One of my favorite sides to load up on at the holiday dinner table is Creamed Corn! This budget-friendly side dish is made with minimal ingredients and is so easy to prepare. It’s rich, buttery, cheesy, and tastes way better than the canned stuff. As a veggie-lover who grew up in a family of meat eaters, I’ve grown accustomed to filling my holiday dinner plate with all the sides and skipping the meat. (Don’t feel bad for me—I’ve got way more tricks up my sleeve now regarding plant-based proteins and veggie mains!) But seriously, this easy recipe never disappoints. I guarantee you won’t have any leftovers!
What is Creamed Corn?
Homemade creamed corn is made from corn kernels cooked in a creamy sauce until they become tender, juicy, and flavorful. You can purchase it in a can, but this is typically labeled as ‘cream-style corn’ because the sauce doesn’t usually contain any cream! Instead, it often relies on the starch from the corn to create a creamy texture. (Yes, corn is both a starch and a grain—it just depends on how it’s processed!) However, nothing beats the taste and texture of this side dish when made from scratch.
For this recipe, I create a roux from butter and flour, then add half & half, seasonings, fresh corn (frozen works, too!), and Parmesan cheese to make it extra decadent. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and creamy. If you love corn pudding, you’ll definitely love this dish.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best creamed corn recipe ever:
- Corn: I used fresh corn for this recipe, but frozen corn works just as well. Fresh has a little more crunch and sweetness, but frozen is convenient and still delicious. If using fresh, I recommend using a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels off the cob.
- Sugar: This is a classic ingredient in cream corn. It adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the savory flavors.
- Flour: Combines with the butter to create a roux, which thickens the cream sauce.
- Salted Butter: Makes the sauce rich and flavorful.
- Half and Half: Adds creaminess to the sauce without being too heavy. (If you’re avoiding dairy, you can also make this with the same amount of full fat coconut milk plus dairy-free substitutes for the butter and cheese.)
- Salt & Pepper: Basic seasonings to compliment the sweet corn and cheesy sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese: Nothing compares to the nutty, salty flavor of shredded Parmesan cheese in this recipe. It adds an indulgent and umami (savory) element that the canned stuff can’t compete with!
Should I Use Fresh Or Frozen Corn?
Both work perfectly well! It ultimately comes down to personal preference and what’s available. When testing this recipe for creamed corn, the corn at Walmart cost $0.50 cents per ear. The cost of the store-brand frozen whole-kernel corn (about 4 cups) was $2.94. Because the difference was negligible, I went with fresh because I prefer the texture to have a little more bite. If you’re going to use frozen, your cooking time will be significantly less, so make sure your sauce is spot on before adding the (rinsed!) frozen corn to your pan.
How to Tell When the Sauce is Thick Enough
Your creamy sauce should have thickened to a gravy-like consistency and coat the back of a spoon before adding the corn (see my process photos below for a visual reference). It’ll continue to thicken up as it cooks with the corn added in. If your sauce is too thin, allow it to cook a little longer. If it’s thick but you want to thin it out, add a splash of half and half until it reaches your desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
When I say you can serve this corn with pretty much anything, I mean it! Serve it up for Thanksgiving with turkey breast and all your favorite trimmings, like green bean casserole. It also pairs well with BBQ ribs and homestyle cornbread! It’s a fun, year-round side and perfect for any occasion—not just the holidays!
Storage Instructions
If you have any leftovers (which is rare in my house), you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Let them cool before storing, and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a little half and half if the sauce thickens too much when reheated. You can also freeze individual portions in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. I’d let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Creamed Corn Recipe
Servings 8 servings (½ cup each)Ingredients
- 6 ears of corn (or 4 cups of frozen corn) ($3.00)
- 5 Tbsp salted butter ($0.60)
- 1 Tbsp flour ($0.01)
- 1 cup half & half ($0.89)
- 1 Tbsp sugar ($0.02)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.01)
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese ($0.74)
Instructions
- Husk and shave your ears of corn and set aside. If using frozen corn, rinse it well, strain, and set aside.
- In a saucepan, melt salted butter and add flour and whisk together over medium heat to make a light roux.
- Add half & half, sugar, salt and pepper and whisk together until smooth.
- Cook down until a gravy-like sauce forms.
- Add corn, tossing until completely coated. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until the corn is cooked but still has some crunch. (Cook time will be significantly less if you're using frozen, so taste often!) Take the pan off the heat and stir in the shredded Parmesan until melted.
- Serve and enjoy!
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Equipment
Nutrition
how to make Creamed Corn – step by step photos
Husk and shave 6 ears of corn and set aside. If using 4 cups of frozen corn, rinse it well, strain, and set aside. In a saucepan, melt 5 Tbsp salted butter, add 1 Tbsp flour, and whisk together over medium heat to make a light roux.
Add 1 cup half & half, 1 Tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper and whisk together until smooth.
Cook down until a gravy-like sauce forms.
Add corn, tossing until completely coated. Cook 5-8 minutes, until the corn is cooked but still has some crunch. (Cook time will be significantly less if you’re using frozen, so taste often!)
Take the pan off the heat and stir in ½ cup shredded Parmesan until melted.
Serve and enjoy!
This delicious cream corn recipe couldn’t be easier to make. Serve it as a side dish at your next holiday feast or potluck, and watch it disappear!
Delicious. I have a few other versions of this in my repertoire–how can an Iowa farm girl resist any corn recipe! This one is easiest and wonderful.
The women in my father’s family always cooked corn in milk. My mother didn’t, nor do I typically do so, but corn has a great affinity for recipes that include dairy. Everyone I knew back in those days before microwaves and recipes for grilled and roasted veggies, boiled corn, either on the ear or cut kernels, with a little dab of sugar and saved the salt until it was cooked. I learned to cook other sweet veggies such as fresh green peas, baby limas, and carrots with a touch of sugar instead of salt. It keeps them tender and enhances natural sweetness. I use maybe 1/4 tsp per 1/2 cup of cooking water, which is enough liquid for 2 c of veggies and is likely to be nearly all absorbed while cooking. Green vegetables, other than peas, need salted water both for flavor and to preserve the color.
Keep these terrific side dish recipes coming!