Vegan chilli cornbread pie - this delicious vegan casserole consists of a flavourful three bean chilli topped with a layer of fluffy vegan cornbread. It is a wonderful warming meal that is good all year round.
This vegan chilli cornbread pie is the perfect hearty, warming, crowd pleasing meal for cold days. A delicious smokey three bean vegetable chilli sits under a generous layer of moist, fluffy vegan cornbread topping.
There is no more welcome sight than a big vat of chilli and it is all the more inviting when it is topped with a layer of glorious golden cornbread!
It is a very filling meal that packs in plenty of protein and veg but is also excellent comfort food. The leftovers are also amazing reheated the next day!
The whole thing is cooked and baked in the one pan, meaning less washing up to do! You will need a large casserole pan that can be used on the hob and is also ovenproof. A cast iron dutch oven pan is perfect.
Of course if you just want to make the chilli on it's own or bake the cornbread separately you can do that too! I just really like the idea of having it all in one.
How To Make Vegan Chilli Cornbread Pie:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.*
Start by making the chilli, ideally in a large, ovenproof casserole pan. But if you don't have one of those you can just make it in a regular saucepan and transfer it to a baking dish before adding the cornbread mix.
Fry finely diced onion, carrot and red bell pepper in a little olive oil until soft.
Add crushed garlic, tomato puree, chipotle chilli paste, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon and chilli powder and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring.
Next add soy sauce, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder (trust me, it works!), tinned chopped tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, frozen sweetcorn, vegetable stock and some salt and pepper.
Bring the mixture up to a simmer and allow to cook, stirring it every now and again, for half an hour. Taste and add more seasoning as required. (At this point the chilli is ready to be eaten if you aren't making the topping.)
If you haven't used an ovenproof pan then transfer the chilli to a baking dish.
Once the chilli is cooked preheat the oven and prepare the cornbread topping.
Make a flax egg by mixing a tablespoon of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of warm water, set it aside for ten minutes until it goes gloopy.
In a large bowl, whisk together fine cornmeal (also called polenta), plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
In a jug, whisk together non-dairy milk (soy or oat are best), maple syrup, light brown sugar, melted vegan block butter and cider vinegar.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry along with the flax egg and whisk until no dry lumps remain. I added a handful of chopped pickled jalapenos for a bit of extra heat but this is totally optional.
Dollop the cornbread mixture over the top of the chilli and spread it level. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cornbread is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Top Tips:
This vegan chilli cornbread pie is made in a large, ovenproof casserole pan, like a Dutch oven. If you don't have one of those then you can make the chilli in a regular saucepan and transfer it to a large baking dish before adding the cornbread topping.
I like my cornbread slightly sweetened but you can omit the brown sugar if you prefer.
It is important to use a block vegan margarine/butter, NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking. I use Naturli Vegan Block.
The chilli can be made in advance and stored in the fridge. Make and add the cornbread topping just before baking.
Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for three days and reheated in the microwave.
The cornbread can also be baked separately in a 20cm/8 inch square greased and lined cake tin at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Once baked and cooled this vegan chilli cornbread pie can be frozen for up to a month. If you have used a metal pan then it can be reheated in the oven straight from frozen. If you used a glass or ceramic dish then you will need to let it defrost first as placing a cold dish in a hot oven can cause it to crack.
Can I Make It Gluten Free?:
Yes! To make this vegan chilli cornbread pie gluten free simply swap the plain flour in the cornbread batter for an equal weight of a plain gluten free flour blend. Add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if the blend doesn't already include it.
You will also need to make sure that your baking powder and bicarb are gluten free.
