Since making polenta requires more than a bit of effort, the wise choice seems to be erring on the side of too much corn flour which leads to leftovers. Italian cuisine has plenty of recipes for leftover polenta, such as grilled or fried polenta croutons (sometimes even sugar-coated) or polenta au gratin. But storing the leftover polenta can be tricky.
Keep the polenta for a short time only
If you plan to eat the leftover polenta in 2-3 days, the easiest way to store it is in the fridge – at worst, it might dry out a bit. There are, however, some tricks that help avoid this issue. Let the polenta cool completely before refrigerating, then wrap it in a clean cloth or set on a plate covered with a couple of paper towels and seal with plastic wrap. It’s better to avoid aluminum foil altogether. You can also vacuum seal the polenta.
Can you freeze polenta?
It depends on how you’re going to use it later. Polenta stored in the freezer tends to release a lot of water, risking a loss of its shape and texture. The ideal method for freezing polenta is to first let it cool and then cut it into slices. At this point, wrap each slice of polenta in aluminum foil and put them inside a food bag before storing in the freezer. Alternatively, you can freeze the polenta on a tray. Take care to leave space between each slice so you can store them in a ziplock bag once frozen.
If you want to fry or grill the leftover polenta, defrost the slices in the fridge first then dry them thoroughly with paper towels before cooking.
You can store polenta in the freezer for up to three months. You should consume defrosted portions within 24 hours.