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Whether you have it with Chili or top it with Jam or Butter, this Gluten Free & Vegan Cornbread is a wonderful healthy treat.
Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017, but is now updated with better photos + a recipe update to make it even fluffier!
I love cornbread. If my Thanksgiving table was only filled with fluffy, yellow squares, I honestly would be perfectly content.
Heck, I’d be content with that any day of the year. Especially with this recipe, because it is so dang GOOD!
Not only is this cornbread delicious, but it’s actually good for you too. It’s made with 10 simple, plant-based ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry! It’s also free of refined sugars and oils…which is pretty rare in the realm of cornbread.
Would you believe that White Beans are responsible for this pillowy, soft texture? Well, you better – after using beans in the dough for my Vegan Corn Empanadas, I knew I wanted to experiment with them further, and I’m so glad I did. They also add extra protein and fiber to this recipe, which is a win-win in my book!
Whether you’re serving this Vegan Cornbread with a bowl of warm Chili, Stew, or smothering it in Jam or Vegan Butter, it’s sure to satisfy your cravings. When I first made this recipe, my family and I loved it so much that we ate it all and made another batch the very next day!
A Few Final Thoughts:
- I like a little texture in my cornbread, so I used a Medium Grind Cornmeal for this recipe. You can also use Finely Ground if you prefer yours to be smoother.
- Along those lines, I’d like to note that classic Cornbread recipes can vary significantly, depending where you are from. This version is fluffy, soft, and only subtly sweet. If you’d like yours to be sweeter, please see the recipe notes!
- This Cornbread can freeze well if you have leftovers…but I never do 😉
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 
Easy Vegan Cornbread
Whether you have it with Chili or top it with Jam or Butter, this Gluten Free & Vegan Cornbread is a wonderful healthy treat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 9 pieces 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Ground Flax + 6 tbsp Water
- 1 cup Unsweetened Soy Milk*
- 1 cup White Beans + 2 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup (see notes)
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Cornmeal (Medium Grind or Fine)
- 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric (optional, for color)
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 375F. Mix 2 tbsp of Ground Flax with 6 tbsp of Water in a small bowl, then set aside to let thicken. Add the Apple Cider Vinegar to the Soy Milk in a separate bowl, then set aside to let “curdle.”
- Rinse and drain the canned White Beans, then add 1 cup of them to a blender with 2 tbsp of Water. Pour in the curdled Soy Milk, thickened Flax “egg”, and Maple Syrup. Blend for 30-60 seconds, until smooth.
- Add the Cornmeal, Flour Blend, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, and Turmeric to the blender; process until smooth.
- Use a spatula to evenly spread the batter around a greased or lined 9×9″ baking pan, and place in the oven for 27 – 30 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing, and store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Notes
- Ground Flax can be substituted with Ground Chia.
- I suggest using Soy Milk for this recipe, as it’s higher protein content allows for the milk to curdle and form a “buttermilk.” You can substitute with another Non-Dairy milk of your choosing, but the final bread will not be as fluffy.
- I used this Gluten Free Flour Blend for this recipe, and would only suggest the use of a GF blend. If you are not GF, you can substitute with All-Purpose Flour or Spelt Flour instead.
- This Cornbread recipe is more savory than sweet; if you would like it to be sweeter, add an additional 2-4 tbsp of Maple Syrup to the wet ingredients.
- You may use any soft, white bean for this recipe. You could also use Pinto Beans or Black Beans, but I would not advise this as the final color of the Cornbread will look strange.
Keywords: vegan cornbread, healthy cornbread, gluten free cornbread, oil free cornbread
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Hi Caitlin! This sounds great! Looking forward to trying it! I try to avoid baking soda. Can i just double the baking powder and leave out the soda?
Hey! You could increase the baking powder, however it will probably change the way it rises and change the texture a little bit. Baking powder contains baking soda, but powder leavens differently. Hope that helps!
This is soooo good!!!
★★★★★
We think so too 🙂
Loved it! Made it with almond flour instead of a GF blend. Turned out amazing! Thank you for this recipe. <3
★★★★★
You’re very welcome, Claudia!
