Vegan Corn Casserole: How to Make Vegan Corn Casserole

Vegan corn casserole is a side dish that you bake in a casserole dish or cast-iron pan that contains fresh corn kernels, canned corn, or creamed corn. Corn casserole is also known as corn soufflé, corn pudding, or cornbread casserole. Traditionally, corn casserole includes eggs and dairy, but you can easily make a vegan version using alternative dairy products.

There are numerous variations on vegan creamed corn casserole, but the flavor profile remains fairly consistent. Here are a handful of tips for making your own corn casserole:

1. 1. Use canned creamed corn. Although it’s creamy in texture, canned creamed corn is simply corn pureed with water, sugar, and salt. There is no dairy in cream-style canned corn, so it makes for the perfect addition to vegan corn casserole.
2. 2. Add mix-ins. For more texture and flavor, try sliced chives, sweet corn kernels, crumbled vegan bacon, or chopped jalapeños to customize your side.
3. 3. Make it sweet. While classic corn casserole is strictly savory, you can add a pinch of sugar to help draw out the sweetness in the cornmeal.
4. 4. Use the right cornmeal. Use medium or finely-ground cornmeal to achieve a silky, spoonable texture. Grits, polenta, and coarse cornmeal will not absorb enough liquid, yielding a gritty and clumpy texture. You can use yellow or white cornmeal, but yellow cornmeal will yield a lovely golden color.
5. 5. Make it gluten-free. To make your vegan corn casserole without gluten, replace the all-purpose flour with an alternative gluten-free flour of your choice.
6. 6. Make the dish ahead of time. Corn casserole is a good make-ahead dish since you can bake the whole casserole a day in advance and serve it the next day hot or at room temperature. The dish reheats well, making it a good option for a weeknight meal or neighborhood potluck.
7. 7. Use cornbread mix. All of the dry ingredients in a corn casserole recipe are the same ingredients as in a box or packet of cornbread mix. To make an easy corn casserole recipe, use a cornbread mix instead of combining all the ingredients individually.
8. 8. Cook the casserole in a slow cooker. For convenience’s sake, you might try a recipe specifically for a slow cooker or crockpot, which steams the corn casserole and results in a texture similar to mashed potatoes. The top of the dish, however, will be less crispy and golden brown than if it had cooked in the oven.