Spoonbread is the soft, spoonable cornmeal bread that is a traditional Southern soul food side dish.
Unlike firm cornbread, spoonbread has a custard-like texture because cornmeal is cooked with liquid before baking. Eggs help it set while keeping the interior light and tender. It is generally eaten with a spoon rather than sliced into wedges.
The dish is associated with the Southern United States and has parallels in Native American corn-based cooking. Early recipes varied widely: some used milk, while others included eggs, butter, or baking powder. The name describes both its texture and the way it is served.
Spoonbread is often confused with cornbread, corn pudding, and grits. Cornbread is usually firm enough to cut, corn pudding is commonly sweeter and more custard-like, and grits are normally boiled and served as a porridge rather than baked into a side dish.