Vegan Southern Cornbread

Name: Vegan Cornbread (Savory, Southern-Style)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2¾ cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal (sometimes called medium-grind); ¾ cup gluten-free or regular all-purpose flour (see Notes); 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1¾ teaspoons fine sea salt (use 2 tsp if you like it salty); 2 cups unsweetened, unflavored soy milk; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 5 tablespoons vegan butter, divided; 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave); 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)

This Vegan Southern Cornbread puts a plant-based spin on the classic. Staying true to the authentic flavor and texture of Southern cornbread, my vegan version is savory, buttery, and packed with the irresistible, crumbly cornmeal texture we just love in the South!

There's nothing better than a slice of vegan cornbread alongside black eyed peas and collard greens or a bowl of your favorite soup or chili. All you need are 9 ingredients and 30 minutes to make a batch!

Overhead shot of southern cornbread in a cast iron skillet.

There's an old saying that goes something like, "There are two kinds of people in the world: those who like savory Southern cornbread and those who like cake. I mean Northern cornbread."

All joking aside, cornbread is quite the divisive subject. If you grew up eating a certain style of cornbread, you might not even realize there are other ways to make it and how passionately people feel about their cornbread.

And I totally get it because I, myself, am one who prefers the cornbread I grew up eating - Southern cornbread.

Unfortunately for vegans, good ol' Southern cornbread usually contains bacon grease (maybe even lard), eggs, buttermilk, and dairy-based butter.

So, I set out to make a version reminiscent of the one my mom used to make but 100% vegan!

If you're looking for more southern recipes made vegan, be sure to check out my Vegan Corn Pudding, Vegan Pimento Cheese, and Vegan Walnut Pie!

What's the difference between southern cornbread and other regional varieties?

Southern cornbread and northern cornbread differ primarily in their ingredients and preparation methods, reflecting regional culinary preferences and traditions.

Savory, rather than sweet, southern cornbread is made with significantly more cornmeal than flour and is often flavored with bacon drippings. On the other hand, cornbread enjoyed in the midwest or northern states is often on the sweeter side and more cake-like since it incorporates quite a bit more all-purpose flour.

Now here's where it gets even trickier... you may occasionally come across a southerner who says our cornbread is sweet. I grew up in Alabama and don't know anyone who'd agree! But the South is a big place.

Anyway, my point is that attempting to make definitive statements about who eats what and exactly where, is impossible. Cornbread is just like that!

So to continue with my generalizations, southern cornbread is typically baked in a cast-iron skillet, resulting in a crispy crust on the outside while remaining *only slightly moist* and somewhat crumbly on the inside. Northern cornbread is often baked in a square or rectangular baking dish, and is often lighter and fluffier in texture.

Southern cornbread is deeply rooted in Southern cuisine and is commonly served as a staple side dish with barbecue and alongside greens, beans, and chili.

Why You'll Love Savory Vegan Cornbread

Classic southern cornbread flavor & texture without the animal products!
Gluten-free as written which makes it great for all types of eaters.
Easy 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes bake time!

Recipe Feedback :

"This is it: the perfect southern-style (savory not sweet) cornbread! ...I'm hooked!" - Rena B.

Jump to:

What's the difference between southern cornbread and other regional varieties?
Why You'll Love Savory Vegan Cornbread
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
How to Make Southern Vegan Cornbread
Serving Suggestions
Equipment
Can I use a different size skillet?
FAQs
Helpful Tips
More Cornbread Recipes
Recipe
💬 Comments

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Here's a look at the main ingredients you'll need to make vegan cornbread. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements.

Labeled photo of the ingredients needed for vegan cornbread.

Cornmeal - It's important to use good quality, stone-ground yellow cornmeal (sometimes called medium grind cornmeal). It typically has variations in texture, with some smaller pieces and some larger grit (it's not completely uniform like bread flour). This is important for achieving the proper texture.
Flour - You don't need much since the cornmeal is the real star in this recipe, however, a bit does help with binding since this recipe doesn't use any eggs. I prefer this cornbread made with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, but you can use regular all-purpose flour or whole-wheat if you don't need gluten-free.
Soy Milk - With higher protein and fat than some other non-dairy milks, I find that soy milk works well for most baking recipes. However, since the milk is used primarily to provide moisture, I suspect other plant-based milks such as oat milk or almond milk are fine. Just make sure the milk you're using is unflavored and unsweetened.
Apple Cider Vinegar - This works with the soy milk to create a vegan buttermilk. It also reacts with baking soda to help with leavening.
Vegan Butter & Grapeseed Oil - I find that the combination of these two fats works best in this recipe. The butter gives the cornbread a buttery flavor similar to the traditional non-vegan version, and oil adds just a bit more moisture. Feel free to swap the grapeseed oil for another neutral-tasting oil.
Maple Syrup - I know some folks say southern cornbread should have no sugar, but for the sake of balancing the natural bitterness of cornmeal and enhancing the corn flavor, just a touch of maple syrup really rounds things out. But don't worry, it's not enough to make the cornbread taste sweet. Feel free to swap the maple syrup for agave nectar if you'd like.

