Plant-Based Cornbread
A delicious, vegan-friendly cornbread baked right in your cast iron skillet! Delicious crust, tender crumb, and packed full of flavor, this plant-based cornbread is easy and ready to steal the show at your next meal.
Equipment
- 10 - 12 inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk I use unsweetened soy or almond milk
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour reserve more to adjust consistency, organic
- 1¼ cups organic yellow cornmeal I use finely-ground
- ¾ cup vegan butter
- ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes in oil drained and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives more, if desired
- 9 tablespoons aquafaba reserved chickpea juice
- juice 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil optional
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ teaspoon kosher salt finely-ground will offer more consistent distribution
Instructions
Vegan Buttermilk
- Mix lemon juice and plant-based milk of your choice (I prefer unsweetened vanilla varieties) and set aside while you prepare the rest of your ingredients. The milk should appear to "curdle."
Vegan Cornbread
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a seasoned cast-iron skillet in the oven to warm while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, mix cornmeal, plant-based buttermilk, sugar, and extra virgin olive oil, if using. Gently stir to combine, until no large cornmeal pockets remain.
- Melt the vegan butter, reserving about a tablespoon of butter for later.
- In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) together.
- Slowly incorporate the dry mixture into the wet cornmeal mixture, until no large clumps of flour are visible. Pour in the melted vegan butter and stir until just combined.
- Whip the aquafaba using a stand or hand mixer until stiff peaks form, after a few minutes of whipping.
- Fold in the whipped aquafaba, or "aquafaba eggs" into the batter, treating the dough gently, so as not to overmix.
- Add the chives and sundried tomatoes, stirring to evenly distribute.
- Remove the cast iron skillet from oven and add the reserved tablespoon of butter to melt (it will sizzle!) and allow the butter to evenly cover the bottom of the skillet.
- Pour batter into the skillet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cornbread is a light, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the skillet for about 20 minutes before serving to enjoy warm! Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Notes
Substitutions for those NOT following a vegan diet (flexitarian version):
- Substitute regular buttermilk in place of plant-based buttermilk
- Use 3 whole eggs in place of aquafaba eggs
- Regular unsalted butter in place of vegan butter
- Sugar substitute of your choosing - just note that you should aim for a product that has similar properties to granulated sugar (attracts moisture and binds)
- Extra virgin olive oil will make the crumb a little more dense, but helps the cornbrad maintain its structure. This is an optional step.
- Add herbs and seasonings of your choosing, or omit herbs and sundried tomatoes altogether.
Nutrition
Serving: 1squareCalories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 308mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 150IUVitamin C: 1.8mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 0.6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!