Plant-Based Corn Pudding
My mom took to making this southern dish years ago after she moved to Florida. My son had always loved it, so I decided I would try some magic in the kitchen and veganize it! I left out the entire stick of butter that Mom used as well as the sour cream and the canned creamed corn…
The result? Surprise! My son loved it (so did everyone else) just as much! In fact he said, and I quote, “It’s just as good… maybe better ’cause I won’t feel bad after I eat it, knowing it’s healthy.”
I saw a handful of other vegan versions of this Southern holiday tradition online, but they all had lots of oil in them, too… vegan butter, sour cream and the like. No oil needed! The blanched almond flour keeps it moist. The dish is pretty sweet. But you can certainly decrease the amount of maple syrup, or leave it out altogether, if you prefer it to be more savory.
I’ve made a few tweaks over the years and according to my sweet neighbor, who just happens to hail from Alabama, it’s pretty darn close to her mom’s! Yay!
Ingredients
4 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned–I used frozen and thawed)
2 cups non-dairy unsweetened milk (I used soy)
½ cup raw cashews
3 TBS pure maple syrup
¼ cup masa (corn flour)
¼ cup corn meal
1 cup blanched almond flour
1 TBS flax meal
3 TBS corn starch
2 tsp baking powder
small amount of paprika and ground black pepper for topping
The version pictured in these two photos was one of many earlier test recipes… it was a tad dry so I modified it by adding more corn and more plant-milk. Getting just the right texture is tricky with some dishes that are normally loaded with FAT! But the end result was perfection!
Method
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Lightly oil a deep casserole dish. Mine was 2 quarts.
Place the cashews and ½ cup of the milk in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. Add remaining milk, maple syrup and corn starch and blend again until smooth. Add 2 cups of the corn and pulse until combined but still a bit chunky. If you don’t have a high-powered blender you can use any blender, just soak the cashews for about 5 hours prior to blending. I always recommend Vitamix! They are simply the best.
Mix the remaining dry ingredients together (omit the black pepper and paprika.), including the remaining 2 cups of corn kernels.
Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir well to combine.
Pour the mixture into the dish and top with a little ground black pepper and paprika.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400° then lower the temp to 350° and bake for about 45 minutes. The casserole will rise, like a soufflé, and the top will become firm. You’ll know it’s done when it’s a little cracked on the top and the center isn’t wet.
Makes one beautiful casserole to serve 6-8. Enjoy!
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