Yeast Free Classic Spoon Bread
Spoon bread sits somewhere between a soufflé and a savory pudding, and it's one of those old-fashioned Southern dishes that deserves a serious comeback. The base is a thick cornmeal porridge made with whole milk and water, enriched with butter and egg yolks, then lifted sky-high by folding in stiffly beaten egg whites before baking. That technique — not yeast, not a packet of anything — is what gives it its gorgeous, cloud-like rise and that signature golden crown fresh out of the oven. For anyone navigating a yeast-free lifestyle, this is the kind of baked comfort food that genuinely delivers without any workarounds or substitutions. Every ingredient here is naturally free of yeast, so there's no label-reading stress or specialty shopping required. The baking powder does the heavy lifting alongside those whipped whites, creating a tender, custardy center that you scoop straight from the dish at the table. Serve it alongside roasted meats, braised greens, or honestly just a pat of extra butter — it disappears fast either way.
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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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