Old-School Scalloped Corn Recipe
Certain side dishes are just about guaranteed to be winners, and this old-school scalloped corn recipe is one of them. As the name suggests, scalloped corn has a bit of a retro feel to it (and very well might be a 1960s side dish your grandparents used to love), but it would add a cozy feel to any modern weeknight dinner table or a holiday table. Plus, considering this recipe yields a whopping 12 total servings, it's one side dish very well-suited to feed a crowd without requiring a bunch of ingredients or pots and pans.
I love how this scalloped corn particularly highlights fresh corn in all its glory, resulting in a dish that hits both sweet and savory notes along with creamy and crunchy textures all in one go. I'm always a fan of contrasting flavors and textures, and though simple in its ingredients list, this recipe hits the nail on the head. The casserole base itself boasts more of a creamy, cheesy appeal with just the right pops of crispy, earthy sweetness from the corn, while the Ritz cracker topping adds a distinct crunchiness to every bite along with rich, buttery notes. There are so many ways to cook with or transform corn, but if you're looking for a cohesive dish with a comforting, old-school flair, then you really can't go wrong with this scalloped corn recipe.
Gather the ingredients for old-school scalloped corn
To build the creamy, cheesy sauce that serves as the base for this recipe, start with unsalted butter, flour, half-and-half, grated cheddar cheese, cream cheese, salt, paprika, black pepper, and fresh corn on the cob. For the crunchy cracker topping, you'll need a little more butter, Ritz crackers, and extra grated cheddar cheese.
Step 1: Melt butter in a large pot
In a large pot, heat 4 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted.
Step 2: Whisk in the flour
Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add half-and-half and simmer
Slowly whisk in the half-and-half, working out the lumps, until it all has been added. Bring back to a simmer.
Step 4: Whisk in the cheddar, cream cheese, and seasonings
Turn off the heat and whisk in half the cheddar cheese, along with the cream cheese, salt, paprika, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Step 5: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step 6: Cut the kernels off the cobs
Cut the corn kernels off the cobs.
Step 7: Transfer the kernels to a bowl and scrape extra the milk out of cobs
Transfer the kernels to a bowl, and use the back of your knife to scrape any remaining bits and milk off the cobs over the kernels.
Step 8: Add the eggs to the sauce
Whisk the eggs into the cheddar cheese sauce.
Step 9: Stir the corn into the cheese sauce
Stir in the corn.
Step 10: Transfer the corn mixture to the casserole dish
Pour into a greased 2.4-quart baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes until the edges are just set.
Step 11: Mix the melted butter into the crushed crackers
In the meantime, to prepare the topping, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and mix them into the crumbled crackers.
Step 12: Add the remaining cheddar
Stir in the remaining cheddar cheese.
Step 13: Top the casserole with crumbs and bake
Sprinkle over the casserole and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is only slightly jiggly in the center.
Step 14: Let the scalloped corn cool slightly before serving
Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.
What pairs well with scalloped corn?
Old-School Scalloped Corn Recipe
With fresh corn, plenty of cheddar, tangy cream cheese, and a buttery cracker crumb topping, this cozy retro scalloped corn makes the perfect holiday side dish.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 pint half-and-half
- 8 ounces freshly grated cheddar cheese, divided
- ½ (8-ounce) package cream cheese
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ears fresh corn, shucked
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups roughly crumbled Ritz crackers (about 35 crackers)
Directions
- In a large pot, heat 4 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted.
- Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the half-and-half, working out the lumps, until it all has been added. Bring back to a simmer.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in half the cheddar cheese, along with the cream cheese, salt, paprika, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Cut the corn kernels off the cobs.
- Transfer the kernels to a bowl, and use the back of your knife to scrape any remaining bits and milk off the cobs over the kernels.
- Whisk the eggs into the cheddar cheese sauce.
- Stir in the corn.
- Pour into a greased 2.4-quart baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes until the edges are just set.
- In the meantime, to prepare the topping, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and mix them into the crumbled crackers.
- Stir in the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Sprinkle over the casserole and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is only slightly jiggly in the center.
- Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 336 |
| Total Fat | 23.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.4 g |
| Cholesterol | 88.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 22.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.7 g |
| Total Sugars | 7.2 g |
| Sodium | 379.4 mg |
| Protein | 10.4 g |
Can I use frozen or canned corn for this casserole?
I highly recommend using fresh corn in this recipe (if seasonally possible) for the absolute best earthy-sweet flavor and crisp texture. If fresh corn isn't in the cards, however, then you can easily swap in either frozen or canned corn with a few modifications to prep work and recipe steps.
Frozen corn is your best bet for a texture and flavor that will be closest to fresh, but you'll need to give it plenty of time to completely thaw before using. Also, make sure the corn is thoroughly drained after thawing it so as to avoid adding excess moisture to the casserole. To use canned corn, simply drain it completely before stirring it into the cheese sauce. Note that you'll need about 4 cups of corn to account for the eight ears of fresh corn that the recipe calls for.
If there's one type of corn that should be completely avoided, it would be creamed corn. Though it may be delicious on its own, the pureed nature and extra-liquidy nature of creamed corn would throw off the texture and structure of this dish, making for a casserole that's a bit too soupy.
How do I keep corn casserole from becoming watery?
Between the luscious, creamy corn-infused base and the crispy-crunchy crushed crackers on top, this casserole boasts lots of lovely textures and consistencies. Avoiding excess water is crucial to maintaining that creamy consistency, and there are a few things that might cause a watery end result. The first reason would be that your corn has too much moisture. This shouldn't be an issue if you use fresh corn as the recipe calls for, but if you use frozen or canned corn, note that it's absolutely essential to thaw and drain the corn as much as possible.
It's also crucial to bake the corn for exactly the right amount of time and avoid over-baking. While certain casseroles may be more forgiving if they're a little bit over-baked, this scalloped corn might separate due to the amount of cream and cheese in the mix. Bake just until the edges are set, but the center still has a little jiggle to it. The casserole will continue to set as it cools (hence the 15-minute window before serving) and will end up with a wonderfully creamy, custard-like texture.