Best Corn Casserole

Every holiday casserole falls into a particular category. You’ve got the Thanksgiving superstars (macaroni & cheese and candied yams), the classics (green bean casserole and stuffing), and the…experimental (looking at you, everything bagel casserole). That being said, this corn casserole transcends those commonplace categories into a league of its own. It’s packed with sweet corn, balanced by a pinch of paprika and herby chives, and has an insanely tender and custardy texture that will have you on your third helping before you even know what hit you. Let this classic side be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner if you’re ever in the mood for endless praise and compliments.

How To Make Corn Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• Jiffy Corn Mix: Jiffy mix has become somewhat synonymous with corn casserole, but technically, you can still make a delicious corn casserole without it. If you’re not a fan of the boxed stuff, you can swap the box of Jiffy mix for 3/4 cup cornmeal + 2 tbsp sugar + 1/4 c. unsalted butter.
• Granulated Sugar: A little bit of sugar amplifies the sweet corn flavor without making this into a too-sweet, dessert-style casserole.
• Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: Milk and heavy cream are what differentiate this iconic casserole from regular cornbread. They add the necessary moisture to the cornbread mixture that turns this into a soft and tender casserole.
• Corn: A combination of frozen and creamed corn add moisture, richness, and fresh texture to the casserole.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

After greasing your baking dish (very well) with softened butter and preheating the oven, break out that box of Jiffy mix. Whisk the mix with granulated sugar in a bowl until very few lumps remain.

Then mix—in a medium bowl or large measuring cup—your eggs, milk, cream, and melted butter until combined. Add that bowl into your Jiffy mix bowl, and stir until just combined. You don’t have to overmix here. Stir in your (thawed!) corn, creamed corn, salt, paprika, and pepper.

Pour your mixture into your prepared baking dish, using a spatula to smooth out the top. Bake until the casserole has fully set and the top is golden brown. This should take anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes.

Once done, let it cool slightly before serving, and top with fresh chives.

Full ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Is corn casserole the same as corn pudding? Almost. Although they're made with mostly the same ingredients and technique, corn pudding has a looser texture, while corn casserole is slightly denser and typically leans a bit more savory. Both dishes (as well as cornbread, johnny cakes, and spoonbread) are derived from an Indigenous American technique that combines cornmeal water to make corn pone. Dried corn kernels are ground into cornmeal and mixed with water before being shaped into loaves or cakes and baked over hot ashes to create unleavened bread. As corn and Indigenous cooking methods became more incorporated into the Colonial American diet, corn pone evolved into cornbread with the addition of fat and eggs, and into dishes like corn pudding and corn casserole with the addition of milk and heavy cream.

What To Serve With Corn Casserole

Since only 10 minutes of prep go into this corn casserole, you’ll have plenty of time to pull together the rest of dinner as it bakes in the oven. Try this with simple air-fryer chicken thighs or a hearty harvest chicken skillet for a comforting weeknight dinner, or add it to your holiday sides of mashed potato casserole, sweet potato casserole, and butternut squash mac & cheese alongside your roast turkey.

Storage

If you want to make your holiday easier, then this corn casserole is a perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe. Simply prepare the casserole, then cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Remove and bake once you're ready to serve, keeping in mind that it may take slightly longer to bake coming straight from the fridge.

If you somehow manage to have any leftovers, tightly cover your casserole dish or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.