This homemade Mexican corn casserole strikes the perfect balance between a creamy pudding texture and a soufflรฉ-like consistency.ย It's laced with Monterey Jack cheese and has a little kick of roasted poblano heat.ย
This delicious side dish is a great addition to your Thanksgiving table this year or for your next potluck.ย
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Want to make this recipe perfectly the first time? I want to help with that. So, check out this Table of Contents to see which sections of this post will help you the most.
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Many years ago, a bunch of friends joined me in a resort area on the northern California coast for Thanksgiving. We decided on a southwestern/Tex Mex meal with each person responsible for one recipe. There was a bit of coordination to ensure everyone got the stove and oven time they needed but everyone was very chill and sipped wine while we caught up on our busy lives. We made a huge feast that lasted for days and memories that have lasted for decades.ย
This Mexican corn casserole was one of my contributions to that long ago Thanksgiving dinner and it's still a hit all year round at our house.
I should mention that it shouldn't be confused with a Mexican Street Corn Casserole recipe, which typically includes mayonnaise, lime, a salty cheese like cotija, and bold flavors. Instead, this corn casserole is the fluffy, quieter cousin with roasted poblano peppers and melty cheese.ย
โค๏ธ Why you'll love this recipe
- It's a super flexible dishย that accommodates well to adding additional veggies such as red bell peppers.ย
- Turn this side dish into aย vegetarian mainย by adding cooked black beans to the corn mixture.
- Mexican foodย is always a win with the whole family.ย
- Make it year roundย with fresh corn in the summer and frozen corn at other times of the year.
- This recipe calls only forย simple ingredients.ย No time-consuming scavenger hunts required. Yay!
๐ง Ingredient Notes
This list only covers ingredients that require some notes. Go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post for a complete listing of the ingredients, measurements, and directions for making this Mexican Corn Casserole recipe.
- Cornย - Either fresh, frozen or canned whole kernel corn work great in this dish.
- Poblano pepperย - Substitute jalapeรฑo peppers for less heat or red bell peppers for no heat at all.
- Yellow onionย - White onion and green onions are fine too, if that's what you have. If using green onions, thinly slice the white and light green parts of the stalk.
- Buttermilkย - Don't substitute regular milk. See the below section for acceptable buttermilk substitutes.
- Baking powderย - Be sure it's double-acting and aluminum-free. This ingredient gives the casserole its signature soufflรฉ texture.ย
- Monterey Jack cheeseย - Use Pepper Jack cheese for a little additional kick or a mild cheddar cheese.
๐ฉโ๐ณ Great Substitutions for Buttermilk
When buttermilk is combined with baking soda, you get a lift from the sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda and a distinctive tang to the finished dish. This tang flavor is fantastic with the corn, cheese and roasted poblanos.
If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, here are some substitutions for 1 cup of buttermilk that work well with this recipe.ย
- 1 cup full-fat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt watered down to have the same consistency as buttermilk. Start with less than 1 cup of yogurt to ensure you end up with 1 cup once it's watered down.
- ยพ cup full-fat or low-fat sour cream + ยผ cup full-fat or low-fat milk.
- 1 cup of water + ยผ cupย buttermilk powder.
๐ Instructions Overview
Detailed instructions for making this Mexican corn casserole are in the recipe card below, but here's an overview!
Step 1
Prep. Roast the pepper, peel off the skin, and remove the seeds.
Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and if using fresh corn, slice the whole corn kernels from the cob and set aside. If not, thaw frozen corn.
Step 2
Purรฉe.ย Place the roasted peppers and half of the corn into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Purรฉe and set aside.
Step 3
Sautรฉ. Sautรฉ the onions, garlic, and purรฉe in a large skillet. Cool to room temperature.
Step 4
Whisk and combine.ย Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, flour, and baking powder until a smooth batter forms. Fold in the cheese and the remaining corn kernels.ย
Step 5
Bake.ย Pour the batter into an oven-safe baking dish and bake until done.
๐ฏ Why This Recipe Works
- The poblano chile adds additional flavor to the casserole while its heat is tempered by the cheese.ย
- Combining baking powder with buttermilk contributes to this pudding's soufflรฉ-like texture. And the cheese makes it creamy. So the finished texture of this dish is a fantastic combination that everyone will rave about. Seriously.