I was in the habit of using a cornbread mix and adapting the directions… adding pureed beans and root veggies rather than egg, vegetable oil and milk. However, I wanted a homemade version. Since I’m not very good at following directions, I eliminated the Maple Syrup and substituted pureed fruit/veg (beets, butternut squash, apples, etc.) and a small carton of coconut yogurt in place of the Plant Milk. I ground buckwheat, quinoa and millet for the flour blend. The result was a perfectly fluffy, nutritious muffin that I can enjoy post-workout (or any time I need a treat).
★★★★★
I made this bread and it turned out brilliantly! Lovely with sliced avocado on top and with smokey beans! Instead of the gluten free flour I used 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/4 cup quinoa flour and 1/4 corn starch – it turned out great with that combo. Thanks for this recipe, i’ll be returning to it again and again I have no doubt!
★★★★★
Awesome!!! Thanks for the feedback Colly 🙂
Hi Caitlin. Can I use Masa Harina for this recipe? I don’t think supermarkets/brands in my country distinguish between the fineness of the cornflour, but Masa Harina is another type of cornflour so I wonder if that can be used.
Yes, that should be fine!
This recipe is a keeper! Just made it this afternoon to go with some soup I made and it’s subtle in sweetness (not sweet!), easy, and moist! I was concerned about whipping it all into a blender, however, knowing muffins usually should be stirred until just until it comes together. So, I blitzed all of the ingredients, then stirred in the flours. I made mine into muffins with spelt and cornmeal – yum! I’ll get a second opinion from my brother tonight. Love that it doesn’t have oil or butter, high in fiber, and just a touch of sweetness. Thanks!
★★★★★
You’re very welcome, Babs!
I have been making this recipe regularly for the past few months and just realized that I had neglected to leave a comment thanking you for it! It’s amazing, especially when served with chili-style dishes!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Carrie!
I’m excited to try this. I wonder if silken tofu could be substituted for the white beans. Any thoughts? I will try it out both ways. Thanks for the recipe!
Hmmm…that could probably work! Let me know if it does 🙂
do I have to use the beans?
Yes, they’re a major part of the recipe
What is the nutrition facts of this recipe? Can’t wait to make it and share it
Hi Aaesha! I don’t post the nutrition information for my recipes, but there are plenty of free calculators online 🙂
Hi do you think I could use almond flour instead of all purpose flour?
No, I don’t believe that that would work in this case
Hi Caitlin,
Can I use ordinary flour in this recipe?
Yes, it is listed in the recipe notes 🙂
Hi, big fan of your YouTube channel and your recipes! 🙂
I made this recipe using whole wheat flour instead of gluten free flour, and it came out as more of a sticky dough, rather than a batter. Should I add more plant milk next time, or use less flour?
Thanks!
Hi Aly! You can just add in some extra plant milk 🙂
Can this be baked in a laof pan?
Yes, but if you do that I would cut the recipe in half! Otherwise the batter will be too thick and not cook properly
I was initially annoyed that this didn’t make a batter, it was more like a dough so I added more water. After putting it in the oven I realised I’d missed out the cup of plant milk!!! Human error (and the glass of wine I drank while making it!). My bad, I’ll see how it turns out and make another batch tomorrow- following the recipe!
So glad to have found this recipe /without any vegan butter or margarine or oil/! I could barely stop eating it! Soooo good :-)!
★★★★★
Yay! Thanks, Agi 🙂
I am trying to empty my pantry since I am moving soon. Found a bag of cornmeal so I figured I would make your corn bread since you mention making this quite often! I don’t have any GF flour left and don’t want to buy anything new since that would defeat the purpose. I am not that experienced with gf baking – do you think I could use buckwheat flour? Or chickpea flour? Is it worth a shot with any of those or should I just wait until after we move?
Hm….it may work with Chickpea flour, but I’m not sure. Honestly I think a GF blend or regular AP flour would be best!
This was pretty awesome cornbread, vegan or not! It was so moist and filling and the extra surprising fiber was great. We did use 6 tbs of maple syrup but that was still only 144 calories per serving. I took a pic but can’t figure out how to post it in the comments. Thanks for your recipe!
★★★★★
Thank YOU for making it Kimberly! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it 🙂
Do you think I could use a banana instead of flax seeds?
No, I do not think that would work