Cheesy Corn Casserole
This Cheesy Corn Casserole can be assembled up to 3 days before serving. With bacon and two kinds of cheese, it’s the ultimate comfort food for potlucks and holidays.
“Delicious. Family loved it.”
—Robert
This Cheesy Corn Recipe Is Perfect For Potlucks And Holidays
Don’t you just love when a *side dish* becomes that thing that everybody is still talking about the next day?
That’s what this Cheesy Corn Casserole recipe is designed to do. It’s perfect for a holiday dinner or any time you’re craving comfort food.
Sweet corn is tossed with bacon and a rich cheese sauce, baked until bubbly and covered in a finishing layer of melted cheese. This is guaranteed to disappear fast.
In fact, this is the ONLY thing our daughter wants to eat for Thanksgiving dinner. Just a plate of this casserole, no other food, no notes.
Why You Will Love This Corn Casserole With Cheese
- A great make-ahead dish for the holidays. You can assemble this up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge. Bake just before serving.
- Perfectly seasoned. The carefully selected seasonings elevate the flavors of the sweet corn without overpowering it.
- Versatility. This casserole makes an excellent side dish for a variety of meals, and can even stand alone as a vegetarian main course.
Cheesy Corn Casserole Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- canned sweet corn – the star of the show! We used canned corn (whole kernel corn) here, but you can also use thawed frozen corn, or even fresh corn if it’s in season.
- milk and cream – these dairy components add richness and creaminess to the corn casserole with cheese.
- butter – the fat component of the roux that will thicken the sauce.
- all-purpose flour – acts as the thickening agent for the creamy sauce, helping it cling to the corn.
- cheese – we use a combination of Monterey Jack and Cheddar, but you can use all one or the other, or experiment with other cheeses. You can also use sharp cheddar or extra sharp cheddar for a stronger cheese flavor.
- onion powder and garlic powder – these add depth and complexity to the dish without being overpowering.
- sugar – brings out the natural sweetness of the corn and balances the savory elements.
- salt and pepper – enhances all of the other flavors in this corn and cheese casserole.
- bacon – crisp Oven Bacon adds a savory saltiness that balances the sweet corn. You can also use Oven Baked Turkey Bacon if you prefer.
- chopped fresh parsley – an optional garnish for this corn and cheese casserole, if you want. A sprinkle of green onions on top is also nice!
How To Make Corn And Cheese Casserole
- SAUCE. Cook the butter and flour together until it forms a roux, whisking constantly. Then, whisk in the cream, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and sugar and cook for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
- ADD. Stir in the bacon, half of the cheese and the corn.
- TOP. Pour the corn mixture into a prepared casserole dish and cover the top with the rest of cheese.
- BAKE. Transfer to oven and bake until the casserole is bubbly. If desired, brown the cheese under the broiler until it gets nice and golden brown.
Cheesy Corn Casserole Recipe Variations
- MAKE IT SPICY – Add half a minced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for some heat.
- HERB-INFUSED – Mix in fresh herbs like chives, parsley or cilantro for a burst of freshness.
- EXTRA VEGGIES – Add in some sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers or onions for added flavor.
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Cheese And Corn Casserole Home Chef Tips
- This cheesy corn recipe can keep in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for 2 to 3 days before baking. Bring to room temperature for one hour before baking according to the recipe instructions below.
- Feel free to experiment with other cheeses, like Parmesan, Fontina, or even Pepper Jack for a spicy twist.
- Make sure to drain and dry the corn throughly to prevent excess moisture in your casserole. The dryer you can get it, the better, so excess moisture from the corn doesn’t thin out the sauce.
- Feeding a big crowd? Double the recipe and bake this in a 9×13-inch pan. You may need to add about 5 minutes to the baking time, but it won’t take too much longer than a single batch.
Storing And Reheating Corn Casserole With Cheese
If you have leftover cheese and corn casserole, transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until it is fully chilled, then cover it with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for a quick meal.
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Cheesy Corn Recipe
This Cheesy Corn Casserole can be assembled up to 3 days before serving. With bacon and two kinds of cheese, it's the ultimate comfort food for potlucks and holidays.
Save This Recipe!
Enter your email and we’ll send this recipe to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 2 cans whole kernel sweet corn, drained and patted dry 15 ounces each
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 slices Oven Baked Bacon chopped
- ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided 2 ounces
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 2 ounces
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Drain corn in colander and spread on paper towels (or clean kitchen towel). Pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 x 8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook 30 seconds, whisking constantly. While whisking, add cream and then milk in steady stream. Reduce heat to medium-low; add sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat. Stir in bacon, half of Cheddar cheese, half of Monterey Jack cheese, and corn. Mixture will be thick at this point. That's OK – it will thin out as it bakes.
- Transfer corn mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese evenly over corn mixture.
- Transfer to oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until casserole is bubbly.
- If desired, brown cheese under the broiler: preheat broiler to HIGH. Place casserole under broiler and broil 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly charred, watching carefully.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley before serving, if desired.
Notes
This cheesy corn recipe can keep in the fridge, tightly wrapped, for 2 to 3 days before baking. Bring to room temperature for one hour before baking according to the recipe instructions.
Calories: 299kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 564mg, Potassium: 261mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 656IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 170mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Leave a Review below or share a photo and tag me on Instagram @foxeslovelemons with the hashtag #foxeslovelemons.
Delicious. Family loved it, (Like you, creamed corn grosses me out.)
Haha yes! Down with creamed corn! So glad you liked this recipe.
This looks like a really good recipe. I had to tweak it a bit as I have picky eaters. Sounds even better than my sister’s tried-and-true recipe. One thing you forgot was to coat the baking dish with veggie spray. I should think that, otherwise, you’ll have an awful time getting the casserole out of the pan.
At this stage of my life I’m trying to eat lower carb meals because it would be too easy to get back to being pre-diabetic, so I’m not real likely to make this. That said, I’m saving the recipe because it sounds really wonderful. It would be a tempting complete dinner…
Thanks, Susan!