Smoky, maple-sweetened baked beans meet a golden layer of vegan cornbread in this one-dish cornbread casserole—the kind of cozy, crowd-feeding comfort food that disappears fast at any table.
Recipe from But I Could Never Go Vegan!: 125 Recipes That Prove You Can Live Without Cheese, It’s Not All Rabbit Food, and Your Friends Will Still Come Over Dinner, © Kristy Turner, 2014. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Navy beans. Their creamy texture and mild flavor soak up the smoky-sweet sauce beautifully. Great Northern or cannellini beans work as a substitute if navy beans aren’t on the shelf.
- Barbecue sauce. This is doing a lot of the flavor work here, so use one you genuinely like—a smoky or slightly spicy variety leans into the "barbecue-y" character of the dish. Check the label if you're avoiding added sugar, since some brands are sweeter than others.
- Maple syrup. Real maple syrup gives the beans their signature maple-baked flavor and helps them caramelize slightly as they simmer. Use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup, which is mostly corn syrup and won’t taste the same.
- Liquid smoke. Just a half teaspoon delivers real smokehouse depth without a grill. If you don’t have any, a little extra smoked paprika in the beans is a reasonable stand-in, though the flavor will be milder.
- Cornmeal. Fine or coarse grind both work in this vegan cornbread topping—coarser cornmeal gives a bit more texture, while fine grind bakes up softer.
- Flaxseed meal. Mixed with warm water, this becomes a "flax egg" that binds the cornbread batter. It's a standard egg replacer in vegan baking, so keep a bag on hand for other recipes too.
- Vegan butter. Adds richness to the cornbread. A neutral vegetable oil can be substituted in the same amount if you're out of vegan butter, though the topping will be slightly less tender.
Helpful Tips
Make the flax egg first. Stir the flaxseed meal and warm water together right at the start and let it sit while you prep everything else—it needs at least 5 minutes to thicken into an egg-like gel that will properly bind the cornbread batter.
Let the beans simmer, don't rush them. The full 15 minutes of simmering matters here—it's what thickens the sauce and lets the maple syrup, barbecue sauce, and spices actually meld into the beans rather than just coating them.
Mix the cornbread batter just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and can leave the topping dense or tough instead of light and tender. A few small lumps in the batter are completely fine.
Spread the batter gently. The beans will be hot and somewhat loose, so use a rubber spatula and light, even strokes to spread the cornbread batter over the top without it sinking into the bean mixture.
Check doneness with a toothpick, not just color. The cornbread top can look golden before it's fully set underneath. Insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the topping—it should come out clean, with no wet batter clinging to it.
Variations
- Add corn kernels. Stir ½ cup of thawed frozen or fresh corn into the cornbread batter for extra sweetness and texture.
- Make it spicier. A diced jalapeño or a spoonful of chipotle in adobo stirred into the bean mixture ramps up the heat if you like your baked beans with a real kick.
- Swap in black beans. Black beans hold their shape well and give the casserole a slightly heartier, earthier flavor than navy beans.
- Top with vegan cheddar. Sprinkle shredded vegan cheddar over the cornbread batter before baking for a melty, golden crust.
- Go gluten-free. Swap the whole wheat pastry flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend—the cornmeal itself is naturally gluten-free, so this is a fairly easy substitution.
- Bake it in individual portions. Divide the beans among individual ramekins and top each with cornbread batter for single-serving casseroles that bake in less time—handy for entertaining.
Serving Ideas
This cornbread casserole is hearty enough to serve as a main dish on its own, but it also shines as part of a bigger spread. A simple green salad or a tangy vegan coleslaw balances the sweetness of the beans nicely, and steamed or roasted greens like collards or green beans round out the plate.
For a holiday table, set this casserole alongside a vegan sweet potato casserole and a big bowl of mashed potatoes—it holds its own as a vegan Thanksgiving main without feeling like an afterthought next to all the classic sides. It's just as welcome on a weeknight, straight from the baking dish with a drizzle of extra barbecue sauce or hot sauce on top.
Storing & Freezing
Leftovers keep well covered and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the whole dish loosely with foil and warm it in a 300°F oven until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
This casserole also freezes reasonably well once fully cooled—wrap tightly or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. The cornbread topping softens somewhat after freezing and reheating, so for the best texture, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before warming it in the oven rather than the microwave.
More Vegan Casserole Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more cozy vegan dishes you might enjoy:
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Easy Vegan Cornbread
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
- Vegan Hoppin' John (Rice and Black-Eyed Peas)
Recipe
Maple Baked Beans and Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients
Maple-Baked Beans
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Two 15-ounce cans navy beans rinsed and drained
- One 15-ounce can unsalted diced tomatoes with liquid
- â…” cup barbecue sauce
- â…“ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or tamari or soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A few dashes of nutmeg
- 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Cornbread
- 1 ½ cups nondairy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 2 cups cornmeal fine or coarse grind
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry Flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder optional
- â…“ cup melted vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion starts to become translucent.
- Add the beans, tomatoes, barbecue sauce, maple syrup, tomato paste, 1 ½ tablespoons vinegar, mustard, liquid aminos, sriracha, liquid smoke, cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in the nutritional yeast (if using), salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- While the beans are simmering, make the cornbread batter. In a measuring cup, combine the nondairy milk and 1 tablespoon vinegar.
- In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed meal and warm water. Let both mixtures sit for at least 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, paprika, nutmeg, and cayenne. Add the milk mixture, flaxseed meal mixture, melted vegan butter, and maple syrup. Mix until just combined.
- Pour the beans into the prepared baking dish. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cornbread batter on top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Leftovers can be covered and chilled 3 to 4 days.
JOSIE says
I made this today halving the ingrediants to serve 5. Lovely.
Jenae says
Is this a recipe I could follow the night before and then pop in the oven the next day?