Vegan Taco Pot Pie Black Beans (Printable version)

A plant-based Tex-Mex casserole with seasoned black beans and fluffy cornbread topping, ideal for cozy meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Taco Filling

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
08 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
14 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained if using canned
15 - 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
16 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth

→ Cornbread-Style Topping

17 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
18 - 1 cup fine cornmeal
19 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
20 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
21 - 2 tablespoons organic sugar
22 - 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
23 - 1/4 cup neutral oil
24 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic, bell peppers, and zucchini, cooking for 5 additional minutes.
03 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with juices, and vegetable broth. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Pour the taco filling evenly into the prepared baking dish.
06 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
07 - In a separate bowl, combine plant-based milk, oil, and apple cider vinegar.
08 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
09 - Spoon the cornbread batter evenly over the taco filling, spreading gently to cover.
10 - Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh cilantro, avocado, or salsa.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and filling but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The contrast between the spiced bean filling and fluffy cornbread topping hits differently every single time.
  • You can feed six people or meal-prep for yourself without anyone feeling like they're eating diet food.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the cornbread batter or you'll end up with something dense and tough instead of fluffy and tender.
  • The apple cider vinegar isn't optional because it reacts with the baking powder to create the lift that makes the topping light.
03 -
  • Cook your filling until it looks slightly thicker than you'd want to eat alone because the cornbread will soak up liquid as it bakes.
  • Use unsweetened plant-based milk because sweetened versions can make your cornbread topping taste off-balance.
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