If you love the pairing of chili and cornbread, this is the dish for you! It combines all the flavor of chili (deep, hearty, smoky bean stew), with the fluffy, toothsome sweetness of classic cornbread! But it’s even easier to prepare because it’s all cooked in 1 skillet!
Even better? This dish is naturally sweetened, plant-based, and gluten-free optional. And it’s made with just 10 wholesome ingredients. Let us show you how it’s done!
Inspiration
This enchilada bake draws inspiration from both Mexican and Southern cuisines. It combines the flavor and heat of enchiladas with the comfort of cornbread. You can learn about the origins of enchiladas here and cornbread here.
How to Make This Enchilada Bake
The enchilada filling is made by sautéing onions and bell pepper for natural sweetness and adding black beans for fiber and protein and a little salt to enhance all the flavors.
We used our easy red enchilada sauce for maximum flavor and customization, but store-bought enchilada sauce is also an option here. To make it more weeknight-friendly, we like to make a big batch of enchilada sauce and freeze 1-cup portions in small glass jars (just leave a little room to allow for expansion). Then transfer a jar of sauce to the fridge a day or two before you want to make this!
Once the filling is cooked, it gets topped with cornbread batter. Swoon!
The cornbread is a combination of cornmeal for classic cornbread flavor, flour to lighten it up (all-purpose or GF both work), and baking powder for fluffiness. Salt adds flavor, dairy-free milk is the liquid, and a small amount of avocado oil or melted vegan butter adds moisture.
We also like adding maple syrup for balance and a hint of sweetness. But if you’re someone who thinks sugar in cornbread is a crime, just leave it out.
We hope you love this enchilada bake! It’s:
Hearty
Smoky
Subtly spiced
Savory-sweet
Quick & easy
& SO delicious!
It’s perfect for weeknight meals or any time you’re craving something easy and comforting. And while filling on its own, it would also pair well with our Serrano & Rosemary Guacamole, Chopped Kale Salad with Adobo Dressing, and/or Green Cauliflower Rice (20 minutes!).
More Enchilada Recipes
- Black Bean Plantain Enchilada Bake
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
- Butternut Squash Black Bean Enchiladas
- Spicy Black Bean, Green Chili, & Manchego Enchiladas
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Cornbread & Black Bean Enchilada Bake
Ingredients
ENCHILADA FILLING
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or sub other neutral oil or vegan butter)
- 1 cup diced red onion (or sub white or yellow)
- 1 medium red or orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce (or store-bought such as Frontera brand)
CORNBREAD TOPPING
- 1 cup cornmeal (fine or medium grind)
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (if gluten-free sub GF all-purpose flour)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, to taste
- 2/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or sub other dairy-free milk like oat or rice)
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or sub melted vegan butter for richer cornbread flavor)
- 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup (optional // start with lesser amount and adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218 C).
- Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil. Once oil is hot, add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until translucent and beginning to slightly brown. Turn heat down slightly if browning too quickly.
- Add diced bell pepper and sea salt and stir. Cover and sauté for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the (drained) black beans and enchilada sauce and turn off the heat. If you’re using a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, you can cook the casserole in the same skillet. If your pan is not oven-safe, lightly oil a 9- or 10-inch baking dish and transfer the veggie mixture to the prepared dish.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the dairy-free milk, oil (or melted vegan butter), and maple syrup (starting with the lesser amount and adding more to taste as needed). Maple syrup is optional, but if you prefer cornbread on the sweeter side, be sure to include it!
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. It should be slightly thick but pourable. If too thick, add a bit more dairy-free milk. If too thin, add a bit more cornmeal or flour. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt to taste or maple syrup for sweetness. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes to ensure it’s evenly hydrated.
- Spread the cornmeal mixture over the enchilada filling. We left a ~1-inch gap around the edge so the filling could get slightly caramelized. But you can also spread it all the way to the edge.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the crust is fully set. If using gluten-free flour, it’s normal for there to be some cracking on top. Serve hot as is or top with a little vegan butter and maple syrup.
- Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until hot.
Mariana says
Absolutely delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed, Mariana! Thanks so much for sharing.
Susan says
Looking for vegan dinner ideas and this did not disappoint. Flavorful and easy to make.
Thanks
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Susan! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Anne says
Fantastic! Used gluten free 1:1 and the topping was a little thick but still very moist and yummy.
