Jalapeno Corn Casserole is a creamy, cheesy corn side dish: frozen corn and chopped fresh jalapenos stirred into a quick stovetop sauce of cream cheese, butter and milk, mixed with sharp cheddar and baked under more cheddar until bubbling. It bakes in a 9×13 dish at 375°F and serves 8.
How to make it: Melt the cream cheese, butter, milk and seasonings in a saucepan. Toss the frozen corn with the jalapenos and 1 cup of cheddar, stir in the sauce, and spread it in the dish. Top with the rest of the cheddar and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- No thawing: the corn goes in straight from the freezer.
- Creamy and cheesy: a cream cheese sauce inside and a melted sharp cheddar top.
- Heat you control: keep the seeds for a kick, or take them out for a gentler side.
- Feeds a crowd: it fits a standard 9×13 dish, and a foil pan works for carrying it to a potluck or backyard BBQ.
Ingredient Notes
Frozen corn: two 16-ounce packages, about 6 cups in all. About 6 cups of fresh corn cut from the cob, or drained canned corn, can stand in.
Cream cheese: one 8-ounce block, softened and cubed. Block (brick) cream cheese melts better and doesn’t separate the way tub cream cheese can.
Butter and milk: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1/3 cup milk for the sauce.
Fresh jalapenos: 1/2 cup chopped. See the heat guide below.
Sharp cheddar: 2 cups shredded, 1 cup stirred in and 1 cup for the top. Shred it from a block: the anti-caking agents on pre-shredded cheese can make the sauce grainy.
Seasoning: 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
Red bell pepper: 1/2 cup chopped, optional, for color.
Ingredients
- 2 packages frozen corn, 16 ounces each (32 ounces, about 6 cups in all), added frozen
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 block, softened and cubed)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (half a stick, cut up)
- 1/2 cup fresh jalapenos, chopped
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided: 1 cup stirred in, 1 cup for the top
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
How to Make Jalapeno Corn Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
2. Melt the sauce. Put the cream cheese cubes, butter, milk, salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often. Do not try to get every cream cheese lump out: melt it until the sauce is easy to stir into the corn.
3. Mix the corn. In a large mixing bowl, combine the frozen corn, chopped jalapenos, red bell pepper (if using) and half of the cheddar (1 cup).
4. Add the sauce. Pour the cream cheese sauce into the bowl and stir until the corn is coated.
5. Fill the dish. Transfer the mixture to the dish and sprinkle the remaining cheddar (1 cup) over the top.
6. Bake until hot. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted, the edges bubble and the center is warmed through and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
How Hot Is It? Controlling the Heat
The heat comes from 1/2 cup of chopped fresh jalapenos spread through 6 cups of corn. How much you taste depends on how you cut them:
- Milder: remove the seeds before chopping.
- Hotter: leave in some of the seeds or the white pith. Go slowly, because it can get really hot, really fast.
- No heat: use a can of chopped green chilies, or chopped green or red bell pepper, in place of the jalapenos.
- On top: a few thin jalapeno slices over the cheese let people see what they’re getting.
Tips for a Smooth, Creamy Sauce
- Use block cream cheese. Soften it and cut it into cubes so it melts evenly.
- Shred your own cheddar. Cheese shredded from the block melts smoother than bagged shreds.
- Don’t chase every lump. Melt the sauce until it stirs easily; small bits of cream cheese melt in the oven.
- Keep the corn frozen. It goes into the bowl straight from the bag.
- Split the cheese. Half goes into the corn and half on top, so there’s cheese all the way through.
- Check the center. Bubbling edges come first; the middle is ready at 165°F.
Other Ways to Make It
- Slow cooker: skip the saucepan, put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low 3 to 4 hours, stirring often so it combines and doesn’t burn.
- Instant Pot: cook everything in a 6-quart pot at manual pressure for 4 minutes, release the pressure and stir. Use the sauté setting if the sauce needs to thicken.
- With cream: heavy cream in place of the milk makes an even richer sauce.
- For a crowd: make two or three dishes for a big gathering.
Looking for the corn casserole made with a box of corn muffin mix? That bread-like casserole is its own dish, and ours is easy creamy corn casserole.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if it’s above 90°F) in shallow covered containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Leftovers stay safe frozen and keep their best quality for 3 to 4 months, but cream sauces can separate after thawing, so the texture may change. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat covered in the oven, microwave or on the stove to 165°F. In the microwave, cover and vent the dish and check the temperature in several places. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
For a potluck: keep the casserole at 140°F or warmer in a chafing dish, slow cooker or on a warming tray, and don’t leave it out more than 2 hours.
What to Serve With It
It’s a natural side for taco night, fajitas, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas and grilled burgers. Try it with layered taco bake, loaded steak quesadillas, chicken enchiladas with homemade red sauce or easy chicken burrito casserole. For a backyard BBQ, set it next to slow cooker root beer BBQ pork ribs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a creamy, cheesy jalapeno corn casserole?
Melt cream cheese, butter, milk and seasoning into a sauce, stir it into frozen corn with jalapenos and cheddar, top with more cheddar and bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Do I need to thaw the corn?
No. The corn goes in frozen.
Is jalapeno corn casserole spicy?
It depends on the jalapenos. Remove the seeds for a milder dish, or leave some seeds and pith in for more heat.
Can I use canned or fresh corn?
Yes. Use about 6 cups of drained canned corn or corn cut from the cob.
Can I make it with Jiffy mix?
Corn casserole made with corn muffin mix is a bread-like casserole of its own. See our easy creamy corn casserole for that one.
Why is my cheese sauce grainy?
Pre-shredded cheese can do that. Shred sharp cheddar from a block, and use block cream cheese rather than tub.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Use block cream cheese, shred your own cheddar and set the heat with the jalapeno seeds. If you try it with green chilies or in the slow cooker, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Jalapeno Corn Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 packages frozen corn 16 ounces each (32 ounces, about 6 cups in all); added frozen
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 block, softened and cubed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter half a stick, cut up
- 1/2 cup fresh jalapenos chopped
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided: 1 cup stirred in, 1 cup for the top
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped; optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
- Put the cream cheese cubes, butter, milk, salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often. Do not try to get every cream cheese lump out: melt it until the sauce is easy to stir into the corn.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the frozen corn, chopped jalapenos, red bell pepper (if using) and half of the cheddar (1 cup).
- Pour the cream cheese sauce into the bowl and stir until the corn is coated.
- Transfer the mixture to the dish and sprinkle the remaining cheddar (1 cup) over the top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted, the edges bubble and the center is warmed through and reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
Notes
Nutrition
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