Casseroles
$0.68per plate
Prep
10 min
Casseroles · Corn Casserole
Corn Casserole
Corn casserole is the easiest side dish on the holiday table: sweet corn, creamed corn, and a box of corn muffin mix stirred together with sour cream and butter, then baked into a soft, golden, custardy bake somewhere between cornbread and creamed corn. There is no careful measuring and no mixing skill required, just a few cans and a box dumped in one dish, and it comes out a crowd favorite every time. One dish feeds eight for about fifty-five cents a plate. It sits right alongside our other cheap casserole sides and comfort bakes like our tater tot casserole and weeknight casseroles, price up front. Find it with the rest of our easy casseroles, dinners and sides alike.
$0.56per plate
Estimated recipe total
$4.45 · serves 8
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Serves
8
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/corn-casserole
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish or 2-quart baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
Variations
- Stir in a cup of shredded cheddar for a cheesy version.
- Fold in a diced jalapeno or a small can of green chiles for a Southwestern kick.
- Top with a few extra pats of butter before baking for a richer crust.
1 How to make it
1
Heat the oven and prep the dish
Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9x13 baking dish (or a 2-quart dish for a taller casserole). Melt the butter and let it cool slightly so it does not cook the eggs when everything comes together.
2
Drain the whole corn well
Drain the can of whole kernel corn thoroughly; leave the cream-style corn as is. Draining the whole corn matters: the extra canning liquid would make the batter too wet and leave the middle gummy and undercooked instead of soft and set.
3
Stir it together, gently
In a large bowl, stir together the corn muffin mix, drained whole corn, cream-style corn, sour cream, melted butter, and eggs just until you no longer see dry mix, then stop. Mix gently and only until combined: overmixing works the cornmeal and flour and turns the finished casserole dense and gummy instead of light and tender. Pour it into the prepared dish and spread it level.
4
Bake until golden and set
Bake at 350 F for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set. It is done when a knife inserted near the middle comes out mostly clean and the center jiggles only slightly, not like liquid; the cream-style corn, sour cream, and butter keep it moist and custardy right up to that point, so pull it before it dries out.
5
Rest before serving
Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before scooping. The soft, custardy center finishes setting as it cools, so a short rest is what lets it hold a clean scoop instead of running across the plate. Serve warm.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- From-scratch corn muffin base. To skip the boxed mix, whisk together 2/3 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt and use it in place of the box. The classic version uses the boxed mix, but this stands in cleanly.
- Make it cheesy. Stir 1 cup shredded cheddar into the batter, or scatter it over the top for the last 10 minutes of baking. This leans toward a cheesy corn casserole and is figured separately from the base cost.
- Add a little heat. Fold in a diced jalapeno or a small can of drained green chiles for a Southwestern kick. Figured separately.
- Sour cream stand-in. Plain Greek yogurt works in place of the sour cream with no change to the method.
3 Budget tips
- A box of corn muffin mix and two cans of corn feed eight for about fifty-five cents a plate, one of the cheapest sides you can bring to a potluck.
- The boxed mix is famously cheap; buy the store-brand cans of corn to shave a little more off.
- It scales easily: double everything into a bigger dish to feed a crowd for holidays.
- Leftovers reheat well, so a single dish covers a side for two dinners.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 4 days. It firms up in the fridge and softens again as it reheats.
Freezer
Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat; the texture stays soft, though it is creamiest fresh from the oven.
Reheating
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or a larger amount covered in a 325 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until warmed through.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
290
Protein
5g
Fat
16g
Carbs
33g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Why is my corn casserole gummy in the middle?
Two things cause a gummy middle: too much liquid and overmixing. Drain the whole kernel corn well so no extra canning liquid goes in, and stir the batter only until the dry mix disappears. Overworking the cornmeal and flour makes it dense and gluey. Then bake until the center is set, not still wet.
How do I know when corn casserole is done?
The top should be golden brown and the center just set. A knife inserted near the middle should come out mostly clean, and the center should jiggle only slightly rather than look liquid. Pull it right at that point, because the cream corn and sour cream can dry out if it bakes too long.
Can I make corn casserole ahead of time?
Yes. Stir the batter together, cover, and refrigerate it in the dish for up to a day, then bake when you need it, adding a few extra minutes since it starts cold. Baked leftovers also reheat well for up to 4 days.
How is $0.56 a plate figured?
About $4.45 for the whole dish, eight servings, so roughly 56 cents each. A box of corn muffin mix and two cans of corn are the bulk of it, and the sour cream, butter, and eggs are cheap pantry items.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 9x13 baking dish. A 9x13 dish is the standard size for casseroles and baked pasta, so one dish feeds the whole table. Best for casseroles, baked pasta, stuffed peppers, and baked oatmeal.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
- Instant-read meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, so lean or cheap cuts stay juicy instead of overcooking. Best for chicken, pork, and meatloaf, where a few degrees decides juicy or dry.
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