This corn casserole recipe skips the boxed mix and builds its own cornbread base from cornmeal, flour, and a little sugar, so the center bakes up creamy and the edges turn golden and firm. Two kinds of corn do the heavy lifting here: creamed corn for moisture and drained whole kernels for bite. I bake it with sour cream and melted butter, then set it on the table next to homemade chili or a holiday plate of scalloped potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can creamed corn
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can whole kernel corn, drained
- ⅔ cup (85 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (100 g) yellow cornmeal
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (113 g) shredded sharp cheddar, optional
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prep the dish: Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray and get into the corners, where the custard is most likely to stick and scorch. Leave the dish on the counter while you mix so it is not cold when the batter goes in.
- Mix the dry base: Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl for about 20 seconds, until the leaveners are spread evenly through the meal. Skipping this leaves a pocket of baking powder that lands in one bite and tastes metallic. If you would rather use a box, one 8.5 ounce box of corn muffin mix replaces all five of these dry ingredients.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sour cream, and eggs until the mixture is smooth with no streaks of egg left. The butter should be warm but not hot, because butter straight off the stove cooks the eggs on contact and leaves little flecks in the batter. Room temperature sour cream and eggs blend far smoother than cold ones pulled straight from the fridge.
- Fold in the corn and dry mix: Add both cans of corn and the dry base to the wet bowl. Drain the whole kernel corn first, but pour in all of the creamed corn, liquid and all, because that moisture is what makes the middle creamy. Stir with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain, since overmixing develops the gluten and turns the center rubbery instead of soft.
- Bake until the center sets: Pour the batter into the greased dish and spread it level with the back of the spatula. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center reads 165°F and barely jiggles when you nudge the pan. If the top browns before the center sets, tent it loosely with foil and keep going.
- Rest, then serve: Move the dish to a rack and let it stand 10 minutes before the first scoop. The custard finishes setting as it cools, so a short rest is the difference between a clean serving and one that runs across the plate. Scatter the green onion over the top, and serve it warm while the edges are still crisp.
What to Serve With Corn Casserole
- A bowl of homemade chili, where the sweet corn softens the heat and both dishes hold up on a potluck table.
- Dutch oven pot roast or beef stew, with a spoon of the gravy poured right over the corn.
- Chicken fried steak on a Sunday plate, since the creamy side soaks up the pan drippings.
- A holiday spread with scalloped potatoes and creamy mashed potatoes.
Make It Ahead Without Losing the Texture
- Mix the batter and pour it into the greased dish, then cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Let the dish sit on the counter 30 minutes before baking, because a cold center stretches the bake time and the edges dry out waiting for it.
- Short on time, swap the from-scratch base for one 8.5 ounce box of corn muffin mix and leave out the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- To reheat, cover the dish with foil and warm it at 325°F for about 20 minutes, or microwave single servings. A hot uncovered reheat pulls the moisture out and the slices turn spongy.
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, since the eggs and sour cream put this in the same window as other cooked custard dishes. It firms up cold and reheats cleanly: warm single servings in the microwave, or cover the whole dish with foil and bake at 325°F for about 20 minutes. I don’t freeze this one, because the custard weeps and turns grainy once it thaws. USDA leftover food safety guidance covers the 3-to-4-day window I follow.