More Vegan Comfort Food Dishes:
Vegan sausage casserole with lentils and farro
Lentil, vegetable and butter bean chilli
Chickpea, sweet potato and spinach curry
Vegetable and pearl barley stew with herby dumplings
Red lentil dhal with roasted cauliflower and butternut squash
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Vegan Chilli Cornbread Pie
Ingredients
Three Bean Chilli:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 brown onion peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chilli paste
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce optional
- ½ tablespoon dark brown soft sugar
- ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 400g (14oz) tins chopped tomatoes
- 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 1 400g (14oz) tin black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 400g (14oz) tin kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 400g (14oz) tin pinto beans rinsed and drained
- 150 g (1 cup) frozen sweet corn
- salt and pepper
Vegan Cornbread:
- 175 g (1 cup + 1 ½ Tbsp) fine cornmeal (polenta)
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 60 g (⅓ cup) light brown soft sugar
- 330 ml (1 ¼ cups + 2 Tbsp) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy is best)
- 2 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 120 g (½ cup) vegan block butter/margarine (I use Naturli Vegan Block) melted
- 50 g (1.75 oz / a large handful) pickled jalapenos diced (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof casserole pan and add the onion, pepper and carrot. Fry gently for 10 minutes until softened.1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 brown onion, 1 red bell pepper, 1 large carrot
- Add the crushed garlic, tomato puree, chipotle chilli paste, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon and chilli powder and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring.4 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp tomato puree, 1 tsp chipotle chilli paste, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Add the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, tinned tomatoes, water, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, frozen sweetcorn, vegetable stock and some salt and pepper.1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce, ½ Tbsp dark brown soft sugar, ½ Tbsp cocoa powder, 2 400g (14oz) tins chopped tomatoes, 240 ml (1 cup) water, 1 vegetable stock cube, 1 400g (14oz) tin black beans, 1 400g (14oz) tin kidney beans, 1 400g (14oz) tin pinto beans, 150 g (1 cup) frozen sweet corn, salt and pepper
- Bring the mixture up to a simmer and allow to cook, stirring it every now and again, for half an hour. Taste and add more seasoning as required. (At this point the chilli is ready to be eaten if you aren't making the topping.)
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180℃ fan/400°F/gas mark 6.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar.175 g (1 cup + 1 ½ Tbsp) fine cornmeal (polenta), 150 g (1 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ½ tsp salt, 60 g (⅓ cup) light brown soft sugar
- Add the non-dairy milk, cider vinegar and melted vegan block butter and whisk until combined. Fold through the jalapenos if using.330 ml (1 ¼ cups + 2 Tbsp) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy is best), 2 tsp cider vinegar, 120 g (½ cup) vegan block butter/margarine (I use Naturli Vegan Block), 50 g (1.75 oz / a large handful) pickled jalapenos
- Dollop the cornbread mixture over the top of the chilli and spread it level. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cornbread is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Notes
- This vegan chilli cornbread pie is made in a large, ovenproof casserole pan, like a Dutch oven. If you don't have one of those then you can make the chilli in a regular saucepan and transfer it to a large baking dish before adding the cornbread topping.
- I like my cornbread slightly sweetened but you can omit the brown sugar if you prefer.
- It is important to use a block vegan margarine/butter, NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking. I use Naturli Vegan Block.
- The chilli can be made in advance and stored in the fridge. Make and add the cornbread topping just before baking.
- Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for three days and reheated in the microwave.
- The cornbread can also be baked separately in a 20cm/8 inch square greased and lined cake tin at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Once baked and cooled this vegan chilli cornbread pie can be frozen for up to a month. If you have used a metal pan then it can be reheated in the oven straight from frozen. If you used a glass or ceramic dish then you will need to let it defrost first as placing a cold dish in a hot oven can cause it to crack.
Judy
Made topping today and put on a different filling. It is absolutely delicious and very light. Another brilliant recipe!
Nicola
This is so delicious, the spice blend for the chilli is spot on and I would never have thought of putting the cornbread on the top - it made it so light.
Teri
Great recipe! The chili really came together over the cooking time - I wouldn’t skip that time to meld flavors. I used a different cornbread recipe to use up some sourdough starter discard. It is nice that this recipe uses a standard amount of cornbread to allow swapping as desired.
Evie
Hello. What would the exact reheating instructions be if I freeze in a cast iron? Like how high should the oven be and how long should it be I rewarm it for?
Hannah
Hi Evie, that's not something I've ever tried doing so I can't really say I'm afaid.
Kay
The flavor of the chili and the cornbread separately was delicious. Definitely will make again.
However putting the cornbread on top ended up taking so much longer to cook. And by the next day the cornbread had absorbed all the moisture from the chili. Making it just beans and wet bread.
Hannah
Hi Kay, sorry to hear you had issues; I've never had a problem with it taking a long time to cook or going soggy, can I ask what type and size of dish/pan you baked it in? I use a wide, shallow cast iron pan and it always turns out perfectly in that so I suspect the baking vessel could be the problem here.