Creamy Corn Casserole is a delightful side dish that is something between cornbread, souffle, and breakfast bake, topped with a tasty golden-brown crust.
It's perfect for preparing in advance, making it an excellent choice for potlucks and holidays.
Serve this corn casserole with pot roast, pork chops, grilled or fried chicken or even a bowl of chili. So good!
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Why It's Yummy
- Simple ingredients - only readily available fresh ingredients. Also fresh, frozen, or canned corn is suitable.
- This corn casserole is healthier as it is made all from scratch! No Jiffy mix!
- Quick and Easy - This corn casserole comes together with minimal effort and bakes fast.
Ingredients
- Corn - you can use cooked (boiled or grilled), frozen (thawed), or use canned corn. Make sure to drain it from excess water first. Creamed corn is not suitable.
- Butter - butter adds extra moisture and richness to the corn casserole.
- Flour - we like to use gluten-free flour blends but feel free to use regular all-purpose. It helps to thicken the mixture.
- Jalapenos - jarred jalapenos or green chiles. Drain the juice as much as possible before chopping these.
- Granulated sugar - adds a touch of sweetness to the corn. We use just a tablespoon of sugar but you could leave it out entirely or just half the amount.
- Eggs - helps to bind all the ingredients together and create a souffle or pudding-like texture.
- Cheese - You’ve got options! Swiss cheese, Havarti, Provolone, Colby, Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese works well.
- OPTIONAL TOPPING - add a crunchy topping with crackers or cornflakes just like in this ham and potato casserole or ritz chicken casserole.
The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.
How To Make Corn Casserole
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 C) and place the oven rack in the middle position.
Give a light spray to an 8 or 9-inch baking dish that can hold about 2 quarts.
STEP 2: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of flour until the mixture is smooth without any lumps.
Keep this mixture aside for a moment.
STEP 3: Melt butter in a medium to large saucepot over medium heat.
Add heavy cream, ¼ cup more milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Simmer.
Gradually whisk in the milk-flour mix for about 1 minute until well combined.
STEP 4: Remove the pot from heat; add corn kernels, cheese, and jalapenos.
Stir well, then set aside.
STEP 5: Separately, beat the eggs with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until they're nice and frothy.
Gradually add beaten eggs to the corn and cheese mixture, stirring constantly to avoid unwanted curdling.
STEP 6: Once everything is mixed up nicely, pour this filling into the prepped baking dish.
Here you could add some chopped scallions and a sprinkle of paprika if you wish.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top becomes all puffed up and turns a beautiful golden brown.
When it's done, take it out of the oven and let it set in the baking dish for about 15 minutes before serving.
SERVE! Sprinkle with more parsley and crumbled bacon on top. We love to serve it with roasted turkey breasts, gravy or turkey wraps.
Recipe Troubleshoot
Why is my corn casserole soupy?
Avoid sogginess by using fresh corn; drain if needed. Measure ingredients precisely, especially heavy cream—don't substitute with half and half or regular milk, ensuring a perfect homemade casserole.
Help! My corn casserole seems curdled!
To prevent curdling, ensure the correct baking temperature; high temperatures may lead to egg curdling and texture issues. Verify oven accuracy with a thermometer.
Is corn casserole supposed to be gooey?
Corn casserole should be moist and creamy, resembling a mix of cornbread and custard with structure. Gooeyness suggests undercooking or ingredient imbalance.
What Corn To Use?
Boiled, grilled corn on the cob kernels, canned corn (which is just water, corn, and some salt), or frozen and thawed corn.
All these work here amazing but while canned corn is good, the unmatched flavor of fresh corn off the cob is unbeatable!
Tips
- For optimal outcome, allow your eggs, milk and heavy cream to reach room temperature before adding them to casserole.
- Adjust baking time if slightly runny; a deeper dish may need longer. If it browns too quickly, cover with foil until done.
- Consider omitting the sugar - While some prefer a savory touch, I appreciate how it enhances the corn's sweetness. Feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
- Let it set - The crucial step for any casserole is to let it sit after baking, allowing it to solidify and gain structure - much like with lasagna or by Frittata.
- Try more corn recipes: spicy cornbread muffins, corn dip, avocado corn salad, cajun corn on the cob.
How To Serve Corn Casserole
- Pork Ribs or Pork Chops
- Fried Chicken
- Roasted Turkey Breasts
- Vegetarian Chili
- Sausage dirty rice
- Mac & cheese or bacon cheeseburger pasta
- Marinated veg salad or cucumber salad
Or explore more ideas in this roundup about what to serve with corn casserole.
