Creamy Corn Casserole

Creamy Corn Casserole feeds a crowd and is a side dish that goes with almost anything. It’s like a creamy, spoonable cornbread. Serve it with BBQ in the summer and as a side dish to your holiday meal in the cooler months.

Let’s talk corn casserole. Have you ever had this delicious, savory casserole with little bites of sweet corn throughout? I first made corn casserole for a neighborhood potluck years ago. I had a newborn and needed something super easy and crowd-pleasing, so Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole came to the rescue. It uses Jiffy muffin mix and just a few ingredients and bakes into a fairly sturdy, thin layer of casserole that was a huge hit. But I wanted something creamier, so the next time I made Ina Garten’s Sagaponack Corn Pudding. Ina’s version uses ricotta for a creamy rich base, but also takes a bit more prep than I wanted – fresh basil, chopped onions, fresh corn sliced off the cobs. Both of those recipes are fantastic. How could they not be?

What I wanted from my corn casserole was the simplicity (or nearly the simplicity) of Paula’s version with the creaminess of Ina’s, so I set out on my own. What you see here is a mash-up of those versions with my own twist. I wavered back and forth about the addition of cheese on top, so left it optional – it’s great either way.

Whether you’re looking for an easy side dish to add to the holiday tables ahead or just a weeknight-friendly casserole to serve with a roasted protein and green vegetable, this corn casserole is it. 

Let’s make it!

Corn Casserole Ingredients

• Pantry Staples – This recipe starts with a very simple version of homemade corn muffin mix (a la Jiffy Muffin Mix). You’ll need all-purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and some salt and pepper. 
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter, just reduce the added salt in the recipe by about half.
• Sour Cream, Ricotta, and Milk – Sour cream and ricotta cheese give the dish a creamy base and a small amount of milk thins out the batter. For the creamiest, most flavorful casserole, use full fat sour cream and whole milk ricotta. You can opt for the lighter versions of these, but as is often the case, the casserole won’t have quite as much richness or flavor. Any type of milk will work. 
• Creamed Corn and Sweet Corn – Use one can of creamed corn and one can of drained sweet corn kernels to give this dish big corn flavor.
• Cheddar Cheese – If you want to top the dish with cheese, add grated cheddar at the end of cooking.

Possible Variations on Corn Casserole

• Add Bacon – Fry some crispy bacon and crumble it into the batter. 
• Add Chives – Stir chopped chives into the batter. Save some to sprinkle over the top at the end.
• Add Basil – Ina Garten’s version has fresh basil stirred in which gives the dish a nice summery flavor. That’s a great addition to this version as well, especially in summer. 
• Add Sausage – For a great breakfast or brunch dish, cook some loose breakfast sausage, breaking it apart into small pieces until browned. Drain it well and then stir it into the corn casserole batter.

Serving Ideas for Corn Casserole

• BBQ –  Serve with Instant Pot BBQ Ribs or BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches and some Creamy Tangy Coleslaw. 
• Breakfast – Serve the leftovers for breakfast with a fried egg on top and some crispy bacon on the side. 
• Holidays – Serve it in place of stuffing at the holiday table (or in addition to stuffing – no judgement here!). It’s great for serving under roasted turkey or ham.
• Under Saucy Meats – Use it instead of pasta or mashed potatoes, like under Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef, Slow Cooker Mississippi Roast, or Braised Red Wine Short Ribs. 

Favorite Tools

• Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls 
• 9×13 Emile Henri Baker 

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