Corn Casserole all zazzed up! Bursty bites of cream-style corn and sweet corn plus garlic, bacon, and cheese throughout – so you know it’s really, really good!
Everybody’s Favorite Corn Casserole
Clear a spot on the Thanksgiving table this year for this deliciously savory, unstoppably scoopable corn casserole with its hint of sweet, its confetti of bacon, and pulls of sharp cheddar cheese. There is a new side dish in town and it is not messing around.
Featured comment
I really loved this – taste, texture, all of it!
Jess
This post is sponsored by ButcherBox.
In This Post: Everything You Need For Corn Casserole
- VIDEO for How to Make Corn Casserole
- Difference Between Creamed Corn vs. Corn Casserole vs. Cornbread
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Corn Casserole
- What to Serve with Corn Casserole
- Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
Corn Casserole and Holiday Turkey: A Match Made In Heaven
This corn recipe has been a holiday favorite with my family over the years (hence the name “everybody’s favorite”)! We make it every year.
This year, we get to re-share this favorite recipe in partnership with ButcherBox and I get to tell you about how you can get a FREE TURKEY to be serving alongside your corn casserole at the Thanksgiving or holiday meal.
How it works: if you’re a new member, click here to get a 10-14 pound turkey totally free in your first box! You just have to make sure you sign up by Sunday, November 13th.
I’ve been using ButcherBox personally for the last year – I actually signed up when they had their turkey deal LAST year, so I got in on the free turkey action myself!
Being a ButcherBox customer for the last year, I have felt so good about buying from a company that prioritizes family farms, sustainability, and humane farming practices.
And bonus – I love their bacon in this recipe!
Onto The Corn Casserole
This beautiful dish is not like a loose creamed corn and it is not sturdy or dry like a cornbread. It’s somewhere delightfully in the middle with a soft tight texture that feels almost more like a corn custard but also…not quite that? It’s a bit of a uniCORN situation (lol, sorry forever). It is a truly unique and highly inviting texture and we just cannot stop piling scoop after golden scoop onto our holiday plates. The sweet corn is speckled throughout so you get little bursty bites here and there. Plus, garlic and bacon and cheese so, you know, all the best things.
Also, we don’t want to brag but, it is just really beautiful. Sure, that whole slow-roasted turkey thing is often the star but….honestly, we would maybe just pop this gal in the center of the table and see how it goes.
Creamed Corn Vs. Corn Casserole Vs. Cornbread: What’s The Difference?
Creamed corn — maybe you love it, maybe you hate it — has several different variations in its prep (heavy cream? cream cheese? corn milk from the cob? yes, that’s a thing), but one thing that is consistent is that it is well, creamy. A lot of sauciness among your corn kernels. There are several delicious recipes out there for it that go way beyond the canned version you may have discreetly pushed aside when passed to you during holidays past. And though a can of creamed corn on its own maybe isn’t everyone’s favorite, a can of it in this recipe is very chef’s kiss! It helps keep the casserole supple and thick enough that it holds together scoop after scoop.
Corn casserole, however, is entirely different than creamed corn. It is a very popular southern holiday side dish and it is super moist, almost creamy with bright bursty corn kernels throughout. It’s like creamed corn, cornbread and almost a soufflé all in one dish!
Ingredients For This Recipe
Straight-up corn casserole is nothing short of amazing but we’re feeling festive, and we wanted to zazz things up a little. And when one zazzes, one must gather:
- bacon (ButcherBox bacon is our favorite to use!)
- onion and garlic
- sharp cheddar cheese
- fresh chives
Once your zazzers are collected, grab your pantry basics (flour, sugar, baking powder, etc) along with some:
- cornmeal
- corn
- can of creamed corn
- sour cream
- melted butter
- eggs
No Jiffy Box Here! Corn Casserole From Scratch
We’re going fully from scratch here on this so you can tuck away that little box of Jiffy corn muffin mix.
No judgment on a box mix at all, we love a good shortcut. But bringing this casserole together from scratch is really key to its delicious flavor and addicting texture, you can adjust the sweetness and flavors as you see fit, and it really isn’t all that much more time-consuming!
How To Make Corn Casserole
You’ll start with crisping bacon and end with showering cheddar cheese and chives on top, and everything in between is pretty simple.
- Bacon. You’ll start by crisping up your bacon and then you’ll get your onions and garlic going in that same pan for optimal yum boosts. You’ll chop up the bacon and save half for the mix and half to toss on top at the end.
- Batter. Mix your dry ingredients and then whisk together your wet ones in a separate bowl. Add the corn, creamed corn, sour cream, onion mixture, half the bacon bits and all their salty goodness, and then slowly incorporate your dry ingredients.
- Bake. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake for about 35 minutes. Remove and cover with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, the rest of the crispy bacon, and some fresh chives and bake for 5 minutes more.
Then plop that beauty IN THE CENTER OF YOUR TABLE and see if anyone can even finish their “oohs and aaahs” before digging into that rich golden goodness. It’s so, so good.
