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Italian Polenta Pizza

by 157 Comments

A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor!

Italian Polenta Pizza | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor! #CalOlivesMedRecipe

Why is pizza such a popular food? Because it’s really good, that’s why! Nothing else to it! I’m so glad that pizza can be made to fit any diet and accommodate an dietary needs. Just like granola, pizza has endless combinations, pairing, and possibilities! From the crust to the toppings, every component can be customized to make a perfect pie just for you. I guess pizza is also like a salad. First you choose the base, and then you choose all the toppings (which really matter), and the sauce could be like the dressing. But when you want the crust, the base, to shine, it’s best to keep the toppings simple, having every component count.

Italian Polenta Pizza | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor! #CalOlivesMedRecipe

When you’re making pizza with polenta as the crust, you don’t want to overwhelm the glory that is with too many toppings, but just the right ones. This is when the classics, the tried-and-true flavors are best. That’s why I chose fresh flavorful basil and parsley. California Ripe Black Olives, and vine ripe red tomato. Elegant, simple, but so much flavor (and the smell was beyond!). Classic Italian Mediterranean staples that won’t disappoint you in the pizza combo department.

Italian Polenta Pizza | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor! #CalOlivesMedRecipe

It’s obvious to use fresh herbs when making a pizza. All that summer basil and parsley is continually being used in my kitchen and there is no stopping! Since I chose to not coat this crust with sauce, I sliced a beautiful ripe tomato, so I could still get that fresh bite of sweet acidity. Then there are the olives. I can finally say I will always put olives on my pizza now. I just love that tender salty bite! I actually hate salty things, thus, why I don’t cook with salt, but a few bites of olives and I’m happy! I’ve been making a lot of recipe with olives recently and I just love them more and more each time! Not only do they provide a lovely Mediterranean flare to any dish, but they are so easy to use and a great source of healthy fats, vitamin E, A, iron, and fiber!

Italian Polenta Pizza | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor! #CalOlivesMedRecipe

California Ripe Olives is running a fantastic Midsummer Mediterranean Giveaway on Facebook where you could win a prize pack to enjoy the tasty flavors of the Mediterranean too! How wouldn’t want to win some olives 😉 They aren’t just for pizza, olives are so great thrown into anything! From hummus, sandwiches, sauces, pasta, chicken, anything! Olives are one of those pantry staples to always have on hand. I always keep a few cans of black olives on hand.

Italian Polenta Pizza | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor! #CalOlivesMedRecipe

Side note: were you one of those kids (or adults) that would put whole black olives on the tips of your fingers? Don’t be shy, I know you did it 😉 What’s more fun than eating olives off your fingers! Hahahaha! Childhood nostalgia! I haven’t done that in years, but I remember. I usually buy them already sliced so that defeats the “olive finger-puppet thing”, but still. Long live the olive!

Italian Polenta Pizza

Italian Polenta Pizza | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor! #CalOlivesMedRecipe

Print

Italian Polenta Pizza

A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor!

  • Author: Rebecca Pytell
  • Yield: 1 Pizza 1x
  • Category: Pizza, Main Dish
  • Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Scale

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 415°F.
  2. In a pot, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil, then add the dry polenta. Reduce to low heat, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until water is absorbed. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes as you mix in the spices and nutritional yeast.
  3. Spread the cooled polenta mixture on a parchment (or silpat) lined baking sheet. It will be very sticky (I used my fingers to shape it, but you can use a rubber spatula).
  4. Now top the polenta crust with the prepared toppings. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove, let cool just a bit, and serve. This is great eaten hot or cold!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2
Recipe Card powered by

Italian Polenta Pizza | Strength and Sunshine @RebeccaGF666 A simple polenta crust pizza topped with fresh basil, parsley, sliced black olives and ripe red tomato. An Italian classic made gluten-free and vegan without missing one hint of flavor! #CalOlivesMedRecipe

I always forget how much I love polenta! But since it sticks together so great, it make the best gluten-free crust for pizza! This pizza can be one big serving or you can share it with a lovely dear friend….if you’re nice 😉 But when it comes to pizza, sharing isn’t always an easy option!

So tell me:

+ Do you like olives? What’s you’re favorite variety?

+ Simple pizza toppings or do you go all out?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

*Recipe linking up for the week! Allergy Free Wednesdays, #RecipeOfTheWeek,#StrangeButGood, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays,Tasty Tuesdays, Savoring Saturdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Meatless Mondays, Lena’s Tasty Tuesdays!*


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Comments

  6. kimmythevegan says

    What a creative way of making a gluten-free crust! I’m not a huge fan of olives, but this sounds pretty good.
    Thanks for sharing this at Healthy vegan Fridays! I’m featuring this awesome recipe tomorrow =) Pinning!

    Reply

  11. Charlotte Oates says

    I’ve been trying out gluten-free pizza dough recently in an aim to develop my “free-from” repertoire. However, so far it’s been pretty much an inedible disaster. I’ve not tried using polenta for it so I’ll have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing – this may well have solved a problem for me 🙂 #TastyTuesdays

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      The polenta works like magic! You will love this one and it couldn’t be any easier!

