Emulsifier Free Classic Spoon Bread
Spoon bread sits somewhere between a soufflé and a cornbread casserole — custardy in the center, golden on top, and scooped straight from the dish at the table like the Southern comfort food it truly is. What makes this version so clean is that every ingredient is exactly what it sounds like: whole milk, water, stone-ground cornmeal, butter, eggs, and a pinch of baking powder. There are no stabilizers, no lecithins, no mono- and diglycerides hiding in a packaged mix — just real pantry staples doing honest work. The lift comes entirely from hand-beaten egg whites folded carefully into the warm cornmeal base, which means the texture is airy and light without relying on any additive to hold it together. Beating those whites to firm, glossy peaks and folding them in gently is the one technique worth paying attention to, and the payoff is a puffed, wobbling dish that smells incredible the moment it hits the oven. It bakes up deep golden brown in about 35 to 40 minutes and needs to go straight to the table — this is not a make-ahead situation, and that urgency is part of the charm. Serve it alongside roasted chicken, braised greens, or honestly just a pat of extra butter.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
- 2
Combine the milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens to a stiff porridge and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
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