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close up on a slice of chili cornbread casserole on a white plate.
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5 stars (10 ratings)

Chili Cornbread Casserole (Vegan)

This Vegan Chili Cornbread Casserole is a comforting family dinner that bakes fluffy cornbread right on top of a thick, hearty chili. Make it for chilly evenings, game day, or an easy weeknight meal!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

Chili

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein) or dried red lentils*
  • (2) 15-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2-3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cornbread

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup fine yellow corn meal
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk or other plant milk
  • 1/3 cup canola oil or applesauce for oil-free

Optional Toppings

  • Vegan Sour Cream
  • shredded vegan cheddar cheese
  • chopped chives, cilantro, jalapeño slices
  • sliced avocado
  • hot sauce
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 inch dish.
  • In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the green bell pepper and garlic, and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
  • Now add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cocoa powder, crushed tomatoes, TVP (or lentils), black beans and 2 cups of the broth. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil.
  • Lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the TVP has softened (or lentils are cooked) and the chili has thickened. If it's too thick, add a little more broth, but you want it pretty thick. Add salt to taste.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder and stir. Pour the milk and oil into the bowl and stir until well combined.
  • Transfer the chili to the baking dish. Pour the cornbread batter all over the top of the chili.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until the cornbread is cooked and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Serve immediately with toppings of choice. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Gluten-free - Substitute gluten-free flour.
  2. You may use TVP, or Beyond/Impossible meat, or red lentils. Alternatively, use a mix of chopped mushrooms and walnuts for the "meat".

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 8 servings | Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 867mg | Potassium: 878mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1008IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 6mg