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Anne! xo
Giovonne says
This recipe is always in my rotation! It’s so quick and easy for a weeknight meal, and it’s a great way to use up my leftover enchilada sauce after making enchiladas.
Amazing! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Giovonne. Thank you for sharing! xo
Kerina says
I make this all the time! We love it!
I put it in ramekins! Also I add sweet potato chunks, corn, and some sort of greens. Instead of enchilada sauce I use a can of fire roasted tomatoes and some cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke and oregano. And some times I add trader Joe’s soy chorizo! 🙌🏻 This is so versatile, it’s good for whatever extra veggies I have on hand.
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Kerina!
Elizabeth says
My fiancé and I make this multiple times a month! We love it! It’s quick, easy, and delicious. We find 1/3 cup AP flour and 3/4 cup non-dairy milk makes for a better cornbread consistency. BUT I recently had to go GF and I made this with Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF baking flour keeping the original amounts, it was perfect!!
Love it! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your experience, Elizabeth. So glad you both enjoy this recipe!
Tara N says
I made this tonight, it was okay. We don’t prefer black beans so I used one can of Pinto and one can of Kidney beans. I think it would be amazing with a chili base instead of enchilada base. I’m going to try that next time! The cornbread was a little dry like others have commented and next time I’ll probably add an extra half cup of almond milk or maybe mix in some green chiles. It just needed a little something more.
Thanks for the honest feedback and sorry to hear it didn’t turn out as you were hoping, Tara! Chili does sound lovely. We wonder if the biscuit topping might end up a little mushy though from the extra liquid though.
Cara says
Love this recipe so much! To make this not spicy, I opted to make the homemade enchilada sauce and omitted the peppers in that recipe. I used an 8 x 8 metal baking pan for the baking part of the recipe. I used super fine cornmeal for the cornbread aspect. Thanks Minimalist Baker!
Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your modifications, Cara, we’re so glad you enjoyed!
KK says
This looks like a perfect camping meal!
Question you usually add Almond or sub oat or rice. Is there a reason, you don’t use soy? Ive found its the cleanest plant based milk with only soy and water. Which i haven’t found in either rice or oat.
Hi KK, you can definitely use soy milk, if preferred! We find almond has a neutral taste, but it’s simply personal preference =)
Sarah says
This is very good, and I had to comment because I was pleasantly surprised by how well the leftovers heated up in the microwave! I topped mine with an avocado which is recommended. :)
Yum, love that addition! Thank you for sharing, Sarah! xo
Tonya says
My husband and I love this recipe! He thinks it needs another can of black beans, so I’ll try that next time. I recently became gluten-free, so I’m really thankful to have found your web site!
Aw, we’re so glad our recipes have been helpful! Thank you for sharing!
Hope says
This is one of my favorite recipes ever!! I make this all the time. I use a larger casserole dish and double the entire recipe, it has to cook a bit longer than the original instructions, but still turns out amazing :)
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Hope! Thank you for sharing! xo
Taylor says
Delicious. So good. Going to make again soon.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Taylor! Thank you for sharing! xo
Elena says
This was excellent! Next time I would spread the cornbread a little more. I used my 12 inch cast iron skillet since I don’t have a 10 inch. The leftovers held up really well too. I made a few minor modifications:
-Dairy milk since that’s all I had
-Butter instead of avocado oil
-The can of enchilada sauce I bought was 10 oz so I used the entire can
-Skipped the maple syrup in the cornbread since I like mine more savory than sweet.
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Elena!
Mary says
This was just ok, per the other reviews, it really needs more base to have enough food for dinner. I added mushrooms and a small can of tomatoes with chiles. I used my normal homemade enchilada sauce (simple and good). The cornbread was dry for us so would add more liquid again, but family said regular enchiladas would be preferable.
Hi Mary, sorry to hear it wasn’t a hit in your family. Hope the next one goes better!
Beth says
Holy cow, this was good! It was also quick and easy! I used green enchilada sauce (Hatch brand) and added some kale and mushrooms for a bit more body. Great weeknight dinner.
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear it, Beth! Thank you for sharing! xo
Nicola says
Really delicious and comforting! Thanks for another brilliant recipe.
