Jalapeño Spoonbread is a Southern dish, it is sort of a cross between a soufflé and polenta — a light, fluffy mixture of cornmeal, water, milk and eggs. You could serve it as a vegetarian main dish or as a side. I like to bake this in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.
Jalapeño Spoonbread: A Delicious and Decadent Southern Dish
Jalapeño Spoonbread is a dish that’s guaranteed to impress anyone who tastes it. It’s rich and creamy, but light and fluffy at the same time, with a nice kick from the jalapeno pepper. If you’ve never tried it before, this Southern delicacy will quickly become one of your favorites. Follow the recipe below to learn how to make it yourself!
It is believed that spoonbread originated in the 18th century as a way for colonists to use up cornmeal left over from milling flour. It was so popular with the locals that it was served at every meal, including breakfast. The dish came to be called spoon bread because of its tendency to be eaten with a spoon, rather than a fork or butter knife.
Serve Jalapeño Spoonbread with Vinegar-Braised Chicken and Onions, Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms or Braised Herbed Chicken.
PrintJalapeño Spoonbread
Jalapeño Spoonbread is a Southern dish, it is sort of a cross between a soufflé and polenta — a light, fluffy mixture of cornmeal, water, milk and eggs. You could serve it as a vegetarian main dish or as a side. I like to bake this in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.
- Prep Time: :15
- Cook Time: :30
- Total Time: :45
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cornmeal, fine or medium, but not coarse
- 2 cups milk (1 percent or 2 percent)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 eggs, separated
- Kernels from 1 ear of corn or 3/4 cup frozen corn (optional)
- 2 jalapeños, seeded if desired and minced
- 2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1/2 cup) (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 2-quart soufflé dish or baking dish.
- Combine the water, milk and salt in a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Slowly add the cornmeal in a very thin stream while stirring all the time with a whisk or a wooden spoon. Turn the heat to low and stir for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
- One at a time, stir in the egg yolks, then add the optional cheese and corn kernels, and the jalapeños.
- In a medium bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium until they form stiff but not dry peaks. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the cornmeal mixture and gently fold in the rest. Scrape into the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until spoonbread is puffed and beginning to brown. Serve at once. Chill leftovers.
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Notes
- Advance preparation: This is best served right away before it collapses. But the leftovers are delicious. Once this is cooled, you can cut it into wedges. You can reheat, serve at room temperature or brown slices or squares in a little oil.
- Variation: If you don’t want the spice of the jalapeño, sauté a diced green bell pepper in a tablespoon of olive oil until tender and stir into the cooked cornmeal instead of the jalapeño.
- Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 185 calories; 4 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 110 milligrams cholesterol; 21 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 367 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein
- Nutritional information per serving (8 servings): 139 calories; 3 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 82 milligrams cholesterol; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 275 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6