Virginia Spoon Bread

Spoon bread isn’t bread at all, honey. It’s somewhere between a souffle and a cornmeal pudding, and it’s been gracing Southern tables since colonial Virginia.

White cornmeal gets stirred into boiling water until smooth, enriched with butter and milk, then lightened with stiffly beaten egg whites that give it that gorgeous puff in the oven.

It comes out golden on top, creamy in the middle, and you serve it straight from the baking dish with a big spoon. It’s the kind of side that makes roast chicken, ham, or braised greens feel like a proper Southern supper.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the cornmeal into the boiling water gradually to avoid lumps. A whisk helps here.
• Let the cornmeal mixture cool to lukewarm before folding in the egg whites. Too hot and you’ll deflate them.
• Fold the egg whites gently. You want to keep as much air as possible for that souffle-like rise.
• Serve immediately. Like a souffle, spoon bread starts to deflate within minutes of leaving the oven.

Variations

• Stir in a cup of sharp cheddar and a few dashes of hot sauce for a savory cheese spoon bread.
• Add a handful of fresh corn kernels in summer for extra sweetness and texture.
• Use yellow cornmeal if that’s what you have. White is traditional in Virginia, but yellow works just fine.