Featuring sweet cornbread mix plus creamed and whole-kernel corn, Spoon Bread Casserole is an economical and simple dish to bring to your Thanksgiving gathering.
If you received a late invitation to Thanksgiving dinner and are now scrambling to come up with a dish to bring, breathe easy my friend because this super simple and ridiculously delicious Spoon Bread Casserole is a winner. It’s a classic Southern recipe for several reasons: it presents beautifully (like a souffle); hits all the comfort food buttons; is affordable; and is simple to make. You may have all the ingredients in your pantry, thus saving you a hectic last-minute trip to the grocery store and avoiding that madness.
Sometimes called corn pudding, a recipe for Spoon Bread Casserole first appeared in Mary Randolph’s 1824 cookbook, The Virginia Housewife, which is considered to be the first Southern cookbook by many culinary historians. Some historians say she used recipes from James Hemings, who was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson and was the chef at Monticello.
My family for Thanksgiving often had another Southern favorite, fried corn, at Thanksgiving, but I’m loving this Spoon Bread Casserole recipe.Sweet "JIFFY" cornbread mix, creamed corn and milk create a silky, super moist cornbread. When you spoon up a serving still warm from the dish (hence the name spoon bread), it’s almost like wrapping yourself in a warm afghan that Grandma crocheted for you. It’s hard to believe that such a delicious and well-loved casserole will cost you under $5 to make. That’s right; less than five Washingtons. Let’s get cooking.
To make Spoon Bread Casserole, which yields six to eight servings, you’ll need these ingredients:
1 package “JIFFY” Corn Muffin Mix
½ cup butter (1 stick), melted
1 (8¾-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8¾-ounce) can cream style corn
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon black pepper
First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 1½-quart casserole dish.
In a large mixing bowl, pour melted butter, milk, hot sauce, pepper, and both cans of corn into dish. Stir to incorporate.
In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs. Stir into large bowl, add muffin mix and blend thoroughly using a spatula, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes before serving.
I baked my spoon bread in a round casserole to create a beautifully brown dome. However, after sitting on my counter for a couple of hours, the center sunk, so I advise that you serve this right away. If you're taking it to a dinner, prep it at home and ask if you can bake the casserole at the host's home. This spoon bread also can be baked in individual ramekins, which makes a nice table presentation.
Buttermilk or even sour cream could be substituted for milk. The pepper and hot sauce aren’t overwhelming at all but lend just enough spice at the end. This really is a fool-proof casserole that everyone is going to gobble up.
Here's another casserole similar to a spoon bread
Although my family usually made this dish for Easter, my mom’s Carrot Caper is a little like spoon bread (only with carrots) in that the casserole bakes like a souffle and has a hint of sweetness from the carrots.
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