How to Make Southern Vegan Cornbread

Start by placing a 12-inch cast iron skillet in the oven, then preheat the oven to 425°F.

Mixing the dry ingredients for vegan cornbread with a whisk.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl combine the milk and vinegar to make "vegan buttermilk." Melt the butter in a mug or bowl.

mixing the wet and dry ingredients together for vegan gluten free cornbread.

Whisk the maple syrup, oil, and melted butter into the vegan buttermilk. Pour into the dry ingredients, and whisk the batter until combined.

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Vegan cornbread batter poured in a hot cast iron skillet coated with melted vegan butter.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven, add a pat of vegan butter, and swirl it around so it coats the bottom. Pour the batter into the skillet, and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Serving Suggestions

Chili and cornbread are a match made in heaven! Try this vegan skillet cornbread with my Vegan Chili, Beyond Meat Chili, or Lentil Chili.
Cornbread is also great served alongside a bowl of your favorite soup! Try it with Vegan Split Pea Soup, Lentil Cabbage Soup, or Creamy Vegetable Noodle Soup.
This savory cornbread also pairs perfectly with stews like Charro Beans or Hearty Potato Stew.
On New Year's Day, enjoy it with my Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas and some collard greens!

Equipment

You'll need just one bowl, a whisk for mixing, a mug for melting the vegan butter, and a 12-inch cast iron skillet for baking the cornbread.

Can I use a different size skillet?

In testing this recipe I found that cooking it in a pre-heated 12-inch cast iron skillet is my favorite method. However, I realize you may want to use a standard 8x8 baking pan or a different size skillet.

In order to scale the recipe, we need to compare the surface area of the pans, adjust the ingredient amounts by the percentage of difference, and then keep an eye on the doneness of the center of the cornbread during cooking in case there's a bit of variance.

To calculate surface area of a round pan:

3.14 (aka π) x half the diameter of your round pan/skillet (aka radius) x half the diameter of your round pan again = surface area in square inches

For example, I calculated the area of my 12-inch skillet to be 113.

3.14 x 6 x 6 = 113 inches

Let's say you want to use a 10-inch skillet:

3.14 x 5 x 5 = 78.5 inches

Now, divide the area of the larger pan (113) by the area of the smaller one (78.5), and you get 1.44. Now, divide the amount of each ingredient by 1.44 to know how much you need.

Example: 3 cups corn meal divided by 1.44 = 2.08 cups

That's close enough to 2. So for a 10-inch skillet you would use 2 cups of cornmeal instead of 3.

Want to use a square pan?

Example: 8-inch x 8-inch = 64 square inches

Now, just like we did above, divide 113 inches (area as recipe is written) by 64 and you get 1.76. Divide the amount of each ingredient by 1.76, and you're ready to go!

close-up of vegan cornbread in a cast iron skillet with a piece cut out.

FAQs

Can I make this oil-free?

The fats in this particular cornbread recipe are necessary for replicating the rich southern-style cornbread I grew up with. Instead, I recommend you try this Vegan Oil-Free Cornbread, which I developed to have a similar savory flavor - no fat needed!

How do I store vegan cornbread?

Store the cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to a month.

Helpful Tips

When combining the wet and dry ingredients, you want to whisk just until there's no visible dry flour. Note that the batter will look a bit lumpy.
Remember that the cast iron skillet will be hot! So be sure to wear an oven mitt when moving it in and out of the preheated oven. It's also fairly heavy, so have a 2nd oven mitt on hand just in case.
Let the cornbread to cool in the skillet for 20 minutes before slicing.

I hope you enjoy my southern vegan cornbread! If you try the recipe I'd love to hear from you. Comment below, and let us know how you served it up!