Corn Macaroni and Cheese Casserole is the best way to dress up your standard macaroni and cheese. Corn kernels, canned creamed corn, macaroni noodles and cheese make up this delicious dish.
It has been way too long since I have shared a macaroni and cheese dish here! I am so sorry about that, because who doesn't love mac and cheese? It's such a classic American side dish that goes with just about anything.
My husband, my aunt and I tend to spend as many summer weekends at my mom's house as we can. She has an inground pool and it's great to just hang out with family while sitting by the pool. Standard summer fare is burgers and hot dogs, but we've found we easily get tired of eating those every weekend.
We made a huge effort this year to try out different recipes that could be grilled or served in the slow cooker to give us a break from those burgers and hot dogs. Enter, pulled pork sandwiches. And what goes great with pulled pork? Macaroni and cheese. What is summer full of? Fresh corn. So I decided a great way to dress up macaroni and cheese was to add in some corn. Genius, right?
What is corn macaroni and cheese casserole?
For this recipe, fresh corn kernels and canned creamed corn are mixed with elbow macaroni, mozzarella and Velveeta cheese. A topping is made from bread crumbs and spices to really round out this dish.
Ingredients for this recipe
For the Macaroni:
- Elbow macaroni noodles
- Mozzarella cheese
- Velveeta cheese
- Fresh (or frozen) corn kernels
- Canned creamed corn
- Milk
- Spices: garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper
For the Topping:
- Panko bread crumbs
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
how to make this dish
- Cook your pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until al dente. (You don't want the pasta to be fully cooked as it will finish cooking in the oven) Drain pasta water and return the pasta to the pot, over medium high heat.
- Melt your cheeses. Add milk, creamed corn and Velveeta to the pan and stir until melted. Then add in mozzarella cheese, fresh (or frozen) corn, and your spices - garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
- Bake your corn macaroni and cheese. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the corn macaroni and cheese mixture into the dish and bake for 25 minutes.
- Make the topping. When 5 minutes are remaining on the cook time, line a small baking sheet with foil. Combine Panko, garlic powder, chili powder and smoked paprika. Add this to the oven and allow to toast.
- Final assembly. Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the toasted topping on top. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
tips and substitutions
Make this recipe and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Prepare the topping right before serving so it remains crispy.
Choose cheeses that you like: Velveeta is what makes this dish creamy and delicious, but the mozzarella can be replaced with cheddar, fontina, gruyere, gouda or even pepperjack.
Switch up the spices: replace oregano with parsley, basil or cilantro. Add some heat with crushed red pepper flakes. Chili powder can be omitted from the topping, or add cumin for a more Mexican flavored twist on this dish.
We enjoyed this macaroni and cheese recipe with pulled pork, but it also goes great as a side dish for burgers, meatloaf, chicken or pork.
September Improv Cooking Challenge
Corn and Cheese
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- Colombian Mazorca Desgranada by Pandemonium Noshery
- Cheesy Slow Cooked Corn and Mixed Vegetables by Making Miracles
- Chili Macaroni and Cheddar Bake by Palatable Pastime
- Savory Corn Cheesecake by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
- Baked Corn Cheese Sandwich by Sneha's Recipe
- Corn Macaroni and Cheese Casserole by Cookaholic Wife
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Recipe
Corn Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
For the Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 cup elbow macaroni noodles
- 8.5 oz creamed corn
- 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup Velveeta cubed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For the Topping:
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the macaroni noodles and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta water and return the pot to medium high heat.
- Add the creamed corn, milk and Velveeta cubes to the pan, stirring until melted.
- Add in the mozzarella cheese, corn, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes.
- When there is about 5 minutes left remaining of bake time, prepare your topping. Line a small baking sheet with foil. Combine Panko, garlic powder, smoked paprika and chili powder and spread into an even layer on the sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until toasted.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the topping over it. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Wendy
This is the perfect casserole when the weather starts cooling and you need a bowl of comfort food.
Rebekah
This looks delicious! Corn works so well in cheesy noodle dishes!