Confetti Corn Casserole

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.

Corn Casserole is a classic Thanksgiving side dish. I’ve kicked it up by adding bell peppers and onions for Confetti Corn Casserole. Perfect for a crowd, great as leftovers, this dish will be a family favorite all year long.

Corn has always been one of my favorite vegetables. Growing up I primarily ate it boiled and on the cobb, of course slathered in butter. I now make Corn, Zucchini and Red Pepper Cakes all the time in the summer when fresh sweet corn is plentiful.

I learned to make corn casserole years ago, and it was a staple side dish in my recipe collection until about 5 years ago. And then for some reason, I completely stopped making it.

Last year I went to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving. They had corn casserole, I ate WAY more than I should have and even took some home for leftovers.

While I love the traditional corn casserole, I wanted to kick it up a little so I created Confetti Corn Casserole

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• It’s a great side dish to add to your Thanksgiving dinner, but easy enough for a weeknight dinner
• It’s easy to make and pairs well with several types of protein
• It’s great for leftovers

INGREDIENT TIPS FOR CONFETTI CORN CASSEROLE

The great thing about Confetti Corn Casserole is that it’s basically a dump-and-bake dish. The only real “work” is dicing the vegetables. Yes, you could go super short cut and buy pre-diced veggies at the grocery store, but you can cut your own in minutes.

I use red and green bell peppers, plus onion. Red onion is a little sweeter than yellow, plus you get another pop of color. Make sure to dice all the vegetables very small, and all about the same size.

Use equal portions of Canned Sweet Corn Kernels (no-salt-added) and Canned Creamed-Style Corn. I’ve seen some recipes that call for frozen corn, but to me, canned corn is a better option.

Corn casserole needs Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. Yes, you could make your own mix, but the store-bought version is super inexpensive and convenient.

Use a nice, sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, plus unsalted butter and sour cream. I prefer lite sour cream because it tastes exactly the same as regular, with less fat and calories.

Since I use unsalted butter and no-salt-added corn, I add just a little bit of Kosher salt to the mixture.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, add drained corn kernels, creamed corn, muffin mix, salt, and sour cream.

Stir well to combine. Add diced bell peppers and onion.

Fold peppers and onions into the mixture and add half the cheese, whisked egg, and melted butter.

Fold everything together and pour into a baking dish.

Bake for 35 minutes, top with remaining cheese, and bake for another 15 minutes until done.

SERVING, MAKE-AHEAD, AND LEFTOVERS

The Confetti Corn Casserole will be scorching hot when it comes out of the oven, so let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Make-Ahead Options

I’ve only made it one day ahead, but you could do it up to 2 days ahead.

• Prep all the ingredients and add them to the baking dish
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil and set in the fridge
• Remove from the fridge about 15 minutes before baking
• Bake, uncovered, as normal

Leftovers

Confetti Corn Casserole is perfect for leftovers. I intentionally make a large batch so that I have it to eat over the course of a week.

• If using within 2 days: Allow the casserole to cool completely in the baking dish. Cover with foil and store in the fridge
• If leftovers will last longer: Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to one week.

To reheat all the leftovers in the same baking dish, remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes before baking and cut into chunks so it reheats more evenly. Keep the foil on the dish and bake at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes.

To reheat individual portions, microwave for 1-2 minutes at 80% power.

MORE DELICIOUS SIDES FOR THANKSGIVING

• Skillet Green Bean Casserole
• Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf
• Broccoli Salad with Homemade Dressing
• Baked Homemade Mac and Cheese
• Skillet Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Onions

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? COMMENT AND RATE BELOW, THEN TAKE A PICTURE AND TAG ME ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM: @KARYLSKULINARYKRUSADE

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AND PINTEREST FOR MORE RECIPES!