Took me a while to make, as I made the enchilada sauce at the same time, but I’ll be making again soon with my leftover sauce, and it will be much quicker!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nicola! Thank you for sharing! xo
Amanda says
Oh my goodness, this was so delicious and comforting! I made a few swaps – added ground beef and diced tomatoes along with a clean label cornbread mix. Perfect for a cool fall evening when you’re looking for something warm and comforting
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Amanda! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Hannah says
The cornbread layer turned out very dry for me despite adding additional plant milk, melted butter instead of oil, and the full 3T of maple syrup. Any suggestions? It was nothing some additional syrup on top couldn’t fix! Still very good.
Hi Hannah, we’re glad you enjoyed it overall, but sorry to hear the cornbread layer was a little dry. Adding more melted butter/coconut oil should help for next time!
Nicole says
So easy and so yummy! Swapped in your gluten free flour blend and all went well. Thanks for another winning recipe!
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing, Nicole! xo
Manisha Subramanian says
I wanted to love this recipe after reading all the reviews. I did end up loving it after a few tweaks. I used store bought enchilada sauce (and not the brand you recommended), so maybe that was why I didn’t find it flavorful. I added 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp cumin powder and 1/8 tsp chili powder to the black beans. That did the trick. As I said, next time I will use the enchilada sauce brand you mentioned and then maybe I won’t need those extra spices. After reading all the comments, I subbed the bell pepper with carrots and spinach since my family are not bell pepper fans. The corn bread recipe was fantastic! Thank you! Will put this into my rotation.
Yay! So glad you ended up enjoying this recipe, Manisha. Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your modifications!
Leah says
Yummy and SO easy!
Yay! Thanks, Leah! xo
Carina says
I love this recipe! I make it a couple times a month, it’s so easy and quick. I leave out the bell pepper because I don’t like the taste. I’ll add a can of kidney beans instead. I’ve made it with red and green enchilada sauce and both are good, but I think red is more flavorful. Also, I do a cornbread box mix to save time, but I’ll have to try making the cornbread from scratch. Thank you for this recipe, it’s the best!!
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Carina! xo
Tori Zananiri says
Made this last night for dinner. My boyfriend and I loved it! Definitely, adding this to our repeat list. The only difference was I used Jiffy’s vegetarian box of cornbread (didn’t have some of the ingredients to make it from scratch) turned out great!
Woohoo! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Tori! xo
Cam says
I made substitutions:
-Box of Jiffy cornbread made with 1/3 cup almond milk and 2 tblspn oil.
– can of diced tomatos with broth, paprika, cumin, garlic, cayenne, pepper and hot sauce in place of enchilada sauce.
It turned out great!
Yum! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Cam! We’re so glad you enjoyed! xo
alli says
Thank you for that enchilada sauce substitution! Turned out great.
Courtney says
I made this for the first time last night and it was a family hit! Delicious!
Based on past reviews, I doubled the filling (used canned enchilada sauce this time) and sautéed fresh jalapeño, 3 cloves of garlic, cumin, chili powder and oregano with the onions and bell peppers. I dolloped the cornbread mixture, leaving space between dollops and it turned out perfectly. Next time I’m going to increase the cornbread mixture by half, so there’s more!
All in all, a great recipe that’s definitely going into the weekly rotation!
Wonderful! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Courtney. Thank you for sharing!
Amelia says
This recipe is delicious and easy! I have made it twice now, with great results. The only thing I varied from the recipe is I used bottled “taco sauce” instead of enchilada sauce because I couldn’t find it.
I’m going to try it with pinto beans next, but it’s great as is.
Thank you so much for the lovely review, Amelia. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Linda V says
This is simple yet hearty and delicious. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Thank you for sharing! xo
Nicole says
Loved this! So yummy and fairly quick, and majorly hit the comfort food spot. Thanks for the lovely recipe! I added the full 3 tbs maple syrup – no question there.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for sharing, Nicole!
Molly F says
I made this for Cinco de Mayo and it turned out exactly like your photo! Love casserole type dishes with cornbread topping. Thanks! It was delicious! I added some guacamole when I served it.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Molly. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
michel says
Thank you for the unique combination. It definitely adds variety to my diet. First time making cornbread!! Merci beaucoup!
We’re so glad to hear it, Michel! Thanks for the lovely review!
Sendryilla says
I have Masa Harina, how can I use that for the cornbread?