What To Serve with Corn Casserole
We’re hoping this is on the table for your Thanksgiving or holiday spread with all the other fixings, but in case you need some more guidance, here what it’s delicious with.
- Meat: Obviously, turkey! But would also be great as a side to a delicious pot roast.
- Veggies: If you want to cut through the creamy goodness of this casserole, this simple green salad is your zippy ticket, or these delicious roasted carrots.
- Other sides: Some classic mashed potatoes, equally classic green bean casserole, or sweet potato casserole because the holidays are all about those casseroles.
- Dessert: Pie, please! This creamy peanut butter pie is as easy as it is delicious.
If corn casserole is already part of your holiday feast, congratulations on being very smart and good at holidays, and also please consider trying this zazzed up version this year? If you’re new to it, whoo boy, you’re in for such a beautiful, rich, deeply comforting, delicious surprise. Merry holidays to you.
Corn Casserole: FAQs
How can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep this casserole by doing everything through step 2 and baking the casserole in a greased baking dish for 35 minutes. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Rewarm in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and complete the rest of step 3.
Can I freeze this casserole?
Yes! Store in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
How can I make this vegetarian?
Just leave out the bacon and add in a little bit more salt.
How do you store and reheat leftovers?
Cover your leftovers in the pan and keep in the fridge. When you’re ready to reheat, you can either heat up an individual portion in the microwave in a pinch, or cover the whole thing with foil and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Can this be made in a slow cooker?
We haven’t tested this in a slow cooker, but think it could work! If you follow a similar recipe like this one, you should be able to cook it on high for 2-3 hours.
Everybody’s Favorite Corn Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Corn Casserole all zazzed up! Bursty bites of cream-style corn and sweet corn plus garlic, bacon, and cheese throughout – so you know it’s really, really good!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup cornmeal
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 egg
- one 15-ounce can corn, drained
- one 15-ounce can cream-style corn
- 1 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar
- Chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a pan over medium heat, fry the bacon pieces until crispy. Remove from the pan, but leave some of the bacon grease to sauté the onions. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt to the pan and cook until softened. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Take the pan off the heat. Chop the bacon into bits.
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In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, butter, and egg until smooth. Then, stir in the corn, cream corn, the onion mixture, half of the bacon. Add in the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
-
Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the cheese and remaining bacon. Bake for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped chives over the top.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: corn casserole, corn souffle, casserole side dish
Thank you to ButcherBox for sponsoring this recipe!
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes We Love
- One-Hour Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Sides (side dishes made easy!)
- Miracle No Knead Bread (yes, YOU can make bread from scratch)
- House Favorite Brussels Sprouts (so easy and so delicious)
November 7, 2022
Created By The POY Team
Rita Boersma
Writer
Emily Caruso
Videographer
Lindsay Ostrom
Recipe Developer
Eman Kemp
Editorial
I don’t think I’ve ever had Corn Casserole a day in life. And to talk about Cornbread, I was never a fan of Cracklins in Cornbread, as I always loved Cornbread by itself. This Corn Casserole surely looks delicious enough not just to eat, but delicious enough to lick your fingers in front of people and wanting more! L 😛 L
Thanks! Hope you love it if you give it a try!
You recommend a 9 x 13 pan even for a double batch or should I use two 9×13 pans?
9×13 is perfect
What’s the size off the casserole please?
We’d recommend 9×13!
Looks really good. What size casserole dish works best?
We’d recommend 9×13!
My Jiffy mix box isn’t going anywhere! This recipe looks really good, and I’m sure it is, but Jiffy mix is staying, just saying! 😁
If you want to waste money on pre-mixed basic ingredients with a ton of added sugar, more power to you.
This is one of my favorite holiday dishes! My old recipe uses plain yogurt – how do you feel about this substitution for sour cream?
I didn’t have either sour cream nor yogurt. I used mayo and some milk. Used smoked turkey. Still really good, taste and texture. Love this recipe and versatile.
How can I make this recipe gluten free? My daughter is allergic to wheat. Thanks 😊
My daughter is on a gluten free diet and I am also wanting to give this recipe a try. What I plan on doing go make it gluten free is using a gluten free flour to sub out for the regular flour. I’ve had pretty good success with the Measure For Measure gluten free flour by King Aurthur and even the gluten free flour from Trader Joe’s.
There are also good gluten free cornmeal brands out there. I’ll also be using dairy free sour cream when I make this, which worked out in a different corn pudding last year!
If I wanted to make this in a more solid cornbread consistency, how do you recommend I tweak it?
Yum! Do you think you could make this and freeze, then defrost and bake when you’re ready? Trying to plan ahead for thanksgiving 😀
I am wondering the same thing!!
Hiya Lindsay,
I’m in the UK so am not sure what you mean by ‘cream-style corn’ in the list of ingredients. Do you simply mean creamed corn? Not sure if I can get that in a can, especially where I live out in the boonies. However, there are recipes for creamed corn a-plenty, so if that’s what you mean, then I will not have problems making this!!
