Vegan Taco Pot Pie (Printable)

Comforting plant-based casserole with seasoned black beans and cornbread topping.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
14 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained if using canned
15 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) 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

# Steps:

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 ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add drained black beans, corn, canned tomatoes with juices, and vegetable broth to the skillet. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. 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, neutral oil, and apple cider vinegar.
08 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
09 - Spoon the cornbread batter evenly over the taco filling, spreading gently to cover completely.
10 - Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11 - Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh cilantro, avocado slices, or salsa.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like indulgent comfort food, but you'll feel good about what you're eating.
  • The cornbread topping gets crispy and golden while staying fluffy inside, creating a textural moment that makes people pause mid-bite.
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners feel less rushed.
02 -
  • Overmixing the cornbread batter is the one mistake that turns your beautiful topping into something dense and heavy, so stir just until you don't see dry flour anymore.
  • The apple cider vinegar reacting with the plant-based milk creates the lift you need—don't substitute it with lemon juice, which behaves differently, and don't skip it thinking the baking powder alone will be enough.
  • Make sure your baking powder isn't old (check the date on the container) because expired baking powder won't give you that rise and your cornbread will bake flat.
03 -
  • Make the taco filling up to a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator, then assemble and bake when you're ready—this saves time on busy weeknights and means the flavors have melded beautifully.
  • If your plant-based milk is sweetened, reduce the sugar in the cornbread batter to 1 tablespoon so the topping doesn't end up tasting like dessert instead of dinner.
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