Name: Skillet Jalapeño Cornbread (Vegan Recipe)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup cornmeal; 1 cup flour; 1 tbsp ground flax; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 cup almond milk; 1/2 cup maple syrup; 2 tbsp drippy tahini; 2 jalapeno (membranes and seeds removed, small dice)

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This EASY Skillet Cornbread Recipe with Jalapeño’s is crisp on the outside, moist and fluffy inside, super tasty with perfect texture and naturally vegan too. You just need a spoon and a couple minutes to mix up this eggless cornbread batter…and you’ll be serving it with all your favorite soups, stews, chilis and salads.

Skillet cornbread cut into pie slices with jalapenos on top and on the plated pieces.

I love this delicious vegan cornbread recipe…making it in a skillet produces a crisp outer edge while keeping the inside perfectly moist, and the jalapeños are just pure bonus. I’ve also got an incredible recipe for gluten-free vegan cornbread with corn kernels if that’s more your vibe…but this one, this easy cornbread recipe will be done in under 30 minutes….start to finish and dishes washed too!

Why I love this cornbread recipe

Naturally vegan without any processed ingredients.
Batter comes together with just a spoon in a couple of minutes.
Crisp on the outside, with a tender crumb on the inside.
Consistent deliciousness, every single time.
It’s eggless cornbread…AND it holds together beautifully.
Freezer friendly.
Use it to make a delicious cornbread stuffing.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Labeled ingredients: flour, cornmeal, jalapenos, almond milk, maple syrup, tahini, baking powder and soda, ground flax and olive oil.

Cornmeal: I prefer coarse ground cornmeal for my cornbread because of the texture it provides, but this recipe will work with fine ground too.
Flour: All cornmeal will produce a very crumbly cornbread, that doesn’t hold together. A combination of flour and cornmeal will produce a moist and fluffy cornbread. I used stone ground whole wheat flour. For a gluten-free vegan cornbread, you can use gluten-free flour with great results.
Almond milk: substitute with any other plant milk that you usually use.
Jalapeños: if you remove the seeds and membranes, the jalapeno will not make this a spicy cornbread, but will add some good flavor and color. If you like heat, then sprinkle in a pinch of cayene or crushed red pepper to the batter.
Tahini: make sure you thoroughly mix the jar when you open it. A drippy consistency will work best. The tahini adds healthy fats without the need for butter or vegetable oils.
Ground flax: this will help hold the vegan cornbread together…but it is not necessary to made a flax egg separately. Alternately use your spice grinder (or coffee grinder) to create ground chia seeds.

How to make it

The secret to this cornbread lies in preheating your cast iron skillet in the oven, with oil. Trust me….it’s a power move that’s easy to implement. Swirl olive oil around the bottom and sides of the skillet, evenly coating and then place in the oven. Turn to 425 degrees and get to work.

Cornmeal, flour, ground flax, baking soda and baking powder in a glass mixing bowl.

Gather cornmeal, flour, ground flax, baking soda and baking powder in a medium sized bowl. Stir until well mixed.

Pouring wet ingredients into dry to mix up cornbread batter.

Mix together tahini, maple syrup and almond milk. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry.

Stirring cornbread batter together, mixing the wet ingredients with the dry.

Mix well. Do not over mix, but be sure to bring up the dry ingredients from the bottom of the bowl so everything is well incorporated.

Showing how to dice a jalapeno by removing seeds and membranes, then cutting long strips and finally cutting across.

Let the cornbread batter sit while you dice the jalapeños. This will give the flax a chance to activate with the liquid. Remove the seeds and membranes if you don’t like spicy cornbread.

Cornbread batter with diced jalapenos on top.

Stir the small diced jalapeños into the smooth batter.

Cast iron skillet filled with cornbread batter.

Carefully remove skillet from oven and pour the batter in. It will sizzle as the batter hits the hot oil and begin to form a crisp edge. Sprinkle flakey sea salt on the top, if desired.

Golden brown skillet cornbread with a crack through the top straight across.

Cook for 20 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. It may crack and that’s ok.

Let cool briefly in the pan and then cut into eight wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Side view of a slice of cornbread with jalapenos.

Debra’s Pro Tips

Slices of cornbread in skillet, on a plate and on a wire rack.

I say flakey sea salt is optional on top….it gives off a “butter” vibe even though this is a dairy-free cornbread…and it’s honestly my favorite part….so skip it at your own risk.
This eggless cornbread holds together well because of the flax, so give it a minute to gel once the batter is mixed….it’s the right amount of time to dice the jalapenos anyhow.
I leave slices of cornbread on a glass cake stand with cover….because it’s perfect for snacking or serving with all our favorite meals.

What to serve with Cornbread

Salad: Mexican chopped salad, any greens plus creamy garlic dressing, or a vegan caesar salad.
Soup: Meatless Minestrone, Dairy-free Tomato Soup, Roasted Vegetable Soup, Hearty Vegan Lentil, or Vegan Split Pea.
Chili or Stew: Classic Vegan Lentil Chili, White Bean Chili, No Beef Stew

How to store

Triangle slices of skillet cornbread on a plate with jalapeno slices.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Vegan cornbread will stay good at room temperature for 5 days or a week in the fridge.
Wrap cornbread (whole or cut into pieces) in parchment paper and then aluminum foil to freeze. Or use freezer safe zip top bags.
Cornbread will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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