      Reply

  15. Christine says

    My cousin David and I would hide under the dining room table until the salad was put out, then emerge and steal all the black olives off the top of it and stuff our faces with them. We may have eaten them off our fingers, too. I couldn’t love black olives more if I tried.

    Reply

  16. Carole West @ Garden Up Green says

    I love polenta – come from an Italian family and my grandma taught me how to make it from scratch. I normally make it in the winter with a nice chicken stew sauce. This pizza looks like something I need to try because I think it would be really good – especially since I have lots of herbs in the garden. Very Clever!

    Reply

  18. Debbie says

    When I was a kid, my mom would buy an Astra can of black olives any time she was serving them because she knew her daughters would eat at least that much.

    Reply

  23. Kat | curlsnchard.com says

    Hahaha, totally guilty of putting the olives on my finger tips 😉 It’s just so much fun 😀 The last time I have done this is not THAT long ago either…I love this kind of pizza! Can you actually cut it in slices? Haven’t made polenta in a while, you just reminded me of how much I enjoy the taste.

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      I know! We should start an olive finger-puppet show 😉
      Yes!!! The polenta crust worked way better than I’d planned, haha!

      Reply

  28. Patricia Krank says

    My favorite olives are kalamata and I think they would be delicious in this recipe with tomatoes and maybe some fresh mozarella! I’m hungry and it is bedtime!
    Thanks for sharing,
    Patti

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Hahaha, yay for the dancing olives! We should all play with out food sometimes 😉 XOXO

      Reply

  35. Megan says

    I’ve never thought of using polenta as a pizza crust! This is genius. I know I will be trying any and every vegan pizza crust I can find! Thanks for the recipe lady!

    Reply

  38. Life Loving says

    Looks really yummy. I’ve never thought of using polenta as a pizza base before. I’ve actually never cooked with polenta!

    Thanks for sharing.

    Sally @ Life Loving
    #brilliantblogposts

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      So right! Bright Pizza! Haha!
      My mom is all about the kalamata. I think just black are my favorite though!

      Reply

  47. Evolve with Mary says

    I love love love this recipe Rebecca, I got my entire family hooked on Cauliflower pizza and this polenta pizza just takes it to another level. I can’t wait to try this one out. I love polenta. 🙂

    Reply

  48. Sam @ PancakeWarriors says

    Why have I never thought to use polenta like this, so genius. I’m going to admit that olives and I just don’t get along, but I will happily substitute them for artichokes and devour this pizza pronto!! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Like I said, pizzas should be topped however you want! Let the pizza-dreams run wild! XOXO

      Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Haha, I can’t get behind green olives…I think they’re pretty gross, but otherwise, I like them 😉

      Reply

  55. Jenn says

    I LOVE this idea! That crust looks to die for! I’m definitely going to try this…minus the olives. 🙂 Just can’t get into those.

    Reply

  56. Harriet Emily says

    Wow! That polenta crust sounds amazing – all of the flavours in it sound sooo good. Love the addition of nutritional yeast! I’ve never really cooked with polenta before, but I definitely want to now. I have to try this! Love the olives on top too. Yum!

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      I always need my little bit of cheezy flavor 😉
      Polenta is so quick to cook, that’s why I love it!

      Reply

  57. Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says

    So I mihgt not be the biggest olive fan, but this crust is AWESOME!!!!!! I have been really craving pizza lately but too lazy to feel like making a crust, but this is such a creative crust concept that I never would’ve thought of! And I agree, keep toppings simple. Tomatoes are a must, as are herbs, and in addition to that I usually go mushrooms or cauli-crumbles, or zucchini 🙂

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Ah, yea! Mushrooms! When I HATED them as a kid, I would be so grossed out when my mom would order mushroom pizza, but then I feel in love with all mushrooms a few years ago and yea 😉 Although, I still like mushrooms raw much more than cooked!

      Reply

  60. Elizabeth Shaw says

    Love this, and your are spot on… who doesn’t love pizza! I have to admit, I am not a fan of black olives, but pretty sure if I swap them with mushrooms this would be 100% in my belly in no time! Great idea! Good thing I just ordered polenta 🙂

    Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Ming blowing, right? 😉 Haha! It’s really yummy!!!
      Yea, and the fresh herbs…a MUST for pizza! All about the homemade taste and fresh herbs need to be included!

      Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      I always used my favorite brown rice tortillas for pizza, but polenta is where it’s at now!

      Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      We have tons of jars and cans in our house too!
      I hand’y had polenta in awhile either, and then pizza seemed like the perfect way to bring it back!

      Reply

    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      Haha, yay olive fingers!
      I am obsessed with making the polenta crust now! I was surprised by how well it held up on its own!

      Reply

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Meet Rebecca

Hey there, welcome to Strength and Sunshine! I’m Rebecca and I’m so glad you’re here! This is your go-to destination for delicious, fun, and (mostly) healthy gluten-free and allergy-free recipes, tips & tricks, advice, as well as celiac and food allergy coaching services!

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