007 / 75 · Cupboard Suppers

Baked Bean and Onion Cornbread Supper

1 square supper bake cut into 4 portions · Active 20 min · Total 1 hr 5 min

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Prepared baked beans can support a proper oven supper when paired with a savory cornbread lid. Soft onion adds another texture underneath, and a modest amount of cheddar seasons the top. The cornbread contains no added sugar because the beans already bring sweetness from their sauce. Choose vegetarian baked beans if you want this meal to remain meatless, and check the can rather than assuming every brand has the same ingredients.

Jump to ingredients

Cornbread-topped baked beans and onion with a serving lifted from the dish.

Use a dish with room above the beans

A nine-inch square baking dish at least two inches deep gives the beans space to bubble beneath the topping. A very shallow tray encourages the sauce to climb over the edge. Warm the beans before adding batter so the underside of the cornbread begins cooking promptly. Spread the batter in small spoonfuls, then join them gently; dragging a heavy mound through the beans mixes away the layers.

Check the center under the crust

A golden surface is not proof that the batter underneath is cooked. Insert a thermometer through the center of the topping and check for 165°F/74°C. A skewer should show tender crumbs rather than wet batter. Resting for ten minutes makes the four portions easier to lift, although the beans will still be saucy and are best served with a broad spoon.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons neutral oil (10 ml)
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced (150 g)
  • 2 cans vegetarian baked beans in sauce (15 oz/425 g each; 850 g total, undrained)
  • 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal (100 g)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90 g)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (6 g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
  • 1 large egg (50 g without shell)
  • 3/4 cup 2% milk (180 ml)
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (60 g)

Set out

9-inch/23 cm square baking dish at least 2 inches/5 cm deep, Skillet, Mixing bowls, Food thermometer

Allergens

Wheat, Egg, Milk, Check baked-bean label for mustard or other ingredients. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat and cook onion for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in both cans of beans with their sauce and heat until steaming. Pour into the baking dish.
  2. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl whisk egg and milk, then stir into dry ingredients just until combined.
  3. Spoon batter in small mounds across the warm beans and gently spread into an even lid. Scatter cheddar across the surface.
  4. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and the center of the cornbread reaches 165°F/74°C with no wet batter underneath. Rest for 10 minutes, cut the topping into four portions and serve each with one quarter of the beans.

Read the whole can

Bean sauce varies in sweetness and saltiness, so this recipe does not add more of either to the filling. Compare plain-size cans by their usable contents and choose a familiar product. The goal is to turn a cupboard item into dinner, not to buy a premium variety for a topping that will hide it.

A useful detail

Do not drain the baked beans: their sauce is part of this recipe. A can of plain beans in water is not a direct substitute.

Another way

  • Use 60 g grated mature Gouda instead of cheddar if that is the cheese already open.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika to the warm beans for a different savory flavor.

Keep it well

Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat covered to 165°F/74°C throughout, uncovering briefly at the end if desired. The cornbread absorbs more sauce overnight and will be softer.