Pizza with a polenta-based crust? Absolutely! This is a naturally gluten-free recipe idea with virtually unlimited topping options. Keep reading to learn how to make delicious polenta pizza bites at home in about 15 minutes.

Part of the fun of budget cooking is learning new ways to prepare affordable foods like polenta.

Case in point: Making mini pizzas with a polenta-based crust.

These couldn’t be easier to make. Just slice a tube of polenta, brush with some olive oil, add toppings, and bake until the polenta is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

These polenta pizza bites are naturally gluten free. So this is a good pizza option for those on wheat-free diets.

What You’ll Need To Make Polenta Pizza Bites

The ingredients are pretty basic, and most of what you’ll need are traditional pizza toppings and ingredients:

Polenta: You have a couple of options here. The easiest, foolproof option is to purchase a tube of ready-made polenta at the grocery store. These cost about $3 per tube, which is enough for 12 or more mini pizzas, depending on how thick you cut your slices. Aim for 1/3-inch to 1/2-inch slices for best results.

The 2nd option is to make homemade polenta at home (which isn’t hard at all if you follow this recipe) with these simple ingredients: corn grits, water, and salt. You can add optional ingredients that taste great with pizza (like Parmesan cheese and some butter) – but the basic recipe is really that simple.

• Pizza sauce: Again, you can buy a jar of ready-made pizza sauce or make it yourself. Here’s a simple pizza sauce recipe to try.
• Cheese: Shredded or fresh mozzarella works best here, to give these pizzas a classic pizza flavor.
• Pizza toppings: The sky is the limit – but keep in mind these pizzas are miniature! Be sure to chop your veggies small so they fit on the pizza. I kept it simple and used pepperoni and chopped tomato.
• Basil: This is a totally optional garnish. Serve on the side, or slice chiffonade-style and sprinkle on baked pizzas.

Other Alternative Pizza Crust Ideas

Making homemade pizza doesn’t have to be hard. And you certainly don’t have to make homemade crust with flour, water, and yeast to make a great tasting pizza.

Over the years, I have experimented with dozens of alternative pizza crust ideas. Some of my favorites are:

• Tortillas (both flour and corn)
• Naan bread
• Garlic bread
• English muffins
• And many more

Enjoy homemade pizza the easy way. It’s healthier, faster, and you pick the toppings.

A few last words about these polenta pizza bites:

They make a great appetizer or main course.

These are always a hit with kids, who love to pick their own pizza toppings and decorate their pizzas.

If you’re a polenta fan, you might like these recipes: Crispy polenta fries or pizza-style polenta.