Southern Comfort in a Casserole: Cornbread Casserole Recipe

A close-up of a spatula lifting a square piece of cheesy baked cornbread casserole topped with bacon and green onions from a dish. The golden cornbread casserole recipe features visible corn kernels for extra flavor.

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5 from 3 votes

Southern Comfort in a Casserole: Cornbread Casserole Recipe

Savory cornbread casserole with sweet corn, bacon, jalapeño, sour cream, and a melted cheddar topping.

Prep Time25

Cook Time50

Resting Time5

Total Time1 20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Soul Food

Keyword: casserole, comfort, cornbread, Southern

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1–2 tablespoons sugar (optional, depending on sweetness preference)
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
6 tablespoon butter, melted
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 ounce bacon, cooked until crispy and diced
1–2 jalapeños, minced (adjust for preferred heat level)
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
Optional: Chopped green onions for garnish

Instructions

Cook the listed bacon until crisp, drain it, and chop it. Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 350°F. Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Reserve the topping portions of bacon and cheese before mixing.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until evenly combined.
Add the thawed corn, milk, and sour cream to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir the mixture to combine, making sure there are no dry spots.
Pour in the melted butter, add a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, and fold in most of the bacon, jalapeños, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the casserole dense.
Pour the cornbread mixture into the prepared baking dish, using a spatula to spread it evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining bacon, ½ cup of cheddar cheese, and green onions, if using, on top. Return to the oven for about 3–5 minutes, just until the cheese melts. Rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Let the casserole cool for a few minutes, then serve it warm.

Notes

Drain the thawed corn thoroughly so the batter does not become watery.
Reserve the topping cheese and bacon before mixing the filling.
Stop stirring once combined; overmixing can make the cornbread dense.

Nutrition is estimated for one-tenth of the casserole using whole milk, full-fat sour cream, unsalted butter, cheddar and 1 jalapeño. The 8 ounces of bacon is treated as its weight before cooking; a USDA average pan-fried yield is used for the cooked, drained bacon. Optional sugar, extra pepper, garnish and pan grease are excluded. Bacon yield and brands change the estimate.

Nutrition