Easy Corn Casserole – A Beautiful Mess

It’s corn! This easy corn casserole is a staple side dish at any Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

As the title suggests, it’s incredibly easy to make, and there are so many ways to customize this simple recipe with other add-in ingredients or flavors that your family may love.

Corn casserole is like a savory bread pudding or spoon bread, since it’s made with Jiffy corn muffin mix, creamed corn, and just a few other ingredients.

The final dish is spongy, comforting, and delicious. I think of corn casserole as a cousin or alternative to stuffing; although you certainly should serve both if your heart tells you to.

Related: More recipes for side dishes and appetizers.

Corn Casserole Ingredients:

How to Make Corn Casserole:

Corn casserole is as easy as dump cake. 🙂 You simply combine most of the ingredients, bake, and then top with cheese (and bake) until melted. That’s basically it!

If your oven is occupied because you’re baking lots of other things for a big meal, you can also make this in a large crockpot. Simply cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or low for 4 hours.

Tips for Making:

  • I prefer to use “no salt added” canned corns and unsalted butter so I can then control how much salt I add to this dish. If you don’t use these, be sure to omit any added salt (as the recipe card indicates) before baking. You can always add more before eating, but once a dish becomes too salty it’s hard to come back.
  • You can substitute sour cream or Greek yogurt if you like.
  • This corn casserole is delicious with or without the cheese on top. It’s optional! I like this with cheese, but if you are wanting a corn casserole that is more like a soft stuffing, then omit the cheese.
  • Other ingredients you could add: cooked bacon bits, other herbs like rosemary or thyme, or even things like crushed up potato chips.

Serving Suggestions:

Corn casserole makes a great Thanksgiving side dish, just like:

FAQ

Can I make corn casserole ahead?

Yes. Simply follow the recipe directions up to the point of baking. Then you can refrigerate the casserole until you are ready to bake, and top it with cheese during the last 5-8 minutes of baking.

Can I make corn casserole in the crockpot?

Yes. Instead of baking this recipe you can cook in a large crockpot for 2 1/2 hours or high or 4 hours on low. Top with cheese during the last 15-20 minutes so it melts over the top.

Do corn casserole leftovers needs to be refrigerated?

Yes. It’s best to cover and refrigerate any leftovers. You can rewarm in the oven or microwave as needed.

Can I freeze corn casserole?

While I feel certain you can, I would not necessarily recommend making this so far ahead that you need to freeze it. It comes together really quickly and can be made a day ahead of time (and stored in the refrigerator) if you need a make ahead option.

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Get the Recipe

a savory bread pudding like side dish

Yield 10

Prep 5 mins

Cook 40 mins

Total 45 mins

Instructions

  • Drain the whole corn kernels, melt the butter, and finely chop the green onion to prep.

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn, cream corn, jiffy mix, sour cream, melted butter, and half the green onions (1 tablespoon).

  • Season with cayenne and generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

  • Spoon into a 9×13 baking dish that has been lightly coated in butter or sprayed with nonstick spray.

  • Bake at 350°f for 35 minutes.

  • Top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Then bake for another 5-8 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and starting to bubble.

  • Remove from oven and top with remaining green onions. Serve warm.

Notes

  • I prefer to use “no salt added” canned corns and unsalted butter so I can then control how much salt I add to this dish. If you don’t use these, be sure to omit any added salt before baking.

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