Thanks
Tim
In the States, we have creamed corn that you can buy in a can. I think there’s a bit more “cream” in it than your homemade creamed corn might have. You may need to add a bit more liquid to get the same consistency.
What size baking dishes do you use for a 1x serving vs. 2x serving?
Great recipe…completely forgot the Cornmeal so I used Cassava flour instead. Used whole fat Greek plain yogurt instead of sour cream. Turned out great. Next time I will probably use less sugar, I found it a bit sweet as the corn is already so sweet.
Lee-Ann
Thanks so much for the comment, Lee-Ann! So glad you enjoyed it!
I made a post yesterday about your recipe – and made some changes…and found it to sweet…sadly I don’t see my post on your website..
Hi Lee-Ann! The comment is there, but you may need to scroll down a bit to see it. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Anyone bake in an iron skillet??
If I wanted to make this in a more solid cornbread consistency, how do you recommend I tweak it?
Question. Do you have a substitute for sour cream? It’s not a dairy allergy, I just can’t stand it 🙂
Thanks!
Are you a fan of Greek yogurt? You could use that (plain, full fat variety) instead.
I really loved this – taste, texture, all of it!
So glad to hear that, Jess!
This looks so good! I love corn casserole, and bacon and cheese make everything better!
One question after reading the recipe: should I drain the canned corn before adding it to the rest of the ingredients, or is the recipe relying on that water?
Thanks!
Thanks for the question! You should drain the corn. Enjoy, Jessie!
Really wish the recipe would have said to drain the corn. Just ruined mine.
For all the other not-so-great cooks out there 😅 I ended up adding 1/4 -1/2 cup more cornmeal and 1/4 cup more flour and leaving it in the oven an extra 15 minutes. Turned out pretty good! Thanks POY!
Thanks for following up with your workaround!
I’m so sorry about that, MB! We are working on updating it!
You should add that to the recipe or ingredient list. I didn’t drain mine and the middle still hasn’t set. I might have to cover with foil and cook longer.
We are working on getting that updated. We are so sorry!
It still turned out delicious! What a fabulous recipe. Where has corn casserole been all my life?
Plain flour or self-rising?
We used all-purpose flour!
If you can’t have sour cream, can you substitute plain greek yogurt? Thanks, this looks so yummy!
Any chance I can make this gluten free and vegan?😉 😂🤣😢😭
We haven’t tested a version, but you could definitely try if you eliminate the bacon, and use dairy free butter, sour cream, and cheese, and use gluten free flour!
I’m in the process of making it vegan right now! I’m trying it out on some vegan friends this afternoon as a trial run for Thanksgiving. Here are the swaps I made:
– homemade creamed corn with coconut milk (I googled and used one of the first recipes that came up)
– mikonos oat milk butter
– tofutti sour cream
– bob’s red mill vegan egg replacer
I’ll update this evening how it went over but so far it’s looking and smelling delicious!
Update: it was a HUGE hit among our vegans and non-vegans alike! Absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much for sharing, Emma!
Can you use can corn instead of frozen? Never been a fan of frozen I personally would rather have fresh veggies if possible
Yes you can!
Made this tonight. Wow, was it ever warm and tasty. I used a 9×13 casserole dish and left it in a few extra minutes until the top was just set like it is when it comes out of the oven in the video before adding cheddar. My oven temp is likely off. Love the rich taste from easy ingredients!
Glad you enjoyed it, Katie! Thanks for the comment!
Probably a dumb question but can I use a cake pan, metal instead of the casserole dish (glass)?
Yes, that should work just fine! Enjoy, Amanda!
Hi! Would I be able to sub Bob’s Red Mill Corn Grits (Polenta) for the cornmeal? Understand they have slightly different textures. Thanks~
We think that’d work out okay! The texture just may not be as smooth since polenta is a bit coarser. Let us know how it goes!
The polenta worked as a sub just fine! I like this update from my old Paula dean recipe
Glad to hear it, Sheryl! Thanks for circling back!
In a pinch, I’ve dumped dried polenta into my Vitamix and ground it up so it’s more like cornmeal or even corn flour.
Doesn’t seem like there is enough corn? Can you increase the corn amount?
Sure, you could do that!
I see frozen corn listed in the ingredients in the post but not in the actual recipe card. Did I miss something? Thanks!
You should use canned corn. We’ll get that updated. Thanks for bringing that up, Sheila!
This looks so yummy! Do you know if it would work to assemble everything the day before, and then bake it the next day?
We haven’t tried, but we think it’d work out okay!
I made it the day before and refrigerated it! Worked out well.
Great recipe. Thanks.
Glad to hear it, Penny! Thanks for reporting back!
Penny, did you cook it completely the night before? What temp did you set the oven to to reheat the next day? I plan to do this for thanksgiving as well!
This was amazing! Served it with the chicken pot pie with biscuits recipe. Home runs all around!!! Also wasn’t overwhelmed making it. Everything was easy and straight forward.
Glad to hear it, Judi!