Dairy-Free Caramelized Onion Spoonbread

This dairy-free caramelized onion spoonbread is lightly sweet, oniony, and moist! It’s a perfect side to pair with barbecue or any dish you might serve regular cornbread with, such as chili. This would also be a perfect pairing for my Sunday pot roast recipe! https://bit.ly/2PVuZh0

I bought a big quarantine bag of cornmeal for my easy gluten-free onion rings (link: https://bit.ly/3fVrBx9) and realized I had no idea what to do with the rest of it. I like a good corn muffin, but wanted something different. Then it dawned on me: spoonbread! It’s a kind of very moist cornbread. Called spoonbread because you dish it out with a spoon instead of slicing it.

I’d never had spoonbread until recently, and I fell in LOVE. I don’t think it’s common in upstate New York where I’m originally from, I hadn’t even heard of it until I moved to Kentucky. Maybe I’m just sheltered, I don’t know. Where I’m from people I knew mostly ate Italian bread, or roti, or sometimes regular cornbread. Not spoonbread.

Spoonbread is a pretty old food that is thought to have native American origins. If you’re a food history nut like me, check out this short article from relish: https://bit.ly/3iHBLDE If you’re not a history buff that’s cool too, you can just make the recipe. I promise I won’t be mad.

Down home, inexpensive food. This is made with common pantry ingredients, at least they’re common if you eat dairy-free anyway! This dairy-free caramelized onion spoonbread is also naturally gluten-free! If you’re making this for someone who has gluten issues, use certified gluten-free cornmeal.

When I tasted this version of spoonbread I thought it was great of course, otherwise I wouldn’t have shared it with you. But, I had the thought that you know what else would be delicious? A sweeter, breakfast version! So be on the lookout for that soon.

Print Recipe

Dairy-Free Caramelized Onion Spoonbread

Author: Mary Ellis Cooking Method: Baked, Stove-Top

Difficulty: Easy Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 60 mins Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

Servings

• 2 cup unsweetened soy milk (or almond/cashew milk)
• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 2 medium onions
• 5 tbsp vegan butter (plant based buttery spread)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp sugar (or sugar substitute such as erythritol)
• 1 tsp molasses
• 2 ice cubes
• 2 eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x9 casserole dish or similarly sized equivalent.
2. Chop two onions and put in a pan with the butter. Cook on medium-low for 12 minutes. Stir occasionally.
   
3. Turn heat up to medium-high and cook onions an additional 8 minutes. Stir Often.
4. Remove onions from the heat and add two ice cubes to start the cooling process. Measure 1 cup of soy milk and add to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
   
5. While waiting for the soy milk to boil, measure out the cornmeal, sugar (or substitute), salt, and molasses into a heat-safe large bowl (metal or pyrex works). Measure out another cup of cold soymilk and set aside.
   
6. When the soymilk boils, add it to the cornmeal and whisk well as you add it. Let sit for a minute or two.
7. Add the onions and butter, and the cold soy milk and combine.
8. Add the eggs and baking soda to the bowl and whisk thoroughly.
   
9. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish.
   
10. Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until its fully set and lightly browned.
    
11. Enjoy! This is best served hot, straight from the oven.