Easy Cornbread Recipe: A Protein-Rich Loaf

Dito|August 3, 2026

My easy cornbread recipe for breakfasts or luxury meals

I do like corn, as you may have gathered already. Corn tortillas, tacos, tostadas, elote – I am always prepared to find another role for corn. But cooking tortillas first thing in the morning? Well, sometimes I simply cannot be bothered. There, I said it.

What I wanted was something I could batch-cook, keep ready and use to construct a genuinely quick breakfast. Something comforting, savoury, naturally gluten-free and substantial enough to accompany my morning coffee.

That is how I arrived at this easy cornbread recipe, inspired by a recipe from The America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School Cookbook (for their Mexican cookbook, see my review of the best cookbooks here). I adapted it slightly by adding Greek yoghurt instead of sour cream and replacing cow’s milk with soya milk, making the finished cornbread a little richer in protein while keeping that distinctive toasted-corn flavour.

The result is somewhere between a rustic loaf and classic American cornbread: golden around the edges, tender inside and sturdy enough to toast in a frying pan the following morning.

What Is Cornbread?

Cornbread is a quick bread made primarily from cornmeal. Unlike yeasted bread, it rises with baking powder, baking soda or a combination of the two.

There are many different styles of cornbread. Some are sweet and cake-like, while others are more savoury, crumbly and intensely corn-flavoured. This version sits comfortably on the savoury side, although two tablespoons of sugar round out the flavour without turning it into dessert.

Toasting the cornmeal before mixing the batter makes a real difference. It intensifies the sweet, nutty aroma of the corn and gives the finished bread considerably more personality. That sounds good to me.

Why This Cornbread Recipe Works

This recipe is particularly useful because it:

can be cooked ahead for quick breakfasts;
contains no wheat flour and very little sugar;
has additional protein from Greek yoghurt and eggs;
can be served with both savoury and sweet toppings;
tastes particularly good when sliced and toasted;
requires no kneading, proving that breakfast does not always need to become a personal development exercise.

Protein-Rich Cornbread Recipe

Makes: 1 loaf, approximately 10 slices
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: approximately 15–30 minutes
Total time: approximately 55 minutes, including cooling

Ingredients

2¼ cups stone-ground cornmeal, approximately 350–360g
1½ cups full-fat Greek yoghurt, approximately 340g
½ cup whole milk or unsweetened soya milk, approximately 120ml
¼ cup vegetable oil, approximately 60ml
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, approximately 70g, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons sugar, approximately 25g
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs

Do not use a very light or watery plant milk here. I used full-bodied soya milk, which adds a little more protein and works very well with the cornmeal.

And, truth be told, I forgot the baking soda when I made mine. I added a touch more baking powder instead and the cornbread still worked perfectly well. So, should this happen to you, there is no need to call an emergency family meeting.

How to Make Cornbread

1. Heat the oven

Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 200°C, or approximately 180°C fan.

Prepare a medium loaf tin. A shallower tin will cook more quickly, while a deep loaf tin may require additional baking time.

2. Toast the cornmeal

Place the cornmeal in a dry frying pan over medium heat.

Toast it for approximately three minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes fragrant. Watch it carefully: we want warm, nutty corn, not evidence for the insurance company.

Transfer the toasted cornmeal to a large mixing bowl.

I must add that you should not skip this step. It adds just a ton of wonderful corn aromas and flavours.

3. Hydrate the cornmeal

Add the Greek yoghurt and milk or soya milk to the cornmeal. Whisk until thoroughly combined, then set the mixture aside while you prepare the fats.

Allowing the cornmeal to absorb some of the liquid helps produce a softer, less gritty texture.

4. Heat the butter and oil

Wipe the frying pan clean and add the vegetable oil.

Heat it until the oil begins to shimmer. Carefully add the butter and gently swirl the pan until the butter has melted.

Reserve approximately one tablespoon of the butter-and-oil mixture for greasing the loaf tin.

Pour the remaining mixture into the cornmeal batter and whisk until incorporated.

5. Finish the batter

Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until evenly distributed.

Finally, add the eggs and whisk just until you have a smooth, thick batter.

6. Bake the cornbread

Brush the loaf tin generously with the reserved butter-and-oil mixture.

Pour in the batter and smooth the top.

Bake until the top begins to crack, the edges are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out without wet batter.

My cornbread cooked very quickly, but the exact time will depend on the shape and depth of your tin. Begin checking it after 15 minutes; a deeper loaf may need 25–30 minutes.

7. Cool and serve

Leave the cornbread to cool in the tin for approximately 15 minutes.

Carefully remove it and serve warm or leave it to cool completely before slicing.

The cooling stage helps the crumb settle, making the cornbread easier to cut and toast.

Is Cornbread Gluten-Free?

