Easy corn casserole recipe with corn muffin mix

The short answer: Corn casserole is a sweet, soft side dish that bakes up somewhere between cornbread and corn pudding.

Prep time: 10 minCook time: 55 minTotal time: 1 hr 15 minServings: 8 servingsTotal includes 10 min of resting, chilling or rising.

Stir together one 15-ounce can of whole kernel corn (drained), one 14.75-ounce can of cream-style corn, one 8.5-ounce box of corn muffin mix, 1 cup of sour cream and ½ cup of melted butter, pour it into a greased 8x8-inch or 2-quart baking dish and bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden and set in the center. It serves about 8 as a side. Below are the ingredients, steps, bake times by pan size, easy variations, make-ahead tips and storage.

I love the family time around Thanksgiving, and a five-ingredient side like this is one anyone can help stir together.

Corn casserole ingredients

How to make corn casserole, step by step

1. Heat the oven. Set it to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch or 2-quart baking dish.
2. Drain the whole corn. Shake out as much liquid as you can so the casserole sets.
3. Mix. Stir both cans of corn, the muffin mix, sour cream and melted butter in a large bowl until no dry mix remains. Stir in the eggs now if you're using them.
4. Pour. Spread the batter in the dish.
5. Bake. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the edges and top are golden and the center no longer jiggles.
6. Add cheese (optional). Scatter cheddar on top for the last 5 minutes.
7. Rest. Let it stand for 10 minutes so it firms up before you scoop it.

If you add eggs, bake until the center reaches 160°F, the temperature for egg dishes on the safe minimum internal temperature chart. The USDA's egg guidance also says to keep eggs refrigerated until you use them.

Bake times by pan size

Ovens and dishes vary, so start checking 10 minutes early.

Corn casserole variations

• Cheesy: stir ½ cup of cheddar into the batter and top with ½ cup more.
• Jalapeño: add 1 or 2 seeded, minced jalapeños and pepper Jack cheese.
• Bacon and green onion: fold in 4 slices of crumbled cooked bacon and 2 sliced green onions.
• Less sweet: use a savory cornbread mix or add ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and a pinch of salt.
• Lighter: swap half the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt and cut the butter to 6 tablespoons.

Fixes for common problems

• Runny center: it needs more time, or the whole corn wasn't drained. Bake in 5-minute steps until set.
• Dry edges: the pan was too big or it baked too long. Use an 8x8 dish for one batch.
• Sunken middle: it was cut while hot. Let it rest 10 minutes first.

Make-ahead and storage

The USDA's leftovers guidance says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat them to 165°F.

Corn casserole sits happily next to mashed potatoes and cornbread dressing. For the rest of the menu, browse our Thanksgiving side dishes or start with our Thanksgiving menu template.

Plan your Thanksgiving sides

A side dish that bakes at 350°F has to share the oven with everything else on the big day. Writing the bake times down before the holiday is what keeps every dish hot at once. If you want a potato-based casserole for the same table, compare this hash brown casserole recipe before choosing your side. For a different vegetable side, check how to boil corn on the cob and plan the pot space before dinner.

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• Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Save your corn casserole recipe with the notes your family asks for every year.

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