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Corn Casserole

This Corn Casserole Recipe is one of our favorite side dishes not only for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but year-round! Corn Casserole is made with a buttery cornbread base infused with sour cream, buttermilk, cheese, creamed corn, corn kernels and chives to create an uber moist, creamy cornbread-like casserole with a soft golden crust that’s the perfect balance of savory, sweet, rich, creamy, and buttery; the dance of texture and flavor is heavenly! This Corn Casserole recipe is also ridiculously easy, MAKE AHEAD, customizable and belongs on your holiday table!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 15 servings

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp EACH chili powder, dried thyme

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 1 15 oz. can whole sweet corn rinsed and drained
  • 1 14.75 oz. can cream style corn
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk see notes for DIY
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 4 oz. can mild chopped green chilies,
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Whisk Dry Ingredients in a large bowl. Add Wet Ingredients; gently whisk eggs, then mix all the ingredients just until combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
  • Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Best if served warm.

Notes

Tips and Tricks

  • DIY buttermilk: is easy to make!  Simply add ½ tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a ½ cup measuring cup.  Fill the rest of the cup up with milk and give it a stir.  Let stand 10 minutes to activate and curdle.
  • Room temperature eggs:   room temperature eggs mix much easier than cold eggs helping you not to over-mix the batter.  Cold eggs can also congeal the warm, melted butter, leaving pockets of hardened butter.
  • Don’t overmix:  Overmixing develops the gluten and can cause dry, crumbly Corn Casserole.
  • Don’t overbake: Check Corn Casserole for doneness at the lower end of the cooking window. Over-baked casserole will not be as moist.
  • Don’t substitute ingredients: The correct ratio of flour, cornmeal, eggs and fat yield the perfect Corn Casserole.  If you swap out ingredients, you are playing with this delicate balance.

CORN Casserole Recipe Variations

This Corn Casserole recipe is a fabulous springboard for all sorts of add-ins and flavor profiles.  Here’s just a few ideas:
  • Cheese:  this recipe uses one cup of sharp cheddar but to really make it cheesy, up the cheese to two cups.  You can use pepper Jack, Monterrey Jack, mozzarella, Gruyere, Provolone etc.  You can also add cheese to the top of the casserole after it's baked and melt.
  • Spice it up:  Add some cayenne pepper, chipotle chili powder or 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled jalapenos.
  • Berries: try adding dried cranberries or blueberries for a savory & sweet treat like in my cornbread muffins – AMAZING!
  • Bacon:  cook and crumble thick cut bacon and stir some of the bacon into the casserole and reserve some to sprinkle on top of the baked cream Corn Casserole.
  • Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, and parsley add a subtle earthiness.
  • Onions: chives, green onions, shallots or onions.
  • Honey:  try serving cream Corn Casserole with a unique honey flavor such as orange or lemon infused honey.

Storage

This cream Corn Casserole recipe is so moist, the leftovers stay perfectly tender for days! To store, let casserole cool to room temperature, cover a couple times in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container.  Store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Make Ahead Corn Casserole

The best way to make this easy Corn Casserole ahead of time is to bake it, cool, then reheat.  I don’t suggest completely assembling, refrigerating then baking hours later because the baking powder and baking soda won’t be as effective.
To make ahead:
  • Bake Corn Casserole according to directions.
  • Let cool completely.
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  • When ready to reheat, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Cover Corn Casserole with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

How to Reheat 

  • Microwave: Warm individual pieces in the microwave by wrapping in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds, then at 20 second intervals until warmed through.
  • Oven:  Place smaller portions of Corn Casserole in foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. For the entire pan of Corn Casserole, cover, and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

HOW TO FREEZE 

Corn Casserole freezes very well and makes a wonderful thaw and eat side.

To freeze whole pan of Corn Casserole: 

  • Cool Corn Casserole completely. 
  • Once cool, wrap freezer safe pan tightly in plastic wrap two times followed by foil.
  • Freeze for up to three months.
  • Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

To freeze individual pieces:  

  • Cool Corn Casserole completely. 
  • Cut into squares and place pieces in a freezer size bag with parchment paper in between each slice.
  • Freeze for up to three months.
  • Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours on the counter.