I’m not sure! You could try it as a 1:1 replacement?
Didi says
We’ve made this a couple of times already and we love it. I even made the cornbread topping to put on top of some leftover lentil bolgnese sauce, that worked well also.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Didi!
Chessie says
Very tasty, and a perfect dish for a cool day! I made the gluten-free version. I cooked the beans from dried but used a packet of enchilada sauce, so it was pretty darn easy.
Lovely!! Thanks, Chessie!! xo
Loren Gebo says
We made this tonight. It was a total winner! We will be doubling it next time so we can have leftovers :)
So great! Thanks for sharing, Loren!
Patricia says
I made this recipe last week, it was delicious! We doubled the recipe and used a larger cast iron pan too. We also made a few changes to the recipe. We couldn’t find dried chillies so we used two fresh jalapeños and some dried chilli flakes, we liked the taste. We also added one yam per recipe (so two for us) which really helped the leftovers last all week! We are already talking about doing this one again!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Bernadette says
I read a lot of the reviews before I tried this Great recipe. Thank you every one!! I ended up doubling the beans and veggies, and 1.5x’d the cornbread because my iron skillet is Large. My cornbread mixed up like thick pancake batter, and baked in exactly 20 minutes (I tested with a cake tester). It was just a little thicker than a pancake and was not dry at all because I used a little extra liquid. Also, I heated the beans to just a simmer before I put the cornbread on top. I used this idea from the reviews: I dolloped the cornbread out in a heart shape. It looked adorable.
We served ours with Greek yogurt and shredded cheddar, but sometime I’d like to try cashew cream. It came out terrific and we’ll be making it again.
Love this review, Bernadette! So helpful and kind! Thanks so much!
Mary says
So warming and even a bit festive feeling. I didn’t have a bell pepper so I followed the suggestion of chopping a carrot instead–worked great.
It did feel slightly more like a side dish than an entree to me. Probably will serve with a salad next time. I look forward to making this for friends someday. Thank you!!
Thanks so much for sharing, Mary! Other readers have mentioned they’d prefer another can of black beans in it, so perhaps that would make it feel more like an entrée?
Mary says
I’m thinking about adding more beans, more vegetables, and even some chicken (I’m not vegetarian) next time I make it! :)
I love that idea, Mary! Let us know how it goes!
Tara says
I made this for dinner tonight. My family really enjoyed this recipe. I wanted to make the homemade enchilada sauce, but ran short on time so we used store bought. I did add chili powder, cumin and oregano to give the sauce a bit more flavor. I also added a sprinkle of nondairy pepperjack on top of the bean mixture before topping with the cornbread.
I really liked how simple this dish was to put together. My teen helped me make it tonight and I am certain she would be able to make it on her own to help out on a busy weeknight.
Love that your teen helped! Thanks so much for sharing, Tara!
Jennifer says
I made this tonight for dinner and it is so tasty! I put some of your new cheese sauce on top and i 10/10 recommend doing that. I did use the maple syrup for the cornbread and was very happy with it. The mix of sweet and savory was so good. Love your vegan recipes!
What a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing, Jennifer! xo
Jessica Simpson says
I had this for dinner tonight for my 3 boys and hubby. We added mushrooms too. It was AMAZING!! I really loved it. I will have to make double for the boys the next time!!
Yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Jessica. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Victoria says
Very quick & delicious.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Victoria!
Mackenzie says
Made this last week and LOVED it. So easy and super delish! Making it again this week.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Mackenzie! xo
Becky says
Quick & hearty! I made this for dinner last night topped with sour cream. Cold night, warm belly.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Becky! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Delaney says
Made this with my own homemade enchilada sauce and oh my was it delicious. My corn bread was a little dry, but I didn’t add all of the maple syrup, maybe that’s why? Either way I will be making this again. I LOVE your website, it’s made cooking vegetarian so easy!
Hi Delaney, thanks so much! The maple syrup does help add moisture. If you prefer not to add sweetener, you could try adding a bit more dairy-free milk next time.
Robin Maganzini says
This was soooo easy to make; and yummy! I will definitely make this again! Can’t wait for my leftovers at lunch!
xo!
VICKY says
I made this and doubled the quantities since I wanted left overs.
