This simple Spoon Bread recipe combines the savoriness of cornbread and the softness of a souffle in one delicious dish! Made with savory scallions and sharp cheddar cheese, you won’t be able to get enough of this classic Southern recipe.
Spoon Bread is the ultimate Southern side dish. A perfect fit for Sunday brunch or served next to dinner, this savory and fluffy souffle-like recipe is sure to please a crowd.
This cheddar spoon bread recipe is made with savory ingredients, like cornmeal, scallions, and sharp cheddar cheese. The batter is folded together with egg whites before being baked, resulting in a cornmeal souffle that’s so soft and fluffy, you’ll have to eat it with a spoon. Who knew you could bake something so rich and custard-like using budget-friendly ingredients?
Get creative and customize your spoon bread any way you like! Add in roasted corn kernels, spinach, crumbled bacon, leftover glazed ham, or more savory seasonings. It pairs so well with Blackberry Ginger Bellinis for brunch and Fried Chicken for a Southern-inspired feast!
What is spoon bread?
Spoon bread (or spoonbread) is a Southern cornmeal-based, souffle-like side dish or breakfast recipe. While it’s made with similar ingredients to cornbread, spoon bread is so much more light, moist, and served and eaten with a spoon.
This cheddar spoon bread is made with a rich cornmeal, milk, eggs, and butter mixture. Whipped egg whites are then folded into this mixture, just like a traditional souffle. It bakes in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes until it rises and fluffs up.
Ingredients needed
Just like cornbread, spoon bread recipes are made with a base of fine or medium cornmeal. Don’t swap this for grits, polenta, or coarse cornmeal or else the liquid in the batter will not be absorbed.
This is what you need:
- Cornmeal
- Eggs
- Milk
- Butter
- Salt
- Scallions
- Sharp cheddar cheese
I typically make this recipe with my favorite Cabot Sharp Cheddar Cheese. However, I’ve also switched things up by using their Pepperjack Cheese for a little spice, and their Horseradish Cheddar Cheese for a tangy kick. It’s hard to say which is my favorite!
How to make it
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the scallions. Cook until they wilt, then set aside.
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Bring it up to a boil, then turn the heat down and let it simmer. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and salt and cook until it starts to thicken. Take it off the heat and stir in the remaining butter and wilted scallions.
Beat the egg yolks in a bowl. In a larger bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
When the cornmeal mixture has slightly cooled, stir in the egg yolks and cheese. To finish, gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour the mixture into your prepared dish and bake. You’ll know it’s ready when the middle is soft (not liquidy) and the top is puffy and golden brown. Serve right away and enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Master this recipe before adding any customizations. Spoon bread can be delicate so it’s best not to mess with it at first!
- Don’t overmix the cornmeal mixture or else the spoon bread may turn out tough or gummy.
- Very gently fold the egg whites into the cornmeal mixture by running a spatula through the center of the mixture before moving up the sides.
- Try not to deflate the egg whites while still thoroughly mixing everything together. You don’t want to end up with flecks of egg whites throughout the baked spoon bread.
Variations
- Bake the spoon bread in one souffle dish or in individual ramekins.
- Fold bacon, chives, spinach, or corn kernels into the batter.
- Give it a touch of spice with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Make it extra savory with roasted and mashed garlic.
What to serve with spoonbread
Spoon bread can be served with Sunday brunch or on the side of dinner. It’d be delicious next to any of these recipes:
- Potato Latkes
- Sous Vide Egg Bites
- Instant Pot Pork Chops and Gravy
- Breakfast Cookies
- Sous Vide Brisket
More brunch recipes
- Breakfast Tostadas
- Dreamy Cream Scones
- Blackberry Muffins
- Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
- Cranberry Ginger Bellini
More Southern-inspired side dishes
Did you try this cheddar spoon bread?
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Cheddar Spoon Bread
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter (divided, plus more for dish)
- 1 bunch scallions (white and light-green parts, thinly sliced)
- 2 1/2 cups 2% milk
- 1 1/3 cups cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs (separated)
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish, or 8 6-ounce individual ramekins.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet, add the scallions and cook until just wilted. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Slowly add the cornmeal and salt, whisking until it begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 3 TBSP butter and the scallions.
- Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Once the cornmeal mixture has cooled a bit, stir in the egg yolks and cheese. Next, gently fold in the egg whites.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared dish(es) and bake for 40 minutes (30 minutes for individual ramekins). The middle should be soft, but not liquidy, and puffy and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.
Equipment
Nutrition
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This post was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2023 to add new information. The cheesy spoon bread recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
love scuffles and cornbread, so this works for me, thank you, had never heard of spoon bread before!