These corn cakes are crisp at the edges and full of sweet kernels, held together with cornmeal and chickpea flour instead of eggs and wheat. They're naturally gluten-free.
The smoky tomato pesto is the perfect partner: sun-dried tomatoes, almonds and smoked paprika blitzed with olive oil. Make extra; it's good on pasta and sandwiches too.
The original Princess Tofu blog published a gluten-free corn cakes with smoked tomato pesto recipe back in 2014, and food sites still link to it. This is our own fully vegan version, written from scratch.
Ingredient notes and swaps
- Chickpea flour: rice flour or more cornmeal.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: roasted red peppers.
Tips for success
- Let the batter rest so the cornmeal hydrates.
- Don't flip too early; wait for a golden underside.
Variations
- Courgette: add grated, squeezed courgette.
- Mexican: add black beans and serve with pico de gallo.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Corn Cakes with Smoky Tomato Pesto
Prep15 min
Cook20 min
Total35 min
MakesAbout 12 cakes
Ingredients
Smoky tomato pesto
- 60 g (½ cup) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 30 g (¼ cup) toasted almonds
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Small handful of basil
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt
Corn cakes
- 300 g (2 cups) sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 100 g (⅔ cup) fine cornmeal or polenta
- 50 g (scant ½ cup) chickpea flour
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 120 ml (½ cup) plant milk
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 1 red chili, chopped (optional)
- Oil, for frying
Method
- Blend all the pesto ingredients to a coarse paste. Season to taste.
- Blitz half the corn in a food processor until roughly chopped.
- Mix the cornmeal, chickpea flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the milk, then all the corn, the spring onions and chili. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
- Drop in heaped tablespoons of batter, flatten slightly and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. Drain on paper.
- Serve warm with the pesto.
Notes
Keep warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.
Pesto keeps a week in the fridge under a layer of oil.
FAQ
Can I bake the corn cakes?
Yes, on an oiled tray at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, turning once.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Reheat in the oven to crisp.
Are they gluten-free?
Yes, if your cornmeal and baking powder are labelled gluten-free. Corn and chickpea flour contain no gluten.
Is pesto usually vegan?
Classic pesto contains Parmesan, which isn't vegan or even vegetarian. This one uses almonds and sun-dried tomatoes instead.
Can I use canned corn?
Yes. Drain it very well and pat it dry.