When you need quick, kid-friendly protein, you can turn to tuna. And when you need a quick and easy appetizer, you can turn to these Genova tuna polenta bites.
Since tuna is such a heart-healthy food, and February is National Heart Health Month, we thought there’d be no better time to feature our favorite fish. And since we’re Italian, there’s no tuna we love more than Genova Tonno (Italian for tuna), which is exclusively packed in the traditional Mediterranean way, in heart-healthy olive oil. Genova tuna comes from high-quality yellowfin tuna, certified wild-caught, in BPA-free cans.
In honor of National Heart Health Month, Genova challenged us to come up with a Mediterranean-style tuna recipe and gave us the opportunity to do a tuna gift basket giveaway for our readers. With this amazing gift pack, we came up with these tasty Genova Tuna Polenta Bites. They’re just the right size for an appetizer, snack, or small bite. Our kids like the portability of them and honestly, anything that involves both tuna AND olives is a major win in their opinion. Check out the recipe and then keep reading to learn how to win a fantastic Genova-themed gift basket.
Genoa Tuna Polenta Bites Recipe
Genova Tuna Polenta Bites
Ingredients
- 1 18-ounce tube prepared polenta
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 5-ounce can Genova Tonno oil-packed tuna, drained with approximately 1 tsp olive oil reserved
- 3 T. olive tapenade
- 1 T. sour cream
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Slice the polenta into 1/4-inch thick slices. Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat with the 2 T. olive oil. Place the polenta slices into the pan and heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove polenta slices from pan and place on paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
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Place the polenta rounds on a large baking sheet.
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Drain the tuna, reserving about a teaspoon of olive oil in the can. Place the tuna in a small mixing bowl and mash it so that it is evenly flaky.
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Top each polenta round with a rounded teaspoonful of tuna. Add a dab of olive tapenade on top of each mound of tuna. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 7 minutes.
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Remove from oven. Garnish each polenta round with a tiny dollop of sour cream and a parsley leaf. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
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*Note: To portion out the sour cream, we put it in a snack-sized plastic bag and snipped off the corner. Then we used the plastic bag as a pastry bag to squeeze even dollops of sour cream.
And now for the giveaway… Enter now to win a gift basket filled with Mediterranean food, wine, a copy of “Mediterranean Cooking,” an olive wood cheese board from Sur La Table, and of course Genova Tonno. Enter anytime from today through midnight on Sunday, February 15! *Must be 21 to enter, because of the wine.
*Update 2/16 – Congrats to AnnaZed10 for winning the gift basket, and thanks to everyone for entering!
Disclosure: This is a post sponsored by Genova Tonno. I only work with a company if I love its product. All opinions expressed are my own.
P.S. Want more delicious bite-sized polenta appetizers? Check out these Mushroom Polenta Bacon Bites!
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Genovo is my fave tuna, in oil! I love to throw finely diced veggies in my tuna and dress with olive oil (no mayo).
I love tuna with pasta, olive oil and tomatoes!
I like to mix my tuna with avocados, celery, and tomatoes, or with olive oil, onion, and sundried tomato. Thanks for the giveaway!
I love a nicoise salad of course, but truth be told whenever I make mayonnaise I find myself at 10pm in the kitchen with a bowl of tuna mayonnaise with kosher salt (nothing else!) and a fork. Tell those Genova folks that I always buy theirs because it is the best!
BTW, tuna polenta is genius I think. I’m going to make it.
with some mayo and pickles.
I like tuna sandwiches on toast with just a little mayo and sliced sweet pickles.
I just like to make tuna salad sandwiches.
I have a good recipe for a Tuna and Pasta salad that I love.
I’m such a plain Jane. Love Tuna Tostadas or sandwiches, but to keep it healthy I add a bunch of veggies (tomato/celery/onion/jalapenos and some shredded spinach and mix it with lemon and olive oil and top pre-made tostadas such as Guerrero. Or put it onto my new favorite bread from Trader Joe’s Chia and Flax seed. Either way YUMMMY
Tuna salad sandwiches with olives, celery & mayo.
I love this tuna! We eat it atleast once a week. Our most favorite way to eat it is in a tuna melt sandwich. Toss in some veggies, tuna, some mayo, not ketchup. Add some swiss cheese slices and make a panini. A yummy treat!
I like it with a salad.
Tuna noodle casserole is my favorite.
I love making salad and topping it with tuna, I love that it’s packed with protein and healthy. My daughter also loves tuna on just about anything, even straight from the can.
I love on a toasted bun with onions and mayo
I like it in a sandwich.
I love making tuna sandwiches!