Easy One Pan Cornbread Casserole

This simple cornbread casserole recipe comes together in about an hour with only 8 ingredients! It’s the perfect quick and easy side dish for Thanksgiving but it also pairs well with a big bowl of chili or smoked baby back ribs.

 

You Will Love This

• This recipe combines the best parts of cornbread and casserole into a classic comfort food your family will love! Using Jiffy cornbread mix makes it even easier to throw together and you can mix the ingredients together right in the cast iron pan that you bake it in so you’ve got fewer dirty dishes.
• If you loved this easy side dish recipe, be sure to check out my baked cheesy corn casserole, green bean bacon casserole, and roasted herby baby potatoes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butter – To get the best flavor for this casserole, I recommend using butter. Olive oil isn’t going to give you the same taste. I prefer unsalted butter so that I can control the sodium content myself.
• Canned Corn – Be sure to drain the liquid from the canned corn or the casserole will be soggy.
• Canned Cream Corn – Cream corn adds extra corn flavor and gives the casserole its creamy texture. This type of corn is essential as it’s what gives this dish its casserole quality.
• Sour Cream – I recommend using full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture.
• Eggs – The eggs are going to bind the ingredients together and give it a casserole-like texture.
• Granulated Sugar – A little bit of sugar adds a nice balance to the otherwise savory dish. Don’t worry it’s not going to be super sweet! Feel free to add more or less sugar based on your preference. Or you can always serve it with honey on the side if you want your guests to be able to adjust the sweetness level themselves.
• Kosher Salt – I prefer to use Kosher salt. If you’re using table salt you can use half the amount.
• Jiffy Cornbread Mix – Jiffy corn muffin mix is my preferred brand for cornbread mix, it has a great flavor and cooks to the perfect golden brown. If you can’t find Jiffy, other cornbread brands should work as well. 

Instructions

Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet.

Brush the melted butter up the sides of the pan. Add corn kernels, creamed corn, sour cream, eggs, sugar, and salt to the skillet.

Mix until combined and then add Jiffy cornbread mix.

Stir until just combined and use a spatula to spread the mixture flat on top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Garnish with chives if desired or serve with butter and honey. Enjoy!

Tips

• If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can make this Jiffy cornbread casserole in a regular baking dish. Just heat the butter in the microwave and then pour it into the pan. Brush the butter up the sides of the pan and then follow the remaining instructions as directed in the recipe.
• Drain the can of corn. Don’t forget to drain the can of regular corn kernels! Too much liquid will make this casserole soggy.
• Make sure you use the entire can of cream style corn. Even though you’re draining the regular canned corn, you definitely want to use the entire can of cream corn. Because cream corn uses liquid from the corn cob, there is extra corn flavor and starch in the liquid that will help to give this cornbread casserole it’s creamy texture. 
• Cover the casserole with foil if the top is getting too dark before the casserole is cooked through. This will allow the casserole to continue cooking without browning the top any further.
• The texture of this cornbread casserole should be creamy. It’s wetter than cornbread but not mushy, if it’s still a bit mushy after cooling, pop it back in the oven for another 10-20 minutes.

Variations

Feel free to add in your favorite flavors and spice this classic Thanksgiving casserole. Some of our family’s favorites include:

• canned green chilies
• taco seasoning
• cumin
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• sharp cheddar cheese

Is cornbread casserole the same as cornbread?

Cornbread casserole differs from cornbread in that cornbread casserole has a few extra ingredients and a creamier texture. Typically, cornbread is a sweet bread, while cornbread casserole adds canned and cream corn to the bread as well as sour cream and eggs to make a more robust, casserole-style side dish. 

What meat goes with cornbread?

This cornbread casserole is a delicious side for your Thanksgiving spread but it also pairs well with sweet BBQ baby back ribs, a hearty bowl of short rib chili, green bean and bacon casserole, smoked meatloaf, smoked chicken thighs, smoked sausage, or smoked chuck roast.

What makes cornbread dry and crumbly?

Cornbread can get dry and crumbly when there is too much corn meal in the mixture or when it’s overcooked. That’s what I love about this cornbread casserole is that it has the perfect creamy texture with all the classic cornbread flavor. And it never comes out dry or crumbly!

Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

• Make-Ahead: This Jiffy cornbread casserole is the perfect make-ahead side dish! You can have it ready to go a day or two ahead of time and simply warm it up in the oven when you’re ready to serve and eat!
• Storage: Store leftover cornbread casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
• Freezing: You can freeze this cornbread casserole in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
• Reheating: Reheat the cornbread casserole in a 350 degree oven until warmed through.

Easy Side Dish Recipes

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