Easy Spoon Bread

Classic old-fashioned southern spoon bread is so tasty and moist that you may never go back to eating traditional cornbread again. It is like a cross between corn pudding and corn soufflé with a scrumptiously tender custardy texture served with a spoon, hence the name spoonbread.

Spoon bread is so quick to mix that it takes less than ten minutes to prep, all in one large saucepan. With just seven common pantry ingredients, it is a great recipe for last-minute meals. Its classic cornbread taste makes it the perfect side dish for many entrees. I love to serve it with braised beef or roasted chicken, but it is just as delicious with collard greens or hearty beef stew.

What Is Spoon Bread?

Spoon bread is a creamy, moist custard-like cornbread spooned from the casserole dish like a soufflé. It is commonly made with milk, cornmeal, eggs, salt, baking powder, and sometimes sugar and butter. It is delicious and a must-try for any cornbread lover.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.

• Butter: Unsalted or salted. There isn’t a need to adjust the recipe either way.
• Milk: Whole milk is best for a creamy texture.
• Cornmeal: Either white or yellow cornmeal.

How to make Spoon Bread

This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.

First, add the butter to a casserole dish and place it in the preheated oven. Then heat the milk in a large saucepan until fine bubbles start surfacing around the sides of the pan. Next, slowly add the cornmeal to the milk, stirring to combine.

Once well combined, whisk several tablespoons of the hot cornmeal mixture into the beaten eggs and stir to warm them. This technique is known as tempering the eggs. Add the tempered eggs, salt, baking powder, and sugar to the cornbread mixture, stirring to combine. Carefully pour the batter into the hot casserole dish and bake it for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. For best results, serve warm.

Preparation Tips

This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.

• Take the eggs out of the refrigerator about 40 minutes before starting this recipe to bring them to room temperature.
• Temper the eggs by mixing about 1/2 cup of the hot cornmeal mixture into the bowl with the beaten eggs. This warms the eggs so they incorporate into the hot mixture without cooking.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a skillet or the microwave at a reduced power.
• Once cooled, leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months with fairly good results.

Recipe variations

• Vegetables: corn kernels, chopped green onions, or minced jalapeno
• Shredded Cheese: Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or cheddar cheese
• Meat: crispy cooked bacon or smoked ham

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