Easy Sweet Potato Spoon Bread Recipe

This easy spoon bread recipe made with sweet potatoes is cross between old-fashioned cornbread casserole with a soufflé pudding texture. This elevated take adds silky mashed sweet potatoes and warm cinnamon flavor to make a comforting side dish perfect for holiday gatherings or weeknight dinners. 

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread

Spoonbread is cross between cornbread, grits, and soufflé, with a slightly sweet pudding-like texture. It’s consistency is along the lines of corn casserole.

It has a firm, puffed crust with a slightly sweet, tender, and rustic interior. It marries the smoothness of a pudding with the texture of creamy grits or polenta.

This recipe for spoon bread adds roasted sweet potatoes to make it a perfect unison of sweet and savory. Cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, with a touch of brown sugar sweetness, are added to the cooked cornmeal.

A complementary dash of pumpkin pie spice adds flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg to the sweet potatoes.

How to Make Sweet Potato Spoon Bread

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Wrap sweet potatoes in foil and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. For a traditional, 0ld-fashioned recipe, replace sweet potatoes with one can of drained sweet corn kernels.
2. In a large saucepan bring milk, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt and pepper to a boil. Slowly whisk in cornmeal and stir constantly until mixture is thick and starts to pull away from the side of the pan. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile beat together cooled sweet potatoes, melted butter, egg yolks, and baking powder.
4. Add the cooked cornmeal mixture to the sweet potatoes and mix well.
5. In a separate small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold in egg whites to sweet potato mixture.
6. Pour in greased casserole dish and bake for 1 hour, or until edges are set and center is soft, but cooked.

Replacing Sweet Potatoes with Corn

If you are looking for a traditional spoon bread recipe, replace the cooked sweet potatoes with 1 can drained sweet corn kernels. Also, omit the pumpkin pie spice seasoning.

Why Beat Egg Whites Separately?

Beating the egg whites separately lightens the texture and gives it a more soufflé -like texture. To save time, though, the whole eggs can be mixed in.

The taste will still be just as fabulous, but it will have a slightly denser texture, more like cornbread casserole.

Is This Recipe Gluten Free?

Yes, since this homemade recipe is made without Jiffy cornmeal mix it is naturally gluten free.

Instead of using a cornbread mixture, this recipe uses a mixture of cornmeal and baking powder. Most old-fashioned versions are gluten free, as long as they don’t include a cornmeal mixture or flour in the ingredients.

Baking Dish Recommendations

You have some options for what type of dish this should be baked in. The recipe calls for a 2 quart casserole dish, but anything that holds a similar volume will work.

For instance, an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan will also work. With a difference in depth, though, there may be some variations with baking times. Start checking at 45 minutes.

How to Tell When it’s Done

The most definitive way to tell if spoon bread is done is to take the temperature using an instant read thermometer. The temperature should read 165°F when inserted in the middle.

Without a thermometer, look for the edges to be golden brown and firm. The top should be soft, yet set.  When inserting a toothpick in the middle there will still be crumbs on it, but not wet. 

Reheating Tips

Leftovers can be rewarmed in the microwave, stirring occasionally.

For an even better day-after treat, try fried spoon bread. Melt butter in a hot cast iron skillet, or another heavy skillet. Scoop out portions, flatten slightly with a spatula, and brown on both sides.

Fried spoon bread can be served with breakfast, smothered with honey butter, drizzled with maple syrup, or a fruit sauce, like blueberry syrup.

Another amazing idea…sprinkle fried spoon bread slices with candied pecans. Yum!

Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa