The best Creamed Corn recipe, complete with loads of sweet corn, smoky bacon, and the best savory Parmesan cream sauce.
Be sure to try Roasted Corn Salad, Elote, or Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad next!
The Best Creamed Corn
If you grew up on canned corn and loved it, you’re in for a treat. My Creamed Corn recipe goes beyond the can—it’s sautéed corn in a creamy, Parmesan-spiked sauce. This side dish is perfect for any warm-weather meal or potluck, but it shines just as bright on the holiday table! With frozen corn, it’s easy to make year-round, even without fresh corn.
And once you’re hooked, try some other recipes using canned creamed corn: Chicken Corn Chowder, Creamed Corn Casserole, and Corn Pasta.
Creamed Corn Ingredients
- Bacon: Use your favorite bacon! For crispy, go with thin slices; for a chewy texture, use thicker cuts.
- Yellow Onion: Finely dice and caramelize in oil and bacon grease for more flavor.
- Frozen Corn: Use frozen corn for convenience all year. No defrosting needed.
- Butter & Flour: Add richness to the creamy sauce around the corn and bacon.
- Milk: Use whole milk for a rich and creamy side. Half-and-half or cream work too.
- Parm Cheese: Use fresh Parm and grate finely to melt smoothly.
- Sugar: Add a bit at a time and adjust based on the sweetness of the corn.
- Salt & Pepper: These simple seasonings add great flavor—no fancy spices!
How To Make Creamed Corn
- Cook Bacon: Crisp up the bacon, then remove, leaving a little grease in the pan.
- Cook Onion: Soften diced onion in the bacon drippings.
- Add Corn & Creamy Mix: Add corn, milk, and butter to make it creamy.
- Season: Mix in cheese, salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar to taste.
Quick Tip
To add more flavor, use fresh herbs! Try flat-leaf parsley, thyme, or basil. Basil is great for summer, thyme for fall/winter, and parsley works any time.
Creamed Corn Recipe Tips
- Cook the Bacon Fully: Make sure the bacon is fully cooked before adding the corn, as it won’t crisp with the liquid from the corn.
- Add Milk if Needed: If the sauce thickens too much, add a little milk until creamy.
- Add Salt Slowly: Season with salt gradually, as the bacon and Parmesan are salty—until the flavors come through!
What To Eat With Creamed Corn
- I typically serve this alongside a meat main (Grilled Chicken, a Flat Iron Steak, or Blackened Chicken) with a big Garden Salad.
- For a summer BBQ serve alongside this Burger Recipe.
- Add to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table along with a Crockpot Turkey Breast and Sweet Potato Casserole.
- Add to your Easter spread along with this Deviled Egg Recipe and these easy Drop Biscuits.
Storage
Store creamed corn in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of milk if it’s too thick.
More Recipes With Corn
- Corn Soup: velvety smooth and luscious
- Corn and Sausage Pasta: a little spicy and a whole lotta tasty
- Corn Casserole: another holiday favorite
- Corn Salsa: another take on a Mexican-style favorite
- Corn Chowder Pot Pie: comfort food at its best
Creamed Corn
This Creamed Corn recipe is an absolute favorite! It’s loaded with sweet corn, crispy bacon, and tossed in the most delicious Parmesan cream sauce. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and savory.
Equipment
- Large pan 10 or 12-inch
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 slices bacon diced, 3 ounces
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 20 ounces frozen corn 4-1/4 cups
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or to taste
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or basil—depending on the season, for topping, optional
Instructions
- Dice the bacon and onion before starting.
- Add olive oil to a large (10 or 12-inch) pan and set to medium heat. Add diced bacon and onion. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently at the end, until bacon is browned and onions are tender. (Bacon won’t brown much more past this point, so fully cook it here).
- Add in frozen corn, butter, and seasoning to taste (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; see note 2). Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring frequently, until corn is heated through and butter is melted, 3–5 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour on top of corn and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and add milk and sugar (see note 3). Stir, scraping bottom of the pan, until cream thickens, about 1 minute (see note 4). As soon as it thickens, remove from heat. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and gently stir through to melt. Taste for seasonings, adding more if needed. If desired, sprinkle in fresh herbs.
- If desired, add another sprinkle of Parmesan. Enjoy warm!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Packaged grated Parmesan (in the can) is very salty and won’t melt as nicely in this recipe. I highly recommend grating a block of Parmesan cheese on a fine grater for ultra-fine cheese shreds.
Note 2: Depending on how salty the bacon and Parmesan are, you may want less (or more) salt. Add gradually, tasting, until flavors come to life!
Note 3: Add sugar slowly and to taste. The amount you add can vary, depending on how sweet the corn you are using is.
Note 4: If the sauce thickens too much (on the heat too long), you may need to add another splash of milk to loosen the sauce. (Add slowly—we don’t want corn drowning in cream, but rather nicely creamed in an even ratio of corn to sauce).
Storage: Transfer the cooled creamed corn to an airtight container and refrigerate. They will last for 3 to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 224IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
