Prepare to learn how to make the best ever old-fashioned Creamed Corn recipe, the perfect side dish for any Thanksgiving spread. This easy homemade, made from scratch, side dish is a great addition to any homestyle meal. Serve it with cornbread, or a chowder, you can't go wrong.
This is one of our all time favorite Thanksgiving recipes. It's the perfect side dish that everyone loves and asks for the recipe. You can also make it for summer get togethers, Christmas and Easter Dinner, or just a great side for family gatherings.
Serve this with a side of cornbread, biscuits or a sandwich for the ultimate homestyle meal. Add in some Jalapeños for an extra kick. You won't be disappointed. You can even cook this in the crockpot and slow cooker.
Corn pudding is southern staple. When we lived in the south, we were often eating this baked dish. Paula Deen herself was the queen of this tasty meal. You can buy it canned but make your own with this old-fashioned, traditional recipe.
You will love our other great Holiday sides like our Sweet Potato Casserole, and our Green Bean Casserole. Or make sure to try our Ocean Spray cranberry sauce. Add it as a side with Sunday Pot Roast seasoned with Pot Roast seasoning.
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Why We Love This Recipe
This recipe is amazing because it combines the natural sweetness of corn with a rich, creamy texture. Here are a few reasons why we think it's so delicious:
- Sweetness-Corn is naturally sweet, and when it is cooked and combined with a creamy sauce, it creates a harmonious balance of flavors. The sweetness of the corn can be enhanced when it is creamed, making it even more enjoyable.
- Creamy- The recipe gets its name from the smooth and creamy texture it develops. This texture comes from using ingredients like cream, butter, or milk to cook the corn until it becomes soft and tender. The creaminess adds a great texture to the dish.
- Comforting and nostalgic- It's often associated with comfort food and makes us think of our time down south. I have fond memories of enjoying creamed corn at family gatherings and holiday meals.
- Versatile We love that you can serve this as a side dish, used as an ingredient in recipes like casseroles or soups, or even enjoyed on its own. Its versatility allows for various culinary possibilities, making it a family favorite.
- Easy to prepare: It's relatively simple to make, requiring just a few ingredients and minimal cooking time. Its ease of preparation makes it accessible to make at home and allows for it to be enjoyed more frequently than just around the holidays or at a restaurant.
- Copycat- Make your favorite restaurant style side dish at home. Step aside Krusteaz, Rudy's, Lawry's, Summit house, or Gulliver's get ready to make your own just like Grandma did.
Ingredients
- Corn- We recommend using fresh or frozen corn. Canned corn is not recommended. It doesn't have the right texture.
- Butter- Make sure to use salted butter. If you use unsalted, make sure to add a pinch extra salt.
- Onion- Minced onion compliment the sweet corn flavor.
- Garlic- Using fresh or minced garlic gives it a great flavor. In a pinch use powder.
- Heavy cream- You won't want to skip out on this heavy cream. It gives it that creamy texture.
- Sugar- Just a dash of sugar help get that sweet flavor you're looking for.
- Salt- To enhance the flavors of the vegetables and cream.
- Flour- Use all purpose flour to thicken the creamy sauce.
- Whole milk- This recipe needs to use thicker milks and creams to get that texture right. You can use 2% if that's all you have on hand.
- Parmesan cheese- Everything is better with cheese and this recipe is no exception.
- Thyme or parsley for garnish- Gives the dish a fun and festive look.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- In a large saucepan melt the butter and sauté the garlic and onion.
2.Add the frozen corn to the butter mixture and then whisk in the milk and heavy cream.
3. Next add in the spices with the frozen or fresh corn and mix well.
4. Last add in the parmesan cheese to the fresh corn white sauce and stir and bake on the stove top.
Hint: Use whole milk if you use a lower percentage of milk, when you reheat it, it will become chunky.
Substitutions
- Pepper jack- Instead of parmesan cheese, use ½ cup pepperjack.
- Honey- To cut back on white granulated sugar, sweeten this dish with honey.
- Without heavy cream- You'll want to use high fat milks and creams for the best texture, and to avoid clumping, If you want to make it without heavy cream substitute for ½ cup whole milk.
- Cream cheese- Add in cubes of cream cheese instead of parmesan cheese. Mix until it soften and naturally mixes in. This will make it more like a tasty corn salad dip.