This particular cornbread recipe contains no wheat flour. Corn is naturally gluten-free, but packaged cornmeal can be exposed to gluten during processing. Anyone cooking for a person with coeliac disease should use cornmeal, baking powder and other packaged ingredients specifically labelled gluten-free, while also avoiding cross-contact in the kitchen.

Cornbread Nutritional Information

The following figures are estimates based on the ingredients listed above, using full-fat Greek yoghurt and unsweetened soya milk.

The precise nutrition will depend on your brands, the amount of moisture lost during baking and the final weight of the loaf. Standard food-composition databases calculate nutritional values both by serving and per 100g; weighing the finished loaf will therefore give you the most accurate homemade result.

Estimated nutrition per 100g

Calories: approximately 325–330 kcal
Carbohydrates: approximately 36g
Protein: approximately 8g
Fat: approximately 17g
Fibre: approximately 5g

Estimated nutrition per slice

Based on cutting the loaf into ten slices:

Calories: approximately 295 kcal
Carbohydrates: approximately 33g
Protein: approximately 7g
Fat: approximately 16g
Fibre: approximately 3g

I would describe this as more protein-rich than a basic cornbread, rather than a pure protein food. The Greek yoghurt, soya milk and eggs make it more satisfying, but the main ingredient, and therefore the main nutritional contribution, is still cornmeal.

How to Serve Cornbread for Breakfast

The beauty of this cornbread is that breakfast becomes almost suspiciously easy.

Today, I simply toasted a slice in a frying pan for a few minutes and served it with Greek yoghurt. It was warm, crisp around the edges, creamy on top and very good with coffee.

But there are many other directions you can take it.

The substantial breakfast

Toast a thick slice and spoon chilli con carne (or chilli non carne) over the top.

Beans, tomatoes and spices turn it into a complete, filling meal. Add avocado, coriander, salsa or a spoonful of yoghurt if you are feeling organised.

The veggie breakfast

Serve toasted cornbread alongside a Greek salad or a Georgian tomato-and-cucumber salad.

Cornbread works particularly well with juicy tomatoes, herbs, olives, avocado, roasted peppers and sharp vinaigrettes.

You could also top it with sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach and a fried or poached egg.

The Mexican breakfast

Top a slice with refried beans, avocado, salsa verde and pink pickled onions.

A little salsa macha or chipotle sauce would also be entirely appropriate. Possibly compulsory when you have them done (see my Salsa System for recipes).

Ah, I do want to make this version next time so much! But I do not have a batch of refried beans at hand. What a shame. Well, until tomorrow that it!

The luxury breakfast

I remember, a long time ago, during my business trip to Boston, eating cornbread with lobster salad, and yes, it was every bit as good as it sounds.

Crab, prawns or smoked fish would work beautifully too, especially with lime, fresh herbs and a creamy dressing.

The fruity breakfast

Serve warm cornbread with Greek yoghurt and blueberries, strawberries, peaches or another seasonal fruit.

A little honey or maple syrup can be added, although the cornbread itself already has a gentle sweetness.

The very simple breakfast

Toast it in butter and serve it with coffee.

Not every morning needs a concept.

I’m definitely not a morning person.

Can You Make Cornbread Ahead?

Absolutely, that was the entire point of this exercise.

Bake the loaf in advance, allow it to cool and slice it when needed. Toasting the slices in a dry frying pan or with a small amount of butter brings back the crisp edges and warm corn aroma.

You can also freeze individual slices separated by baking paper, making it easy to take out only what you need.

Cornbread FAQs

Can I use soya milk in cornbread?

Yes. Unsweetened soya milk works particularly well because it has a creamy texture and more protein than many lighter plant milks.

Why should I toast the cornmeal?

Toasting intensifies the aroma and gives the cornbread a deeper, nuttier corn flavour. It only takes a few minutes, so this is one additional step I would not skip.

Can I omit the baking soda?

The combination of acidic yoghurt and baking soda helps the cornbread rise. However, I accidentally omitted it, added slightly more baking powder and still had a good result. The exact texture may differ, but breakfast will survive.

Is this cornbread sweet or savoury?

It is primarily savoury, with just enough sugar to balance the natural earthiness of the cornmeal. It can therefore work with chilli, salads, eggs, seafood, yoghurt or fruit.

My Cornbread Verdict

This cornbread has solved a very specific morning problem: I want something delicious and corn-based, but I do not necessarily want to begin every day by pressing tortillas.

It is easy to batch-cook, flexible enough for several different breakfasts and particularly good once toasted. The yoghurt and eggs give it a little extra protein, while the stone-ground cornmeal keeps it rustic, fragrant and satisfying.

Would you cook it?

And, more importantly, what would you put on top?

[Tacos Craft | Tortillas and Masa | Salsa Magic]