๐ฉโ๐ณ Preparation Tips
- Cool the batter in the skillet to close to room temperature before pouring in the egg mixture. Otherwise, if it's too hot, the eggs may start to scramble.ย
- Use a stick blender to whip up the eggs and buttermilk to save time. Stir in the flour and baking powder using a wooden spoon.
- Use frozen corn, thawed, to save the time it takes to slice corn kernels from a cob.
๐กIdeas for Possible Variations
- Addย cooked black beansย to turn it into a main dish.
- Swap out the poblano chile for jalapeno peppers for less heat, or red bell pepper for no heat at all.
- Substitute cheddar cheese for the Jack cheese for a cheesier flavor.
- Add one teaspoon cumin or chili powder to the batter.
- Coarsely chop ยผ cup fresh cilantro and add to the batter.
๐โโ๏ธ FAQ
You can make this recipe ahead through all the steps of making the batter. Once you pour it into a baking dish, cover it tightly with plastic and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before baking.
Yes! Once the skillet used to sautรฉ the onion cools, pour the batter into the skillet and bake. It will likely cook faster in the skillet, so check for doneness.
Mexican Corn Casserole Recipe with Poblano Peppers
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Whisk or immersion blender with whisk attachment
Ingredients
- 1 poblano pepper roasted, peeled and seeded
- 4 cups frozen or fresh whole corn kernels divided (about 4 ears of corn)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ยฝ cup diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons kosher salt or ยพ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese or mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450ยฐF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the poblano pepper on the baking sheet and roast until blackened in most places. Turn the pepper a couple of times to get an even blackening. Lower the oven temperature to 375หF and transfer the pepper to a container with a lid, or wrap it in foil. After 5-10 minutes, peel away as much of the skin as you can. The skin is papery thin, so just remove the parts that bubble up from the pepper.Slice off the top and down one side of the roasted pepper to open it up. Remove the seeds and pith and coarsely chop the pepper.Note: The seeds and pith are the biggest sources of heat in peppers.
- While the pepper roasts, remove the kernels from the ears of corn, if using fresh corn, or measure out frozen corn and set it on the counter to thaw. The best way to cut kernels from a fresh ear of corn is to lay a shucked ear of corn on a cutting board, and slice down one of its sides with a sharp knife. Turning the cob 90 degrees, and slice again. Repeat until all of the corn kernels are removed. Repeat with the remaining ears of corn.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Add 2 cups of the (thawed) corn kernels and the roasted poblano to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Purรฉe and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Addโจ the onion and sautรฉ until fragrant and translucent, approximately 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and sautรฉ for another minute. Lower the heat and stir in the purรฉed corn and poblano pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and set aside and allow to cool.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl using either a hand-held whisk or an immersion blender with the whisk attachment.Add the buttermilk, flour, baking powder, and salt and continue to whisk until a smooth batter forms.
- Using a silicone spatula, fold in the remaining 2 cups corn, the grated cheese, and the cooled onion and garlic mixture. Transfer the batter to an 8"X8" baking dish.Bake for 45-50minutes or until the top of the pudding is golden brown and the middle of the casserole feels firm when you press on it with your fingertips.Note: Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to prevent spills in your oven.Serve warm.
Notes
- Cornย - Either fresh, frozen or canned whole kernel corn work great in this dish.
- Poblano pepperย - Substitute jalapeรฑo peppers for less heat or red bell peppers for no heat at all.
- Yellow onionย - White onion and green onions are fine too, if that's what you have. If using green onions, thinly slice the white and light green parts of the stalk.
- Buttermilkย - Don't substitute regular milk. See the below section for acceptable buttermilk substitutes.
- Baking powderย - Be sure it's double-acting and aluminum-free. This ingredient gives the casserole its signature soufflรฉ texture.ย
- Monterey Jack cheeseย - Use Pepper Jack cheese for a little additional kick or a mild cheddar cheese.
Karen
I love southwestern food and would love to try the options in this cookbook!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It's genuinely a great cookbook. I've enjoyed every recipe I've tried so far!
bunkie
Never heard of corn 'pudding'?! Looks yummy!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It's so good, and lighter than you'd think. It has a bit of a soufflรฉ texture. I expected something a little heavier, and was pleasantly surprised. Obviously, since I've made it three times now LOL.
