This creamy, cheesy corn casserole is made with cream cheese – it doubles as a side dish and a dip! It’s a classic side dish that is perfect for parties as a dip or a family-friendly side dish.
I’m not sure how I escaped six years in Kansas City without a deep love for barbecue, but I’ve never really cared for it. Any time we had guests in from out of town, they wanted to experience the barbecue.
I can’t blame them, I love doing the same when I travel! There’s nothing better than getting a taste of a city’s food culture when you’re visiting somewhere new.
I was often guilty of being the person who made a meal on anything-but-barbecue during our time there. Joe’s Kansas City BBQ has the best french fries. Seriously. I could live on them.
That’s okay with me though! Just because you don’t enjoy the main dish in a barbecue dinner doesn’t mean you can’t have just as much fun, right? Side dishes will win for me every single time, and this is one of the best pulled pork sides.
I LOVE a great side dish– yes, often more than the main dish… and I’ve shared countless recipes with you over the years! Try this cabbage salad, spaghetti pasta salad, homemade potato salad and crispy brussels sprouts if you’re looking for more incredible options.
Another local favorite bbq side dish is Jack Stack Cheesy Corn, which is absolutely incredible. I realized years later that they share their recipe on their website and have even made it at home a few times.
When it comes to all things cheese, I’m almost an expert. I’ve developed my own cheesy corn casserole that’s even creamier than the original and doubles as a dip! What could be better?
Why You’ll Love this Cheesy Corn
- So Easy – It’s SO good that I’ve called creamy cheesy corn dinner more times than I care to admit.
- Doubles as a Side Dish and a Dip – It’s the perfect blend of sweet, crunchy corn and salty, creamy cheeses. It comes together so quickly and it’s such a flexible option for parties- sure to be a crowd pleaser!
- Crowd Pleaser – Great for holidays, game day and summer parties.
Actually, I think it’s perfectly acceptable to call this delicious corn dinner since it includes a couple different food groups! It reminds me a little of the sweet cream corn that we ate when I was a kid, but so much better.
All 7 of my children loved it and asked for seconds.
– Rebecca –
Shopping List
- Canned Corn
- Velveeta
- Cream Cheese
- Salted Butter
- Minced Garlic
- Diced Ham
Substitutions and Variations
- Fresh sweet corn – You can use canned, frozen corn or fresh cooked corn kernels. All work beautifully here!
- Velveeta (Please don’t judge me – when it’s right, it’s right!) You can certainly use freshly shredded cheddar cheese in place of Velveeta, but this is a rare recipe where Velveeta wins, in my opinion!
- Cream cheese – You can use a lighter cream cheese here if you’d like to cut the fat a little.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted – I generally have salted on hand so that’s what we use.
- Minced garlic – I am a fan of shortcuts when they don’t change flavor, and store bought pre-minced garlic works beautifully here. Learn how to mince garlic here if you use fresh!
- Diced Ham – Any kind of cubed/diced ham will work! You can even get fancy and try a pancetta or proscuitto.
Tips
There are a couple notable differences in this Cheesy Corn recipe that set it apart from the rest.
- First and foremost, I don’t bake it! This recipe can be made entirely on the stovetop, which makes this Cheesy Corn Dip recipe so creamy and really quick and easy to make. Oven space is always a commodity at our house especially during the holidays.
- While some cheesy corn recipes call for bacon, I prefer diced ham in this particular recipe. I think it coordinates better with the texture of the corn kernels. However, feel free to modify if your family prefers bacon!
- Want to throw it in the oven to keep it warm? Feel free to do so! Cover with aluminum foil and keep the oven at around 350 degrees for up to one hour. Some people prefer this extra step simply because they like the crispy baked edges of cheese!
- Feel free to serve this corn casserole or corn dip in your crockpot! Leave the crockpot on the lowest/warm setting to keep it warm. This can be ideal for potlucks, too.
Serving Suggestions
- Have I mentioned that this is an incredible corn dip recipe! Serve cheesy corn as a dip with tortilla or corn chips. You won’t regret it.
- It’s not just a side dish…it’s so much more than that! In fact, if you’re serving a large amount of guests, I would certainly double the recipe. It’s just that good!
- You can easily double or triple this recipe right within the printable card! Simply use the 1x2x3x tab to change all the ingredient amounts to fit your needs.
How to Store
- Room Temperature – This cheesy corn recipe can sit out at room temperature for up to two hours while serving.
- Refrigerate – Store your cheesy corn casserole for 3-4 days covered tightly in the fridge.
- Freeze – While you can freeze this cheesy corn safely for up to three months, the creamy texture won’t be quite the same once it defrosts.
If you love recipes like this one, don’t miss this incredible Gratin Dauphinois recipe and find all the best Sides for Pork Chops!
To see how easy this Cheesy Corn Recipe is, watch the video in this post.
Cheesy Corn Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 30 ounces canned corn (2 15.25 ounce cans, drained) or the kernels of 8 ears of corn, boiled
- 8 ounces Velveeta cubed
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 5 ounces sliced ham (1 thick slice), cubed
Instructions
- In a medium sized pan over medium heat, add corn, velveeta, cream cheese, butter and garlic. Stir until melted.
- Stir in ham.
- Serve in a casserole dish for a side dish or slow cooker to keep warm as a corn dip.
Julie’s Tips
- This recipe can be made entirely on the stovetop, which makes this Cheesy Corn Dip recipe so creamy and really quick and easy to make. Oven space is always a commodity at our house especially during the holidays.
- While some cheesy corn recipes call for bacon, I prefer diced ham in this particular recipe. I think it coordinates better with the texture of the corn kernels. However, feel free to modify if your family prefers bacon!
- Want to throw it in the oven to keep it warm? Feel free to do so! Cover with aluminum foil and keep the oven at around 350 degrees for up to one hour. Some people prefer this extra step simply because they like the crispy baked edges of cheese!
- Feel free to serve this dip in your crockpot! Leave the crockpot on the lowest/warm setting to keep it warm. This can be ideal for potlucks, too.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
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How to Make
- In a medium-sized pan over medium heat, add corn, velveeta, cream cheese, butter and garlic. Stir until melted.
- Stir in cubes of ham.
- Serve in a casserole dish for a side dish or slow cooker to keep warm as a corn dip.
I’m gonna try this but adding bacon instead of ham!
Bacon, pancetta and ham are all deligh! Enjoy!
FYI: Jack Stack no longer posts their recipe for Cheesy Corn. If you have it, please post it. I’d like to read it.
Thanks
This is just about it – try it, you’lol love it!
All 7 of my children loved it and asked for seconds.
Now that’s a win!!!
i have not had cheesy corn but it looks great. you could easily make it vegetarian without the ham.
Absolutely!
Cheese + corn = YUM!
xo
Kate
Thanks, Kate!