I’m a big fan of the subtle tang of sourdough alongside the natural sweetness of corn, and they come together perfectly in my new Sourdough Corn Casserole! If you’ve never had a corn casserole before, it’s like a cornbread crossed with a corn pudding or custard crossed with a souffle. Tender, moist, and savory-sweet, it’s a phenomenal side dish for holidays like Thanksgiving or any night of the year!
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
Incredible texture – I love how soft and pillowy this casserole is, tender from creamed corn, sourdough starter and sour cream, plus cornmeal and baking powder for a lovely rise. A can of creamed corn adds tons of flavor, while fresh or frozen corn kernels add texture and body.
Super flexible – I like this sourdough corn casserole a bit sweet, but you could go sweeter by increasing the sugar or drizzling with honey. Or you could go more savory and top with cheese and fresh herbs like chives or scallions. It’s so versatile!
Delicious simple ingredients – This dish is a popular holiday dish, especially in the Midwest and Southeast of the United States, and is often made with a boxed cornbread mix called Jiffy. This version lets you make your own with basic pantry ingredients like cornmeal, baking powder, and of course, your sourdough starter!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Cornmeal – I used fine-ground cornmeal, but medium-ground will work as well. Sometimes this is labeled as ‘polenta’ in the UK and Australia.
- Granulated Sugar – You can adjust the sweetness of this recipe depending on your taste. I used 30 grams of sugar and enjoyed the savory-sweet balance, but I’ve gone as high as 50 grams of sugar and it still didn’t taste overly sweet.
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Sour Cream – this adds such a nice soft texture to the sourdough corn casserole.
- Sourdough Starter or Discard – either one will work in this recipe, but I recommend not using a discard that’s too old or it may impart too sour a flavor.
- Melted Butter
- Eggs – makes for a lovely custardy texture.
- Corn Kernels – you can use either fresh corn or frozen corn kernels here, no need to defrost. You can use canned corn as well, but drain it well so you don’t include too much additional liquid.
- Creamed Corn – Creamed corn from a can (sometimes called cream-style corn) is not the same thing as the dish with the same name. Creamed corn from a can contains no cream or dairy, but blends corn kernels and a smooth starchy liquid from the corn. Different brands may use different ingredients such as tapioca starch or corn starch. If you can’t find creamed corn where you live, make a substitute by combining all the corn and about one-third of the liquid from a can of corn along with a tablespoon of flour. Blend it until the corn kernels are broken into chunks but not pureed.
How To Make Sourdough Corn Casserole
I like to bake this casserole in a generously buttered 9×13″ baking dish. This sourdough corn casserole is such a simple but delicious side dish!
Start by whisking together the dry ingredients and then set it aside while you do the same with the wet ingredients. Now stir the dry cornmeal mixture, the drained corn kernels and the creamed corn into the wet mixture, stirring it altogether in the bowl. Don’t forget the liquid from the creamed corn can!
Add the sourdough corn casserole mixture to the greased baking dish and bake until the casserole is set and the top is golden brown. I think this casserole is best served hot from the oven, but it is still tasty at room temperature (which is always a good thing if you’re short on oven space on the holidays).
Kate’s Pro Tip
A little jiggle is ok!
You want this sourdough corn casserole to be set when you pull it from the oven, but a little jiggle in the center is OK, as it will set more as it cools. Make sure the top is a rich golden brown though – I love the way the top caramelizes and adds texture and flavor to this dish!
What to Eat With
In the United States, corn casserole is often served at Thanksgiving or Christmas, so it goes well with holiday roasts such as turkey, chicken, or beef, and of course some of my Thanksgiving sourdough side dishes!
Corn casserole is also popular at barbecues. It’s similar to sourdough cornbread, so it’s a great side dish to bring to a cookout! It also makes a great simple side for a weeknight dinner. I love serving it with some sourdough shake and bake chicken.
Make Ahead
To make this sourdough corn casserole ahead of time, bake it and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat at 350ºF/180ºC for about 15 minutes, covered, or until warmed through. If you want to crisp up the top a bit more, heat an additional 5 to 10 minutes uncovered.
How To Store and Freeze
Leftovers of this sourdough corn casserole keep well. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can reheat in the microwave or the oven.
You can freeze this dish either baked or unbaked. If baked, cool it to room temperature. Wrap well before putting it in the freezer for up to three months. Before baking, thaw the sourdough corn casserole in the refrigerator overnight. If unbaked, follow the recipe instructions for baking. If baked, reheat at 350ºF/180ºC for about 15 minutes, covered, or until warmed through. If you want to crisp up the top a bit more, heat an additional 5 to 10 minutes uncovered.
Sourdough Corn Casserole
Equipment
- Baking Dish (9 x 13")
Ingredients
- 120 g Cornmeal, (Polenta)
- 30 g Granulated Sugar
- 10 g Baking Powder
- 5 g Salt
- 220 g Sour Cream
- 120 g Sourdough Starter, (or sourdough discard)
- 115 g Butter, (melted)
- 3 Eggs
- 500 g Corn Kernals, (fresh, frozen or canned, must be drained)
- 425 g Creamed Corn, (15 oz can)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and grease a 9×13 baking dish generously with butter.
- Combine the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly.
- Put the sour cream, sourdough starter, melted butter, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the cornmeal mixture, the corn kernels and the creamed corn, including the liquid from the can. Stir until just combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake at 350ºF/180ºC for about 45 minutes, or until the casserole is set and the top is golden brown. Serve hot, warm, or even at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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