenta Puttanesca

    This spicy vegan polenta puttanesca is made with pan-fried slabs of polenta, layered with tofu ricotta and smothered in spicy tomato sauce.
    Course Entree
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 393 kcal
    Author Alissa

    Ingredients

    For the Puttanesca Sauce

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 5 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
    • ½ cup pitted Kalmata olives, coarsely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons capers
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • Salt to taste
    • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced

    For the Tofu Ricotta

    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, drained
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • ¼ cup unflavored, unsweetened non-dairy milk
    • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
    • Black pepper to taste
    • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

    For the Polenta

    • 1 roll prepared polenta (18 oz.)
    • Cooking spray or a few dashes of oil

    Instructions

    Prepare the Sauce

    1. Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with oil and place it over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and transclucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute, until very fragrant.
    2. Add all of the remaining sauce ingredients except for the basil. Stir and allow to simmer, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the tofu ricotta and polenta.
    3. Stir the basil into the sauce just before serving.

    Prepare the Tofu Ricotta

    1. Place onion, garlic, tofu, lemon, milk, salt, pepper and parsley into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture is until well blended and has a ricotta-like texture, making sure to stop before it gets smooth.

    Prepare the Polenta

    1. Slice the polenta into ½ inch slabs.
    2. Spray or coat a large nonstick skillet with oil and place it over medium heat.
    3. Arrange the polenta slabs in the skillet and cook until the bottoms begin to crisp up and brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat on other side.

    Assemble the Polenta Puttanesca

    1. Starting with a slice of polenta, create alternating layers of polenta and tofu ricotta on four plates, dividing the ingredients evenly.
    2. After layering, ladle sauce generously over each stack. Serve.
    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Polenta Puttanesca
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 393 Calories from Fat 167
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18.6g29%
    Saturated Fat 2.9g15%
    Sodium 1300mg54%
    Potassium 368mg11%
    Carbohydrates 42.3g14%
    Fiber 9.3g37%
    Sugar 15.5g17%
    Protein 16.9g34%
    Calcium 270mg27%
    Iron 5.2mg29%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Spicy Mushroom Ramen
    Vegan Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese »

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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jo from yummyvege says

      July 07, 2014 at 1:21 pm

      I love all things Italian and especially polenta! Definitely have to try this!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 07, 2014 at 4:00 pm

        Thanks Jo! Polenta is definitely one of my favorites when it comes to Italian food. I hope you enjoy this!

        Reply
    2. pragati says

      April 18, 2015 at 11:28 am

      I love puttanesca...your blog name is quite a mouthful but it made sense after seeing the Dino!

      Reply
    3. Sarra says

      June 18, 2016 at 5:59 am

      This recipe is amazing! My boyfriend doesn't like tofu very much but he couldn't even taste it. The tofu ricotta tastes great. I'm going to make this more often :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 19, 2016 at 7:07 pm

        Yay! Glad you enjoyed it! I always tell people who aren't into tofu that they need to try tofu ricotta. Thanks Sarra! :)

        Reply
    4. Whitney Montague says

      September 30, 2016 at 7:20 am

      I made this last night for my family. They absolutely loved it! Even my non-vegan husband did not bat an eye at the tofu ricotta. In fact, he asked that I serve this as an appetizer at our next dinner party! Thank you for the great recipe.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 02, 2016 at 11:41 am

        That makes me so happy to hear. :) Glad everyone enjoyed it. Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know!

        Reply
    5. Maja Harder says

      May 12, 2017 at 10:47 am

      This definitely sounds like something I wanna try!

      Reply
    6. Chelsey @ Chelsey Crafts says

      May 14, 2017 at 9:15 pm

      This looks delicious! I love polenta but never seem to cook at home with it for some reason.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 15, 2017 at 8:57 pm

        Thank you! I can forget about it too and it's a favorite of mine. I try to keep a few rolls stashed in the pantry to remind me. :)

        Reply
    7. Stephanie says

      May 14, 2017 at 10:05 pm

      I made this recipe for Mother's Day. Everyone in my family, including the carnivores, raved about how delicious it was. Thanks for sharing this terrific recipe.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 15, 2017 at 8:57 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know everyone enjoyed it.

        Reply
    8. The Modern Proper says

      May 16, 2017 at 2:21 am

      This looks so flavorful and delicious. I love the addition of the vegan ricotta.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 16, 2017 at 9:20 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    9. Hilma Jones says

      May 17, 2017 at 7:28 pm

      This is absolutely delicious! I made it following the instructions...no substitutions...oh my goodness, it's good!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 21, 2017 at 8:46 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    10. Vegan Town - אוכל טבעוני says

      May 29, 2017 at 7:17 pm

      Thank you! I will make it :)

      Reply
    11. Sharon says

      July 14, 2017 at 12:18 pm

      Can nutritional yeast be added to the tofu ricotta for a more cheese like taste? Thanks

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 15, 2017 at 10:22 am

        Sure! I'd just add a bit at a time and taste test. :)

        Reply
    12. Don says

      January 05, 2020 at 10:40 pm

      Maybe reduce to half an onion for the ricotta or a shallot, otherwise a great dish.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 12, 2020 at 11:09 am

        Thanks for sharing!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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