By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
389 cal · 25 min
My Grandma's 4-Ingredient Cornmeal Porridge
Recipe GLPR5bfeccf767f408
A simple yet satisfying cornmeal porridge made with just four wholesome ingredients: water, salt, butter, and fine cornmeal. This creamy, comforting side dish has been a family favorite for generations. The cornmeal is slowly cooked with butter and seasoning until it becomes smooth and velvety, making it the perfect accompaniment to any meal.
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Ingredients
4 cups Water
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or half the volume if using table salt)
2 tablespoons Butter or ghee
2 cups Fine white cornmeal, such as Albers White Corn Meal
Directions
Pour 4 cups of water into a large saucepan or pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the salt and stir until fully dissolved.
While the water heats, measure out 2 cups of fine white cornmeal. Slowly whisk the cornmeal into the boiling salted water, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Reduce the heat to low and add the butter or ghee to the cornmeal mixture. Stir well to incorporate.
Continue cooking over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and scorching, for about 15-20 minutes until the porridge becomes thick, creamy, and pulls away slightly from the sides of the pot. Serve hot while still steaming.
Comments
This is a genuine Southern breakfast that nails the basics: cornmeal, butter, salt, and water are stocked everywhere in Charlotte—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, ALDI all carry them at rock-bottom prices, so a serving costs under $0.50. The stated 25 minutes is honest for a stovetop porridge, though you'll need to stir frequently to avoid lumps and scorching, which means you can't walk away. It's comfort food that reheats poorly (cornmeal porridge thickens and breaks up when cold), so it's really a breakfast-or-brunch-same-day dish; leftovers go grainy. This is exactly what a grandma's recipe should be—no fuss, no special trip, genuinely cheap—but the texture payoff demands attention and doesn't travel.
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