Soft and moist, this Vegan Cornbread recipe is the perfect side dish for soups, stews and vegan Chili. Made with cornmeal, plant-based milk and a touch of sweetness, this easy dairy free cornbread is a classic Southern dish.
Ah, fluffy and flavorful vegan cornbread recipe...perfect accompaniment to a warm bowl of soup.
Simple side, that is so easy to make. No fancy ingredients or equipment needed.
I gotta tell you, that I'm very new to Southern food, in particularly recipes with cornmeal. In Ukraine, where I grew up, the most popular corn meal dish was Banosh.
It's recipe very similar to Polenta and is often prepared in the region of Western Ukraine.
I love the idea of a plant-based cornbread, sort of a cornmeal cake. You can eat it as is with a piece of butter and a drizzle of Maple syrup, or serve alongside your savory soup.
Or, if it's Thanksgiving, you can prepare a Vegan Cornbread Stuffing. So comforting and delicious.
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Here's Why This Recipe Works
- this cornmeal bread is really simple to make. You just mix the dry ingredients, wet ingredients, then combine them altogether, pour into a skillet and oven will do all the work;
- applesauce makes a wonderful alternative to eggs, making this recipe egg-free and dairy-free;
- the skillet vegan cornbread recipe doesn't require fancy equipment. You only need a good old cast iron skillet. If you don't have it, you can use any other ovenproof pan.
Ingredients
Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes
- plant based milk. In this vegan cornbread recipe I like to use neutral flavored milk, like almond milk or soy milk. Canned coconut milk has a rich flavor. However, you can use it too. I would suggest mixing it with other plant-based milk. That way the "milk" will be rich and creamy without a coconut flavor. I also suggest buying plant-based milk that doesn't have any additional ingredients like oils or sugar. See my Vegan Grocery List for specific recommendations;
- sugar. Make sure to use organic cane sugar, as regular cane sugar is processed with a bone char and isn't considered a plant-based ingredient. You can try substituting with coconut sugar, but the cornbread might be slightly darker (which is not a problem at all)
- Mix dry ingredients. In a big bowl add flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix to combine.
- Mix liquid ingredients. In another big bowl whisk applesauce, plant-based milk and melted vegan butter.
- Combine the ingredients. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until the batter is smooth and without lumps.
- Preheat your cast iron for the cornbread. Place a 9-inch cast iron pan on a medium heat for at least 5-7 minutes. You can also put the pan in the 435 F oven and preheat it there. Make sure to use oven mitts as the pan will be hot. The pan should be hot. Melt 1 tablespoon of vegan butter and make sure it coats the pan evenly including the sides. You can replace butter with cooking olive oil if you want.
- Bake the corn bread. Quickly pour the batter into a hot skillet, place it into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Let the cornbread cool. Remove the cornbread from the oven and let the skillet cool for at least 15 minutes or until it's no longer hot to the touch.
- Place a plate over a pan with vegan cornbread and flip it. The cornbread will invert on to a plate. Let it cool completely, slice and serve.
Pro Tip
Generally, if you buttered and preheated your skillet really well, the homemade vegan cornbread won't steak. However, it still happens and it might stick just a little bit.
In this case, you can use a thin spatula and gently insert it in between a skillet wall and cornbread. Push the spatula toward the center to gently lift up the cornbread and transfer it on to a plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, however, corn grits and corn meal have different texture. Cornbread is best when made with fine cornmeal, so if you only have corn grits I recommend grinding them to obtain a meal-like texture.
Yes, you can either replace the white flour completely or try half of whole wheat flour and half of all-purpose flour. Alternatively, you can use whole wheat pastry flour.
Yes. Just keep in mind that the cornbread won't be as sweet.
Absolutely!
Mashed banana or pumpkin puree might be a great alternative to an applesauce. Just keep in mind that if you use pumpkin puree, the cornbread will be slightly darker.
Storing And Reheating
This dairy-free homemade cornbread stores really well. If you plan to eat within 5 days, put it in the airtight container and store at room temperature on a counter.
Another option is to freeze the cornbread. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place in the freezer-friendly zipper bag making sure to release the air. Store in a freezer up to 1 month.
Before serving allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 10 minutes.
Similar Recipes
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
For a quick overview of the recipe, please check out my Vegan Cornbread Web-story.
Recipe
Best Vegan Cornbread
Ingredients
- ¾ c all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ c yellow cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ c applesauce unsweetened
- 1 ⅓ c plant-based milk
- 7 tablespoon vegan butter melted (I use Miyoko's unsalted vegan butter)
Instructions
Mix dry ingredients
- In a big bowl add flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix to combine.
- Mix liquid ingredients
- In another big bowl whisk applesauce, plant-based milk and 6 tablespoon of melted vegan butter.
Combine the ingredients.
- Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until the batter is smooth and without lumps.
Preheat your cast iron
- Place a 9-inch cast iron pan on a medium heat for at least 5-7 minutes. You can also put the pan in the 435 F oven and preheat it there. Make sure to use oven mitts as the pan will be hot.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of vegan butter and make sure it coats the pan evenly including the sides. You can replace butter with cooking olive oil if you want. If you preheat the skillet on the stovetop, you still need to set the oven to 435 F.
Bake the vegan cornbread
- Quickly pour the batter into a hot skillet, place it into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Let the cornbread cool
- Remove the cornbread from the oven and let the skillet cool for at least 15 minutes or until it's no longer hot to the touch.
Transfer the cornbread to a plate
- Place a plate over a pan with vegan cornbread and flip it. The cornbread will invert on to a plate. Let it cool completely, slice and serve.
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