Scalloped Corn – Immaculate Bites Side Dishes

What Is Scalloped Corn?

When you hear the word scalloped, you might think of the cute edging that resembles the shellfish. However, in cooking, it refers to smothering something in a tasty cheese or cream sauce. Then top with bread or cracker crumbs and brown to a gorgeous golden. The most famous scalloped dish is scalloped potatoes.

And you may be surprised you can do the same thing with about any vegetable. Scalloped corn is the perfect example.

Recipe Ingredients

This no-fuss recipe uses pantry staple ingredients.

1. Butter – What better way to saute your veggies? The rich creaminess adds loads of flavor.
2. Seasonings – Onion, bell pepper, and Creole seasoning deliver deliciousness.
3. Eggs – Protein makes this corn casserole heartier, and they hold it together for the perfect texture.
4. Half-and-Half – There’s something about cream that delivers a beautiful mouthfeel. If you don’t have half-n-half, you can use half cream and half milk, all milk, or all cream. See how easy this recipe is?
5. Corn – Fresh, frozen, or canned whole-kernel corn works well for this recipe. 
6. Sugar – Granulated sugar balances the flavor without adding a recognizable taste. But brown sugar, agave, and honey will do the job if that’s what you have.
7. Cheddar – The sharper, the better, IMO. But if you prefer mild, that’s fine too. It’s umami with style.
8. Buttery Crackers – Your favorite buttery Ritz-style crackers, coarsely crushed, add a crispy texture to accent all that creamy corn goodness.
9. Parsley for garnish adds a splash of color to a creamy dish. Cilantro does the same thing, whatever you like best.

How to Make Scalloped Corn

• Prep Baking Dish – Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
• Saute Veggies – Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small frypan, then add onion, bell pepper, and Creole seasoning. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
• Whisk – Whisk the eggs with half-and-half in a medium bowl.
• Assemble – Add the onion mixture, granulated sugar, salt, drained corn kernels, cheddar cheese, and ½ cup of crushed crackers to a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Pour the corn batter into the prepared casserole dish.
• Topping – Mix the remaining crackers and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. And spread it over on top of the corn casserole. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges of the casserole are set and golden brown.
• Serve – Remove from the oven. Top it with parsley, and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

1. Gluten-free. You only need to change the crackers to a gluten-free substitute if you’re gluten-sensitive.
2. Dairy-free. Simply replace the half-and-half with oat milk and the butter with olive oil. And there are several good non-dairy cheddar cheese options.
3. Creamed corn casserole. If you prefer a creamier texture, creamed corn will work fine. You could also replace part of the half-and-half with sour cream.
4. Veggie add-ins. Blanched and diced broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and celery turn this into an even heartier side. Diced jalapenos or other hot peppers ramp up the spice factor.
5. One-pot meal. Besides adding more vegetables, you can throw in some leftover chicken, steak, pulled pork, bacon, ham, sausage, oysters, etc. That makes an easy, delicious one-pot meal for those crazy weeknights.

Tips and Tricks

1. Top your scalloped corn with panko breadcrumbs, saltines, club crackers, fried onions, or whatever you have on hand instead of Ritz crackers.
2. Avoid overmixing the batter to reduce the chance of it cracking.
3. You can even swap out half of the corn kernels with creamed corn.

Make-Ahead Instructions

If you’re planning to make it this on Thanksgiving, you can prepare the corn mixture and assemble your scalloped corn in advance. Then, store it in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for two months.

To freeze, I prefer an all-purpose baking casserole dish with an airtight lid. After assembling the casserole, put the lid on and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Then remove the lid, and it’s ready to bake.

Serving and Storage Instructions

It’s better to make too much than to run out of food 😱. However, that means you’ll probably have leftovers. Yay!

Cover the whole dish with plastic wrap, making it as airtight as possible, or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for around 5 days or in the freezer for a month or two.

FAQs

What to Serve With Scalloped Corn

Scalloped corn is a great side dish for any holiday meal. But a classic menu includes roast turkey breast, mashed potatoes, Southern sweet tea, homemade biscuits, and sweet potato pie.

More Casserole Recipes for Your Next Potluck

Conclusion

Scalloped corn is a comforting specialty ramped up with cheese and cream. Does your family have a related holiday recipe? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”jHRmxVpM” upload-date=”2020-11-19T07:00:00.000Z” name=”Scalloped Corn” description=”Creamy, cheesy, and surprisingly easy to make SCALLOPED CORN easily pairs with any main dish. A filling casserole with real corn kernels, cheese, and your favorite buttery crackers make it so irresistible. Hurry up and grab some now because this dish flies by faster than you can take your first bite.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]

This blog post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.