This Loaded Corn Casserole is packed with fresh corn, bacon, cheese, chives, jalapeños, and it’s topped with Cheez-Its. It’s creamy, crunchy, and cheesy! You can make it in a casserole dish or a skillet, and it all comes together by hand — no mixer required!
Table of Contents
This Is the Best Corn Casserole EVER
One thing about me: I absolutely LOVE corn. Whether it’s corn on the cob, creamed corn, cornbread, or corn salsa, I’m all in on it. I love the sweetness, the texture, everything! It adds so much to any dish.
This loaded corn casserole may just be my corn magnum opus. It’s rich, cheesy, packed with texture, and so, so flavorful. There’s just something about the combination of creamy corn with melted cheese and bits of crisp bacon that I just can’t get enough of. And the Cheez-Its topping? Next level.
While I love serving this corn casserole as a side for Thanksgiving or Christmas, it makes a fantastic addition to any picnic, potluck, or Sunday dinner. It’s versatile, easy to put together, and a dish everyone will love!
Recommended Equipment
The Main Ingredients (+ Substitutions)
- Bacon. The flavor combo of bacon and corn is just so good! If you want to keep this recipe vegetarian, just omit the bacon and use olive oil to saute the shallots.
- Corn. If you can use fresh corn kernels, I recommend it. Otherwise, use frozen corn that has been completely defrosted and patted dry. Skip canned corn for this recipe, because it’s too soft and will become mushy.
- Creamed corn. Creamed corn helps give this bacon jalapeno corn casserole its signature soft and creamy texture.
- Dry ingredients. You’ll need yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Wet ingredients. You’ll need eggs, milk, sour cream, and melted butter. I don’t recommend going low fat for this recipe.
- White cheddar. I love the flavor that sharp white cheddar adds, but in reality you can swap just about any semi-hard cheese here including yellow cheddar, jack, etc.
- Jalapeño. I love the hint of spice that the jalapeño adds, but you could swap in diced poblano or bell pepper for less heat.
How to Make This Loaded Corn Casserole
- Render the bacon and shallots. To get the bacon to release most of its fat, start it in a cold pan and then set it over medium-low heat. As the pan heats up, the bacon fat will melt off and you’ll be left with crispy bacon and plenty of renderings in the pan for sautéing the shallots.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, milk, and butter until smooth. Whisk in the creamed corn last.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. I like to use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together to prevent overmixing.
- Load it up. Add the fresh corn kernels, sautéed shallot, jalapeños, chives, half of the crispy bacon, and 1 ½ cups of the shredded white cheddar.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Spread the batter in an even layer in the prepared baking dish and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes.
- Add the toppings. To really load up this corn casserole, I topped it with crushed Cheez-Its, more cheese, and more crispy bacon. Give the casserole another 15 minutes in the oven, or until the Cheez-Its topping is golden brown and the casserole is set.
Chef Tips & Tricks for Making Corn Casserole
Use fresh corn when possible. The freshness of the corn kernels in this corn casserole just adds the perfect pop of texture. If you can’t find fresh, use frozen corn that you’ve thoroughly defrosted and patted dry.
Always grate your own cheese. I know it’s an additional step but so worth it. It makes a huge difference to shred the blocks of cheese yourself using a food processor or box grater. Pre-shredded bags of cheese contain a white powdery substance called cellulose. That anti-caking agent prevents the cheese from having that melty quality.
Don’t overmix the batter. Avoid over-mixing by using a rubber spatula to fold everything together until just combined.
Let it rest. Let the casserole rest for 15-20 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This will help the casserole set and hold together better while serving.
Make Ahead Option
You can prep this casserole a full 24 hours before baking! Here’s how:
- Assemble the casserole in the dish and cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
- Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
- When ready to bake, bring it to room temperature on the counter and then bake as directed.
Alternately, you can bake for the first 25 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let the casserole come to room temperature and then finish the baking with the cheese, bacon, and Cheez-Its until the casserole is warmed through.
What to Serve with This Casserole
This loaded bacon jalapeño corn casserole is really a year-round recipe and would go perfectly with any of these dishes:
- Holiday faves. Maple-Glazed Turkey, Bourbon-Glazed Ham, Slow-Roasted Turkey Thighs
- Grilled proteins. Grilled Tri-Tip, Grilled Chicken Wings, Grilled Ribeye Steak
- Comfort foods. Mom’s Classic Pot Roast, Pretzel-Crusted Chicken, Juicy Turkey Meatloaf
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Holiday Side Dishes That Feed a Crowd
- Pumpkin-Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Cream Cheese Green Bean Casserole
- Cornbread Stuffing
- Brussels Sprouts Gratin
- Parmesan Creamed Corn
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Loaded Corn Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 strips bacon, diced
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (2 oz)
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels, about 1 large ear of corn
- 14 oz creamed corn
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar, divided
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- 3/4 cup Cheez-Its crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×9-inch or 2-quart oval ceramic baking dish with softened butter.
- Cook the bacon and shallots. Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy, but not burned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a small bowl. Increase the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the shallots are soft and starting to brown. Remove them from the heat and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, milk, and butter until smooth. Whisk in the creamed corn and then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together until just combined. Gently mix in the corn kernels, the shallots, jalapeños, chives, half of the crispy bacon, and 1 ½ cups of the shredded white cheddar.
- Bake. Spread the batter in an even layer in the prepared baking dish and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes.
- Add the Cheez-Its topping. While the casserole is in the oven, place the cheez-its into a small ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to break them up into pieces. After 30 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven and top with the remaining cheese, bacon, and cheez-its bits. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, until the casserole is just set and golden brown on top. Let the casserole rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Storage Instructions
- Storage: Store any leftovers in the baking dish, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover the baking dish in foil and bake for 10-15 minutes at 325ºF or until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave for 30-90 seconds until warm.Freezing: You can make this casserole ahead of time and freeze it to enjoy it later! Store it uncooked in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed. You can also freeze the cooked casserole for up to 3 months, thawing overnight, then covering in foil and baking at 325ºF for 10-20 minutes until heated through.
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