Vegan Southern Cornbread

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 topped with a pat of vegan butter and served with beans and collards, soup, stew, or a bowl of your favorite chili. All you need are 9 ingredients and 30 minutes to make a batch!

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 :

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.

• 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.

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!

FAQs

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!

More Cornbread Recipes

Recipe