Storing Leftovers
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover creamy corn casserole in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
- To Freeze. Wrap the casserole in storage wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for 2 months. However, due to its custardy and creamy texture, freezing might cause separation upon reheating. As this casserole has a relatively short baking time, consider making it fresh and storing it in the fridge rather than freezing it.
- To Reheat. Let the casserole sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then reheat casserole in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 C) for around 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave individual portions but I prefer an oven.
- Make ahead. Make the mixture, transfer to the dish, cover with wrap, and refrigerate. Before baking, let it reach room temperature as the oven preheats, then bake as directed!
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Recipe
Corn Casserole (Fresh, Frozen or Canned Corn)
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup full-fat or low-fat milk, divided
- ½ cup heavy cream, at least 35% fat
- 2 tablespoon butter, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon sugar, see notes
- 2 tablespoon flour, GF blend or all purpose
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 4 cups corn kernels, canned, fresh or frozen (thawed) – well drained
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon jarred jalapenos, diced small
- Parsley for garnish
- Black pepper to taste if needed, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 C) and place the oven rack in the middle position.
- Give a light spray to an 8 or 9-inch baking dish that can hold about 2 quarts.
- In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of flour until the mixture is smooth without any lumps. I used a whisk for this. Keep this mixture aside for a moment.
- Melt butter in a medium to large saucepot over medium heat.
- Add heavy cream, another ¼ cup of milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Let this mixture simmer gently.
- Slowly incorporate the milk and flour mixture you made earlier into the pot while constantly whisking (whisk for about 1 minute). Keep this up for about a minute until it's all nicely combined.
- Take the pot off the heat and toss in the corn kernels, cheese, and jalapenos. Give everything a good stir to mix it all up, and then set it aside.
- Separately, beat the eggs with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until they're nice and frothy.
- Gently pour the beaten eggs into the pot with the corn and cheese mixture while stirring continuously. This helps prevent the eggs from turning into unwanted curdles.
- Once everything is mixed up nicely, pour this filling into the prepped baking dish. Here you could add some chopped scallions and a sprinkle of paprika if you wish.
- Pop the dish into the preheated oven and let it bake for 30 minutes, or until the top becomes all puffed up and turns a beautiful golden brown.
- When it's done, take it out of the oven and let it set in the baking dish for about 15 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle with more parsley and crumbled bacon on top before serving.
VIDEO
NOTES
- Serves 6-8 portions.
- What does it taste like? The corn casserole combines cornbread flavor with a moist, creamy texture that's slightly sweet from the corn and sugar, featuring a blend of fluffiness and crunchy corn goodness. It's similar to pudding but tastes more like a good old breakfast bake!
- Making ahead of time - Planning to prepare this ahead of time? Follow the instructions to create the mixture, transfer it to your prepared dish, cover it with storage wrap, and refrigerate until needed. Prior to baking, allow the casserole to come to room temperature as the oven preheats, then proceed with baking as instructed!
- For optimal outcome, allow your eggs, milk and heavy cream to reach room temperature before adding them to casserole. Cold ingredients can cause the melted butter to solidify, impacting the creamy texture of the casserole.
- Consider omitting the sugar - its use in corn casserole sparks debate. While some prefer a savory touch, I appreciate how it enhances the corn's sweetness. Feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
- Let it set - The crucial step for any casserole is to let it sit after baking, allowing it to solidify and gain structure - much like with lasagna or by Frittata.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
More Holiday Sides
- Green Bean Casserole
- Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Cornbread Jalapeno Muffins
- Whipped Sweet Potatoes
- Twice Baked Sweet Potato
- Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
FAQs
Absolutely! Eggs play a vital role in binding the casserole, giving it structure.
Yes! You can prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate it until baking. Just allow it to sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before baking. Perfect for dinner parties!
Pork tenderloin, pork chops, glazed ham, fried chicken and of course chili. Read more about options in the blog post above.
You don't necessarily need to cover it unless you'll be using a deep casserole dish where it might take you longer to bake. In this case, towards the end of cooking, cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Your corn casserole is ready when the top is lightly browned and the center is firm without jiggling.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Easy and quick creamy corn casserole is ideal for potlucks, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!
Linda Powell
I added crawfish, ham and bacon bits along with Worcestershire sauce … it was a big hit !
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
so creative! I must try this variation!