The Best Vegan Cornbread

This is truly the best vegan cornbread you’ll ever taste!  Bake in an iron skillet or a casserole dish, it will come out perfect every time!  I’ve been making this recipe for nearly 20 years and it never fails me!  It’s moist and delicious, it doesn’t crumble and fall apart, and not too sweet.  It’s the perfect addition to a bowl of chili and makes a bowl of soup into a meal!

You will LOVE this cornbread recipe because it’s…

• not too sweet
• perfectly moist
• has a great texture
• easy to make gluten-free
• mixes up in 1 bowl in minutes
• quick and easy

This recipe has been adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook. (It’s an old hippy cookbook from a vegan commune originally published in 1975).  Back when I became vegan, blogs hadn’t been invented yet and this was my vegan bible when I started out. 

How should I serve vegan cornbread?

Vegan cornbread pairs perfectly with any vegan chili.  I like to make mine in a skillet and cut it into wedges, people can grab a wedge to dip in their soup, stew, or chili.  My husband loves it with my homemade vegan butter as a snack or even for breakfast.

Why not just use a cornbread mix?

• It’s super easy to make your own.
• Mixes are full of sugar and make “cornbread cake” as my family calls it.
• Some mixes are not vegan! Be aware that the original Jiffy original has lard, and many others have dairy.

How do you make gluten-free vegan cornbread?

I have tried this recipe with most commercial gluten-free flour blends over the years and they all work well.  However, I have found that the blends that contain sorghum flour give it a slightly chewier texture, so I try to avoid those.  I have also noticed that it holds together better if there is xanthan gum in the mix or you add a teaspoon to the cornbread batter.

The gluten-free flour that works best in this cornbread though, is my homemade all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.  It comes out absolutely perfect every time with this mix.  Plus it’s inexpensive, easy to make and healthy!

How do I make perfect vegan cornbread?

1. Preheat your oven to 400° F.
2. Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and give them a stir.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir with a whisk until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the bottom of an oiled 10” iron skillet or baking pan.
5. Bake at 400° F for 30 minutes.  (Turn to broil for the last 2-3 minutes to brown the top if desired).

   

Pro Tips for perfect vegan cornbread:

• Measure carefully – Baking is a science, not an art!
• Stir just enough to mix the ingredients together, but don’t over mix.
• If you want crispy edges on your cornbread, place the oiled iron skillet into the oven while you are making the batter, then pour the batter into the hot skillet.
• Let it cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.
• If you are making it gluten-free, use a flour mix that doesn’t have sorghum flour and that does contain xanthan gum, or just make it easy and use my gluten-free flour mix recipe.

Adaptions for yummy vegan cornbread:

• Mexican Style Cornbread: add 1 small chopped onion, 2 cups of whole kernel corn, a finely chopped jalapeno, and 2 tsp of taco seasoning.
• Green Chile Cornbread:  add 1 small onion chopped, 1 cup of roasted peeled and chopped green chilies or use a cup of green chili salsa and reduce the water by ½ cup.
• Fat-Free Vegan Cornbread: add 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce instead of the oil.

Serve this cornbread with my Vegan Green Chili Stew, Vegan Taco Soup, or my Easy Vegetarian Chili!

Do you love cornbread and want to try something new?  You have to make my Vegan Cornbread Casserole!  It’s like a combo between cornbread and a vegan souffle! 

Be sure to follow me on Instagram for daily vegan inspiration and recipe ideas!  Tag me at #thehiddenveggies!  I love to see what you made too!

5 from 2 votes

Print

The Best Vegan Cornbread

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

A classic cornbread made vegan with the option of gluten-free as well.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, gluten free, vegan

Keyword: vegan cornbread, vegan gluten free cornbread

Servings: 10

Calories: 224 kcal

Author: Monica Davis | The Hidden Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cup gluten-free flour or regular or whole wheat flour
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vegan sugar or any natural sweetener (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain soy milk or any other plant-based milk
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light olive oil or any neutral-flavored oil
• 1 tbsp light olive oil (additional) for greasing the pan or skillet

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400° F.

2. Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and give them a stir.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir with a whisk until just combined.

4. Pour the batter into the bottom of an oiled 10” iron skillet or baking pan.

5. Bake at 400° F for 30 minutes. (Turn to broil for the last 2-3 minutes to brown the top if desired).

Recipe Notes

Tips:

• Measure carefully – Baking is a science, not an art!
• Stir just enough to mix the ingredients together, but don’t over mix.
• If you want crispy edges on your cornbread, place the oiled iron skillet into the oven while you are making the batter, then pour the batter into the hot skillet.
• Let it cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.
• If you are making it gluten-free, use a flour mix that doesn’t have sorghum flour and that does contain xanthan gum, or just make it easy and use my gluten-free flour mix recipe.

Nutrition Facts

The Best Vegan Cornbread

Amount Per Serving (1 wedge)

Calories 224 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 245mg11%

Potassium 282mg8%

Carbohydrates 32g11%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 50IU1%

Calcium 119mg12%

Iron 1.7mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.