Cindy Shanks
Corn and cheese feed the soul, apparently. Thank you for alerting me to this beautiful book!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Yes is does - or certainly feeds mine. It's really a beautiful book ๐
apuginthekitchen
Southwestern food is wonderful, the book looks beautiful and full of great recipes. The corn casserole looks amazing!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
When I graduated from cooking school, even though I was pretty done with the rigor of school, I signed up for a one-week class in southwestern cooking class in Albuquerque. Culinary school was traditional French foundation, and wasn't about to do anything trendy like Southwestern. I loved the week in New Mexico and the class. So fun. And the corn pudding and book are both superb!
Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom)
I would love to add this cookbook to my library!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
You would love it Amy! It's such a beautiful book!!
Barbara
Love southwest cooking. I grew up with it.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I didn't grow up with it, but I've been making up for lost time ๐
Anita at Hungry Couple
Love it, want it, pinning it and making it ASAP. That cookbook would be cool!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
LOL, Anita!! That really sums it all up nicely. The cookbook is just beautiful - just like Meagan's blog ๐
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I do too, especially now that warmer weather is here. I've found SW cooking to be so amenable to vegetarian meals ๐
SeattleDee
I live in the PNW but my foodie heart remains true to my SW roots. Thanks for the heads up on this cookbook, I can't wait to taste my way through some of the recipes, might even begin with the skillet corn pudding, perfect for today's 56 degree weather.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Indeed, this would be perfect for your weather today! It's around 70 here, but cool as the fog's not far away today, and it was a wonderful lunch to tuck into ๐
cheri
Hi Susan, I just found Meagan's blog back in February and I absolutely love it, she lives in Phoenix. Love this skillet corn casserole!
Melissa
That corn casserole looks right up my alley. I'd love to see more of this book!
Karen D
I enjoy southwestern cooking. Sounds like a great cookbook, full of information. Might help me sort out my pepper confusion!
Cathy
i especially love the southwest chili thing!
Rita
Susan, did you roast the jalapenos whole?
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Funny! For some reason, on some people's comments some pretty surprising links show up :-). As for the jalapeรฑos, as I state in the ingredient list, I substituted poblano and yes I roasted it whole. In fact, I roasted it over the stove top instead of in the oven, and it worked great. Then I peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped before putting into the bowl of the food processor with the corn.
jacquie
i don't know anything about southwest cooking but would love to learn more
laurasmess
This looks so delicious Susan! I've never had a corn pudding... but the 'souffle-like' comparison is making me drool! Sounds so delicious. Love the Mexican flavours ๐
Choc Chip Uru
I need to try this delicious pudding casserole, love the creamy fluffiness ๐
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Erika
Oh my gosh Susan, this look absolutely AMAZING!!! Have you ever tried Smitten Kitchen's sweet corn spoonbread? It's been on my list to try for ages, but I still haven't gotten around to it! This looks like a creamier, slightly heartier version of it.
The cookbook sounds like such a winner! I'm curious--what is the recipe pictured on the front? I just flipped through the preview on Amazon and the recipes sound so great--guac with roasted garlic? Sign me up!!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm going to have to check out SK's spoon bread now - I love the stuff!! The recipe on the cover of this cookbook giveaway is for Black Bean and Corn Quesaditas. They're on my long list of things I want to try from this book !!!
Monica K
I'm a vegetarian in an omnivore household. My omnivores are pretty open minded about veg food (especially if they're not on the hook to cook). This recipe sounds sooooo good. May have to put it on the menu this week. Thanks! ๐
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I wish my omnivore was more open to veg food, but it might not happen. But I gotta say he was a huge fan of this corn pudding! Glad you entered the sweepstakes!!
Meghan
This looks SO good, I pinned it!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks soooo much!!
Norma Chang
Like the idea of pureeing 1/2 of the corn and leaving 1/2 whole giving the finished dish a lovely contrast in texture.
Oui, Chef
Sausage and bacon are always obvious options in my book regardless of what kind of dish we're talking about! Corn and pudding...two of my favorite words and they go SO well together.
Becky (central oregon)
I frequently use the poblano pepper instead of jalapeรฑo because of milder heat. I think it actually has deeper flavor when you don't have so much burn.
Annette
I've never had a corn pudding casserole, but that recipe looks delicious. I think I know what I'll be making tonight (or tomorrow).
Jenny
Made this tonight for delayed Thanksgiving in SE England. As the Brits would say โbloody sensationalโ and will be in our repertoire forever more. Thanks for sharing - so easy too.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Yay!!!! I'm so glad this dish worked so well for you!! Thank you soooo much for letting me know. A very Happy Belated Thanksgiving to you!