- Mexican Style- We all love Mexican street corn and you can make it Mexican style by adding in chopped Green chiles and Cotija cheeses.
- Bacon- Add in cooked sliced bacon for the ultimate southern fried flavors.
- Sour Cream- Try sour cream for a thicker soufflé that resembles more of a dip.
Variations
- gluten free- To make this gluten free add in 1 ½ Tablespoons corn starch instead of flour.
- Jalapeno- Diced jalapeños is a tasty addition to add in some heat.
- Dip- Make this a dip by using ½ cup milk instead of ¾. Also try adding in some sour cream or cream cheese.
- Sweet - Need it sweeter, use 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Brûlée- Brûlée style is a fun traditional style . Carefully use a food torch to crisp the top.
- Smoked- Adding smoked paprika instead of paprika can give this dish a smoky flavor.
- Poblano- Just like our roasted pepper corn salsa, you can use roasted poblanos in this dish.
This dish is so versatile and you can add it to so many meals. Try adding it with a soup, chowder, shepherds pie,
Equipment
While some recipes call for a slow cooker, crockpot, or instant pot, you can make this quickly with a single Sauce Pan right on the stovetop. It will even give you time to serve it with some corn muffins or hush puppies.
Storage
Store cooked creamed corn in an air tight container for 3-4 days. To reheat, simply reheat in the microwave. Make sure to stir before serving.
Because of the milk and heavy cream, this recipe does not freeze well and if frozen and thawed it will have a slightly different texture.
Top tip
Don't overcook it or the corn will be soggy! Make sure to stick with the cook times for best results.
FAQ
The dish involves simmering frozen or fresh corn kernels in butter, then adding cream, milk, or a combination of both to create a creamy consistency. Other ingredients such as sugar, salt, and black pepper may be added for flavor. The dish can be served as a side dish or used as an ingredient in various recipes.
Creamed corn is a dish made from corn kernels that have been cooked in cream or a cream-based sauce.
Creamed Corn is made with frozen of fresh corn, heavy cream, 2% milk, butter, minced onion and garlic, and some flour to help thicken it up.
You can make this recipe with canned corn. It's not the preferred method, frozen or fresh is better for texture purposes, but you can follow this recipe directly using canned corn instead.
You can eat creamed corn as a side dish for a fun meal like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. Or you can have it with a homestyle family meal. It's also a great recipe to add to other recipes like chicken cream soups, soufflés, soups, chowders, and more.
Yes! Adding frozen or fresh corn to sautéed onion and garlic in butter and then adding in heavy cream and milk with spices makes for a delicious homemade corn recipe.
By combining milk products and corn with spices and herbs you get a creamy texture corn like dip that make a great side dish but also can be added into other dishes like soups, chili's, and pancakes.
Add it with Krusteaz and you can make pancakes, hush puppies, corn chowder, biscuits, chili, soups, corn bread and more. It's very versatile and adds a great texture and taste to so many southern style dishes.
Because of the heavy creams, milk, and butter used, this recipe is high in fats and eaten in large quantities is not considered healthy for many individuals. Eaten in moderation it can be a tasty and satisfying dish.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Creamed Corn:
Recipe
Creamed Corn
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups corn fresh or frozen, canned not recommended
- 2 Tablespoons butter salted
- 2 Tablespoons onion minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic fresh or minced (2 cloves)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2-4 teaspoons sugar to taste
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper freshly ground
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup whole milk 2% will work in a pinch
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- thyme or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium high heat, melt butter and add onion. While stirring, cook for 2 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook about 30 more seconds.
- Add corn, heavy cream, sugar, salt, pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes until hot (if using frozen corn this will take longer).
- While it's cooking, whisk together the four and milk in a small bowl. Add to the corn mixture. Stirring constantly, cook until it's hot and starts to thicken, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Garnish with thyme or parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Add a pinch of cayenne for a slight kick that accents the flavor beautifully.
- You can use canned corn in a pinch, but the flavor and texture of fresh or frozen work better. If using canned, make sure to drain it completely.
- We highly recommend using whole milk in this recipe. It is smoother and creamier. If you need to reheat the creamed corn, it will separate and be clumpy if you use a lower fat milk.
Andrea
Ok I normally don't like creamed corn, but I made this for a family gathering and it was so good. I will be putting this in the thanksgiving line up this fall.