This Vegan Corn Spoonbread is a the best gluten free easy side dish for a crowd that makes a great accompaniment to BBQ or for a savoury breakfast.
I am a very VERY Canadian girl who LOVES Southern food, and one of my all time favourite sides is cornbread. But not like the dry grainy cornbread you often get alongside BBQ chicken or ribs. I prefer a softer spoonbread that can be eaten with a fork or spoon- not with your hands. I mean, you can eat this with your hands, I won’t judge, but that would be semi- savage.
I do know that barbeque staples usually exclude a lot of my plant-based friends, so I wanted to whip up a vegan corn spoonbread that is also gluten free that would be perfect for serving your friends and family all summer long. This also makes REALLY delicious savoury breakfast topped off with a little yogurt.
key ingredients to make this vegan corn spoonbread
Corn Meal – Cornmeal is the naturally gluten free base for any cornbread or corn muffin. Honestly, I find it so drying that I really do think it needs to be mixed with some other grain to make it palatable. I mean, or you just have to add a LOT of butter.
Gluten Free Oats – You can use regular oats if you prefer and are not gluten free, but it is best to use quick cooking oats which are not as thick as large flake oats.
Creamed Corn – Creamed corn sounds very … umm.. not vegan, but actually, its just pureed corn usually with some salt and a little sugar in it. It’s also incredibly delicious. My kid adores it.
Sweet Corn – You can use fresh, frozen or canned, but since most of us are relying on our pantry staples, I always make sure to have a few cans ready to go.
Green Onions – This is ultimately optional but it does add some nice flavour.
(Vegan) Cheese – Use vegan cheese if you are plant-based, or regular cheddar if you’re not.
(Vegan) Sour Cream – This adds a nice bright acidity to balance the sweetness of the corn.
Maple syrup– I mean, you COULD leave this out, but please don’t. It really is so nice to have that natural sweetness. This is one of the reasons why I love this for breakfast. My kid also adored it for breakfast.
tips for making this gluten free CREAMY corn BREAD BAKE
This corn spoonbread is unbelievably easy. I would recommend making sure the dry ingredients are well incorporated before adding the wet. This just ensures the cornmeal flavour is well mixed throughout and there are no super “dry pockets” in the spoonbread when you dig in. No one wants a pocket of grainy cornmeal without a good amount of creamy corn there with it.
what should i serve with this spoonbread?
This is a fantastic stand-alone breakfast or brunch, but it’s also an amazing side dish for some of your go-to summer mains.
Vegan Gluten Free Walnut Quinoa Burgers
Grilled Cauliflower Streaks with Peach Romesco Sauce
Grilled Marinated Chicken Breasts
faq about this recipe
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about making this easy Summer recipe.
can i freeze this recipe?
I have tried freezing this recipe and I can tell you that if well wrapped it should last in the freezer for about 3 months. Just make sure you warm it up nicely before you serve it.
is this corn and oat spoonbread recipe kid friendly?
Yes. My son ate this spoonbread every day for 5 days while we had it in the fridge. It’s mild, sweet, cheesy, and creamy. What child wouldn’t love this?
CAN I USE REGULAR CHEESE OR SOUR CREAM INSTEAD OF VEGAN?
Yes, you can swap in whichever you have or use at home. You can also use honey instead of maple syrup if that is your preferred sweetener.
HOW DO I MAKE OAT FLOUR FROM OATS?
This is a hack I always use because I have a lot of oatmeal in the house but never any flour (hello Covid shortages). Just put your oats in a food processor or blender and pulverize until soft and smooth.
CAN I ADD CHILIS AND OTHER ADDITIONS THAT I LIKE IN MY SPOONBREAD or corn bread?
Yes, if you want a little kick of heat, throw some jalapenos in there! My son is obviously not a fan of spicy things so we have been keeping things mild over here!
Can i use fresh corn?
You bet! Pretty soon, corn is going to be in season, and I cannot WAIT! I will definitely be making this with fresh corn come August.
Can i make my own creamed corn?
Yes! It’s crazy easy to whip creamed corn up in a flash. Here’s a really great recipe from my friend over at Doesn’t Taste like Chicken.
What are some of your go-to side dishes with Summer staples like corn? Leave me a comment below with your thoughts!
Vegan Corn Spoonbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn meal
- 1 cup Quaker gluten free quick cooking oats
- ½ cup oat flour made by pulverizing quick oats in the food processor
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup plus 1 tbsp melted vegan butter
- 1 398 ml can creamed corn
- ½ cup plus 1 tbsp vegan sour cream
- 5 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 ½ cups frozen or canned sweet corn
- 2 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9” square baking pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, oats, oat flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add in the melted butter, creamed corn, sour cream, maple, onions, whole corn kernels and 1 cup of the cheese. Mix until well incorporated.
- Spread into the baking dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 55-60 minutes or until the cheese is melted, and the edges are golden brown. Serve warm for spoonable bread or allow to cool completely if you want to cut it into more uniform pieces. Spoon bread will still be moist and soft.
Nutrition
Updated on July 21st, 2020
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Ania says
Great, thanks!
Abbey Sharp says
Thank you!