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This vegan corn casserole bakes up gloriously cakey and creamy, and packed to the gosh darned roof with corn kernels, scallions, parsley, and melty vegan cheddar. Get ready to deal with everyone fighting over the last hunk of this effortless Southern side.
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In development, this recipe's clowned me more times than I care to admit. Here's what makes it different from my vegan cornbread: it's more corn than it is "bread." Meaning the bulk of this darn thing is a ton of juicy fresh corn.
This casserole sits on a Southern style dinner table right next to my candied yams, vegan green bean casserole, and vegan sausage gravy.
So, go make it before your kid convinces you to order takeout again. They are gonna be delighted that you sniped them this time.
What is Corn Casserole?
Some folks call this dish "spoonbread" or "corn pudding." It's been a staple in Southern mid-century-American cooking for a hot minute now, often baked in casseroles or called "corn bowl" back when Jiffy popularized boxed versions, like the vegetarian Jiffy corn muffin mix.
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🤘learn to make insanely flavorful vegan sides
This guide to my most popular vegan side dishes is 100% FREE, & you'll love the actual heck out of it 🥰
🥰 Why you'll adore this Vegan Corn Casserole recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Like all my vegan Thanksgiving recipes, this one told meat, dairy, and eggs to pack their stuff and leave for good.
🕒 Easy as It Gets: One bowl for the wet stuff, one for the dry, dump it in a casserole, and boom! Dinner is ready. No finicky steps, no crazy shenanigans, no crying in the sink with burnt corn stuff all over your oven door.
🛒 Nothing Fancy, Just Chaos and Corn: Everything in this original recipe is basic as hell. Simple ingredients you can grab at any grocery store without hunting through three aisles of Wild West space nonsense.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all my vegan recipes, this one's been baked, put through its paces by over 800 recipe testers.
🌽 Vegan Corn Casserole Ingredients
Cornmeal
Use a fine- or medium-grind cornmeal for the best texture. You can also make this with blue cornmeal and any leftovers are great for making the blue corn pancakes we used to serve in our food truck.
The Flour
A little regular flour helps bind the wet and dry ingredients so the casserole holds its shape without an overly dried out, too-wholesome texture. For a gluten-free version, substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or an equal parts mix of oat flour, sourgum flour, and cassava flour.
Vegan Yogurt
Unsweetened vegan yogurt adds moisture, acid, and structure to the casserole while helping the baking powder do its job for that light but creamy texture. I like using unsweetened almond milk yogurt from Kite Hill, but soy yogurt works great too. You can also use my vegan sour cream recipe or even blended silken tofu if that's what you've got on hand.
Plant Milk
Use an unsweetened plant-based milk to avoid throwing off the sweetness, and NEVER use a vanilla flavored one to make this. Oat milk or soy milk curdle the best (giving you a buttermilk-like thickness) when they interact with acids in the batter, but this can be made with almond or cashew milk too.
Corn Kernels
Fresh, frozen, or even canned whole kernel corn (drained well) all work here. Of course, if fresh corn is in season, nothing is better than that!
Vegan Cheddar Shreds
Vegan cheddar melts right into the batter which gives us that oh-so-gooey pull we all love. As it bakes, it helps form a golden, crispy top that tastes straight-up irresistible. I usually go for Daiya, Violife, or Follow Your Heart, but any good vegan cheddar works. Or try mozzarella or pepper jack if you have one of those in your fridge.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
📖 How to make Vegan Corn Casserole
Already drooling on your keyboard? Wipe it up, sweetie. Scroll to the full printable recipe card if you just need the quick way around. BUT, if you're here for the complete deets, unhinged commentary on people using Jiffy corn muffin mix, browse through these step-by-step photos.
Step One
Tokyo Sift:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt until smooth and lump-free.
Step Two
Wet Side Story:
In another bowl, whisk the yogurt, plant-based milk, maple syrup, and olive oil until combined. Pour this into the dry mix and stir until it just comes together.
Step Three
Corn on the Fourth of July:
Add in the corn, parsley, scallions, and vegan cheddar shreds, folding gently so everything's evenly mixed.
Step Four
Corn to Be Wild:
Spread the mixture into your prepared dish, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top turns golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step Five
Cool Hand Luke:
Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes so it sets before serving.
💡Serving Ideas
If this vegan corn pudding is a killer centerpiece for your holiday table and it makes your cornucopia look seriously not-edible, serve it with a soup course like vegan butternut squash soup or Thai pumpkin soup.
Or rock it as a side to go with one of your main courses: vegan pot pie, vegan turkey, or vegan shepherd's pie.
Don't forget other holiday essentials like bourbon cranberry sauce, dairy-free mashed potatoes, and roasted parsnips dripping with vegan gravy.
👉Top tips
- Drain the Swamp: If you're not using fresh corn, get rid of the extra water unless you enjoy eating soggy mush. Canned or thawed frozen corn holds more moisture than your moldy crawlspace, so pat it dry or strain it well so your casserole stays firm and instead of giving wet bread bad energy.
- Use a Thick Casserole: Grab a ceramic or cast iron dish. It holds heat better, and browns the edges evenly.
- Open that door and we fight: Leave the oven door alone for at least 25 minutes. I know it smells amazingg, but opening early makes it collapse like your willpower at dessert. Let it rise, set, and do its thing before you check for doneness near the end for best results.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes, thaw and drain frozen corn fully before folding into the batter so it doesn't add extra water to the mix.
Use a medium (about 8×10 inch or similar) dish so the mixture isn't too deep. Too thick and the center will take forever to bake through.
Insert a toothpick into the center, if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it's done and ready to rest. The edges may also start to pull away slightly from the surface of the pan when it's baked thoroughly.
🥶 Refrigerating
Let the casserole cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. It holds its texture best if you leave the lid ajar and let the casserole cool 30 minutes before sealing.
❄️ Freezing
Freeze the casserole in a reusable freezer-safe container. It will keep well for up to 3 months. Let it cool fully before freezing to avoid ice crystals forming on top.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating
Place servings in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and cover with a lid. Warm for about ten minutes, flipping or stirring halfway through until heated evenly.
⏲️ Oven Reheating
Preheat your oven to 350°F and scoop the casserole into an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle a little water over the top so it stays moist and doesn't dry out mid-reheat. Cover with foil and warm for 15-17 minutes, just until heated through and the edges start lookin' normal again.
✌️You'll love these vegan holiday recipes too:
Easy Vegan Corn Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened vegan yogurt
- ⅓ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Mix-Ins:
- 3 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- 1 cup scallions chopped
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. If you don't have a sifter, simply whisk the dry ingredients to remove any lumps.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, plant-based milk, maple syrup, and olive oil until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Fold in the corn kernels, parsley, scallions, and vegan cheddar shreds.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
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elisabeth says
Easy, yummy, and didn't need to buy ingredients that I wouldn't normally use anyway
Susi says
Adam,
That was excellent. I added a little adobo chili powder because we love that stuff so much :-))
Thanks for another wonderful recipe!