Cornbread Pudding

Old-fashioned cornbread pudding has the perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours, with lots of whole corn kernels baked into the moist cornmeal batter. This vegan remake is perfect for holidays and potlucks!

Despite the word “pudding” in its name, cornbread pudding is a savoury side dish with a bit of sweetness thanks to the addition of corn and sugar. If you enjoy homemade Vegan Cornbread (or my Vegan Cornbread Stuffing!), the flavour profile is similar, but instead of being bread-like, cornmeal pudding is moist and loaded with whole kernels of corn. 

Basically, when you make cornbread pudding, you can think of it like baking up a casserole—and that’s what makes it ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, other holiday celebrations, and potlucks. Who can resist a corn casserole?!

Why You’ll Love This Cornbread Pudding Recipe

Here’s what makes this cornbread pudding a standout:

• Vegan. This is a cornbread pudding recipe everyone at the table can enjoy! Whether you’re looking for a plant-based side dish for Thanksgiving or a cozy comfort food to serve alongside Vegan Meatloaf for Sunday dinner, this one fits the bill.
• Old-fashioned favourite. Cornbread pudding is a staple of holiday get-togethers, the kind of recipe so many people grow up eating.
• Easy to make. This is a simple recipe that only requires a few steps before baking. That makes it perfect for when you’re entertaining and don’t want to spend the whole time in the kitchen!

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Olive oil
• Vegan butter – You can use homemade vegan butter or store-bought.
• Vegan sour cream – I used Violife, but here’s how to make your own vegan sour cream.
• Vegan egg batter – Equivalent to 2 eggs.
• Salt
• All-purpose flour – If you’re measuring by volume rather than weight, be sure to lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping it.
• Cornmeal – This isn’t the same as corn flour or starch; it’s more coarsely ground.
• Baking powder
• Sugar 
• Paprika
• Whole kernel corn – I used canned corn, but you can certainly substitute frozen or fresh.
• Cream style corn
• Green onions – For garnish.

Is Canned Creamed Corn Vegan?

The word “cream” may set off alarm bells, but believe it or not, most major brands of canned creamed corn are actually vegan. They’re made with corn, sugar, salt, water, and starch. Of course, be sure to check the label of any brand you buy. You can also use my homemade vegan creamed corn recipe.

How to Make Cornbread Pudding

Here’s what you’ll need to do to make homemade cornbread pudding.

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to the 375°F and grease a 8×11 baking dish with oil.
• Combine the liquid ingredients. Whisk together the melted vegan butter, vegan sour cream, salt, and vegan eggs in a mixing bowl.
• Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, paprika, cream style corn, and drained whole kernel corn.

• Bake. Pour the cornmeal pudding mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the pudding is golden brown.
• Finish. Let the cornbread pudding cool for a few minutes, then garnish with green onions before serving.

Tips for Success

These pointers will help you make sure your vegan cornbread pudding turns out perfect:

• Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together. This will ensure that the cornbread pudding bakes evenly and has a consistent texture.
• Drain the corn kernels well. Adding too much liquid to the cornbread pudding mixture will affect its baking time and texture.
• Don’t use flax egg. While flax egg is fabulous in so many of our favourite vegan recipes, for this cornbread pudding, you really need a store-bought egg substitute like Just Egg.

Variations

Cornbread pudding is a great recipe for customising—there are so many ways to make it your own! Here are some of my favourite ideas:

• Add shredded vegan Parmesan or cheddar to the corn mixture for a cheesy version of cornbread pudding.
• Amp up the flavour by adding minced fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, or chives.
• Add diced red bell peppers for colour or jalapeños if you like a bit of heat.
• Use maple syrup for sweetness instead of sugar.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re making this cornbread pudding for Thanksgiving, it pairs perfectly with other holiday favourites like vegan turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce. I also love it as a side dish for vegan chicken.

How to Store

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350ºF oven or microwave before serving. 

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

You can freeze your cornbread pudding for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it according to the instructions above.

More Recipes With Corn

• Corn Nuggets
• Corn Succotash
• Mexican Street Corn Burrito Bowls
• 15 Minute Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
• Grilled Mexican Street Corn

Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan cornbread pudding, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!