The bread part was too thick and dry. Still a great dish and nothing that a scoop of guac couldn’t fix! Delicious! For next time I’m thinking on doubling the quantities for just the beans instead, do you think that ratio would still be good? Thanks!
Sorry that happened, Vicky! Did you include the maple syrup? That should help with moisture or you can try more almond milk or oil. We think more beans would be nice.
Megan says
I made this recipe for my family the other night and it was delicious! I ended up using green enchilada sauce because of preference and it came out great! We’ve added it to our “easy weeknight vegan dinner” list. Thanks :)
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Megan!
Kelley says
This was such a welcome change from our usual taco night! My husband and I loved it. I have a 12 inch cast iron pan and I doubled the bean filling. I only had one bell pepper so I added in some spinach and made a little extra of the cornbread topping (I didn’t double it, just did 1.5 of all ingredients). I also subbed unsweetened macadamia milk for the almond milk in the cornbread. Thank you for another delicious recipe, Dana!
Lovely changes! Thanks for sharing, Kelley!
Jackie says
This was delicious! My entire family loved it! I used a mix of buckwheat and oat flour to make mine gluten free. I think I would double the bean/pepper mixture next time to make it go farther. I made the enchilada sauce from your website. Can’t wait to try that with another recipe. We all loved it so much! I’m so happy to have recipe my entire family likes! Thank you!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Jackie! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Emily says
This was soooo goood!! I did un-veganize it by adding ground beef and cheese, but followed the rest of the recipe as written.
It was the perfect comfort food for a cold, snowy day. I am recommending this recipe to everyone!
Thanks for sharing! So helpful!!
karry says
This was a wonderful recipe. The cornbread layer was just the right level of sweetness (I used exactly the amount of maple syrup as the recipe specified) and the black bean, red pepper and enchilada sauce base was excellent. I did make the enchilada sauce from the Minimalist Baker recipe the night before.
We had it on Valentine’s day and I did try to shape the cornbread into a heart.
We will definitely make this again.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Karry!
Bernadette says
What a darling idea, making a heart out of the cornbread. I’m going to borrow that❣️
Cora Geoffroy says
Made this tonight and my boyfriend and I both loved it! I used regular butter since we aren’t vegan and it was delicious! Loved using the maple syrup to sweeten the corn bread as well. Thanks for another great recipe!
So great! Thanks for sharing, Cora!
Tracy says
This was great! Even enjoyed by my non-vegan hubby!
Yay! Thanks, Tracy!!
Lisa Kirshner says
This was, as expected, delicious. Perfectly warming for a cold night and easy to put together using ingredients I usually have on-hand. The next time I make it I will probably double the “filling” as the cornbread topping (which was delicious) was disproportionate. We also added a little frozen corn to the filling which we enjoyed.
Amazing, thanks for sharing, Lisa!!
Saran says
Hi I love how this recipe sounds ! I want to cook this for my young kids (2&4) but I’m worried the enchilada sauce will
Make it too spicy for them? Can I used “mild” store bought salsa instead ? Or another alternative ?
Hi Saran, we’d suggest making our DIY Enchilada Sauce and leaving out the arbol chilies. Hope that helps!
Melissa says
Another winner. Great recipe. Added corn to give it more depth. Used the enchilada sauce recipe from the butternut squash black bean enchilada recipe – worked great. My husband says it is a keeper.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
Tim says
This was delicious! And extremely fast and easy. Looking forward to modifying with ideas like those in some of the comments. I will definitely double the filling next time as by volume it turned out for me to be about 3/4ths cornbread! Cheers
Great! Thanks for sharing, Tim!!
Stephanie says
I could only find cornbread mix at Whole Foods :( Do I just use that in place of flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder? And add only the oil and milk?
I’d say just follow the package instructions!
Kristin says
I made the recipe as written and it was delicious, filling and perhaps best of all so quick to make! The ratio of cornbread to enchilada filling was just right in my cornbread loving opinion. I used Siete brand sauce, made the filling in a skillet and transferred to a 9 by 9 baking dish.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Kristin!
Lisa W says
I really liked this recipe. It was easy to make and delicious! The only change I would made is to prepare more chili underneath – up to twice as much! Then I would have my preferred proportion of chili to cornbread in each bite.
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Jamie Bissot Rosenshine says
I am looking at using Bob’s red mill GF cornbread mix for this. The package is relatively large. How much would you suggest using?
Probably half the bag? Let us know if you try!
DEBRA says
Loved the bean part, but thought the cornbread topping was too dry. Went back to the recipe to see if i left out anything, like an egg. But no, I had put everything in the recipe called for.
Hi Debra, sorry the cornbread wasn’t a love! We like our cornbread on the crumbly side so next time add a bit of oil or more maple syrup in and it will moisten it right up. xo!
Marlene Allard says
three of us devoured this very quickly – will double the recipe in the future so that there are leftovers:) Added a poblano pepper to keep my spicy people happy. Will definitely make again.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Marlene!
Aarika says
For people who had trouble with the cornbread topping not baking through, dollop the batter on top and leave little spaces. I have a terrible oven and it cooked perfectly into one big piece during baking! Super delicious recipe. Only addition I made was tossing in some leftover sweet potato.
Love that tip, thanks Aarika!
Susan says
Hi Dana. Another delicious, easy recipe to prepare! The kitchen smelled so good while the skillet was in the oven. At the suggestion of other reviewers, I add corn to the onion/red pepper/bean/sauce mixture. It was a very yummy, cozy dinner that I will definitely make again. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Landis says
Made this tonight and once again you knocked it out of the park.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Landis!!
Melissa GC says
Excellent, easy and delicious. Thanks for another recipe for weeknight rotation!! The whole family approved.
Yay! Thanks, Melissa!
Lisa Ellsmore says
This was great! I served it with cheese and avocado on top.
Thanks for sharing, Lisa!!
Devlin McNeil says
Dissatisfied with this recipe. Simplistic and bland flavor palate. Made, ate half a serving, and tossed. Maybe if you doctor it with corn, another protein, and more heat.
Generally love all other Minimalist recipes.
Sorry you didn’t love this one, Devlin! Might I ask what kind of enchilada sauce you used? We prefer our DIY recipe which is quite flavorful and spicy.
meg says
Love this recipe! I only had kidney beans on hand but it still turned out delicious. Also added frozen corn & spinach to bulk it up a bit. Topped it off with cashew cream and it was a huge hit :)
Incredible! Thanks for sharing, Meg!
Bernadette says
OH, cashew cream! Brilliant!
Cecile says
OMG! So good! We added some corn, jalapeño to the beans/red pepper mix. We topped off the cornbread with honey. It was delicious. Thank you for an easy and delicious dinner!
I know! We’re obsessed too! Thanks for sharing, Cecile!
Chelsea says
Easy to make and turned out great! I don’t have a cast iron, so I transferred this to a glass baking dish – the cornbread needed around 30 minutes to fully cook. Looking forward to making this again – I think I may add some soy chorizo next time :)
So great! And great idea with the soy chorizo! Thanks for sharing, Chelsea!
MaryPat says
What a tasty recipe!! Quick to make and great flavor. Might add corn and spinach next time or maybe butternut squash. So many great options to your foundation!! Thanks much!!
Yes! Love those ideas! xoxo
Shannon says
This was really good and easy to make. My only suggestion would be to add more of the chilli portion to the recipe – I found cornbread / chilli ratio to be a little off balance.
I hear ya! We’re big cornbread fans so we love the ratio. But that’s a great suggestion!
robyn says
Made this for dinner tonight. It was so easy and delicious! I used the frontera green enchilada sauce I was very pleased with the results. mine was GF – I used king arthur’s GF flour mix – great consistency. This will be a go to for these chilly winter nights and its also a great dish to bring to a potluck. Nice presentation in a cast iron pot. Next time I think I would double the bean proportion. Thanks for another winner of a recipe. I can always count on Minimalist Baker for great taste and ease.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Robyn! xo
DebbieA says
Thank you! I didn’t know what dinner was going to be and then saw your post. This was incredibly easy and quick and delish with a massaged kale salad.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it =) Thanks for sharing, Debbie!
Terri says
So good! Quick and satisfying. Another MB success–thanks!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Terri! xo
Kaitlyn says
This was great! I added sweet potato and kale with the onion and pepper which bulked it up a bit more. Very satisfying and a quick weeknight meal.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Janice Short says
Thanks so much for your reply. I was just reading today’s Valentine’s day Roundup, which is swimming with great recipes. I want to make them all! but I’m going to make the cornbread Skillet first, as soon as I slow cook some black beans . I’ll let you know how it turns out. You’re the best!
Thanks for your kind words, Janice =) We hope you love it!
Maya says
Store bought enchilada sauce isn’t readily available where I live (nor are the ingredients for the homemade version), is there something else that could work instead? Would adding a can of diced tomatoes make it too bland?
Thanks in advance, look forward to trying this!
Hi Maya, for the enchilada sauce, what about doing the homemade version, but subbing a mix of red bell pepper and canned chipotle chilies in adobo? We don’t think diced tomatoes would add enough flavor, unfortunately.
Erin says
Made this last night, it was so good! Definitely would make again! I think my cornmeal is coarse and I think the cornbread would come out much better with a finer cornmeal, but it was still great and I’m mad I didn’t double the recipe! I did add vegan chorizo crumbles that I happened to have, so good!
Woah, love your addition, Erin! Thanks so much for sharing! And yes, fine cornmeal is our preferred in cornbread for a better texture, but it can be more challenging to find.
LARobbins says
Thank you for the Cornbread & Black Bean Enchilada Bake recipe.
How do we make vegan butter?
Warm wishes.
Hi, we don’t have a recipe for vegan butter and typically buy it from the store. Examples of brands include Earth Balance and Miyokos. Hope that helps!
Ruth says
Mmmmmmm definitely trying this!
When you say cornmeal, is it the corn flour used for arepas? Or the one used for polenta? Or would both work? (I’m not familiar with cornbread)
Thanks
Hi Ruth, masarepa is cooked, but cornmeal is not. Corn grits for making polenta are similar, but are a coarser grind – you’d need to grind it more finely to avoid hard, crunchy bits. We like Bob’s Red Mill fine cornmeal – it should be labeled as such. Hope that helps!
Magda says
Genius! Just having this for lunch. Very easy to make and very very tasty! Never made corn bread before and it came out perfect! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Magda. Thanks so much for sharing!
Pamela Shull says
I made this recipe tonight.. the cornbread didn’t cook all the way so center below was raw batter. I will make again but next time I will bake it without the batter and make muffins on the side. The flavor s were good but beware the cornbread didn’t cook through even after over 45 minutes. That is why I am giving it a three star rating.
Oh no! We’re so sorry to hear that was your experience, Pamela. We wonder what type of flour you used? Or did you make any modifications?
Annie Mitchell says
The recipe sounds delicious, but I can’t eat bell pepper. What do you suggest for a veggie to substitute for the filling?
Hi Annie, We’d suggest finely chopped carrot for a similar sweetness. Cook until softened in step 3. Let us know how it goes!
Denise Bory says
I made the Cornbread and Black Bean Enchilada Bake recipe for dinner tonight and it was very good. Both my husband and I felt it could have had more filling under the cornbread topping and I had also added frozen corn to the bean mixture. It just seemed rather flat. Next time I will add more veg to the mix and maybe a another bean to round it out. Very good though. Served with guac and corn chips. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the feedback, Denise! Your modification ideas sound great! Another idea would be to increase the batch size and cook in a larger skillet.
Janice Short says
Question. I have a 12-inch cast iron skillet, a 9-inch pyrex pie plate, an 8- inch pyrex baking dish. Any advice if any of these will work? This looks great and I’d really like to try it.
Hi Janice, we’d suggest using the 12-inch cast iron skillet and making a slightly larger batch (perhaps 6 servings?). Let us know how it goes!
Rebekah says
This recipe was wonderful with some modifications!! I did not have the ingredients for the enchilada sauce and so I made a chili instead. The added cornbread was perfect and this was so easy to make. Can’t wait to try it with the enchilada sauce next time.
Smart! Thanks for sharing, Rebekah! xo
Mary says
This was a great meal that came together quick. It didn’t appear to be substantial enough so I added another can of black beans. My husband and I both enjoyed the meal, as did our 3 and 5 year olds. Will def make again!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modification!
c. sloan says
could you use self rising cornmeal??
It should work in place of the dry ingredients. Let us know if you try it!
Toria says
Would this work with white whole wheat flour?
We haven’t tried it, but we think it would work. Let us know if you try it!
Brittnie says
Can I sub the cornbread for gluten free pre made cornbread mix?
That should work!