Southern Corn Pudding

A quintessential Southern side, this Southern corn pudding recipe is so creamy, full of corn, and would make your grandma proud!

I don't own a scale -- and that's on purpose. There are times in life where my weight naturally ebbs and flows (it sounds like I'm talking about the ocean). There are times of high stress where I can drop a few pounds, times of low stress when I'm most at equilibrium, and extra weight caused from the most joyful moments of my life (including, but not limited to child birth, holiday events with family, get togethers with friends).

This season of life has definitely been a combination of all of these things. It's a time of lower-than-I-would-like exercise, higher stress working two jobs, so much joy getting to spend more time with my babies, and intense cravings for comfort food. I'm rolling with it...and thankful I don't own that scale.

This corn pudding is one of those comfort food sides that I love so much -- but made healthier without sacrificing everything I love about sweet Southern corn pudding.

What in the World is This Corn Stuff?

Sometimes called corn pie, corn soufflé (if you're fancy), corn casserole or corn pudding casserole, corn pudding is a Southern side staple. It's full of corn kernels (either fresh or frozen), creamed corn (for creaminess), eggs, and milk or heavy cream for extra creaminess.

It's not to be confused with actual creamy pudding -- like my favorite chocolate pudding. But I do dream about this kind of pudding a lot, too.

In summary, corn pudding is comfort in corn form.

Traditional Southern Corn Pudding

This recipe mimics a traditional good old fashioned Southern-style corn pudding but is made slightly healthier with less sugar and milk instead of heavy cream. I do think sugar is necessary to sweeten up the dish just a bit, but some recipes you'll find call for ½ to 1 cup of sugar. That's basically the same amount of sugar as a cake.

No thanks.

I'm going to save my sugar for an actual chocolate cake.

I also include red bell pepper, which to some may be not be traditional, but this is my preferred secret ingredient by far. It adds extra flavor and a slight crunch to make this side so delicious.

Corn Pudding with Fresh or Frozen Corn?

The answer is totally up to you! Both work really well. Corn pudding with fresh corn is delicious, particularly in the middle of summertime when corn is at its peak.

Frozen corn is so easy to always have on hand and tastes delicious, too.

Variations

This recipe is very forgiving, so you can definitely feel free to add what you like or subtract what you don't like.

If you're a corn pudding purist, feel free to leave out the onion and/or red pepper. It won't mess up your ratios of ingredients or anything like that.

Some people looooove cheese on their corn pudding. This is great to include in the batter before baking and then adding even more on top after it comes out of the oven.

There's also some corn pudding that calls for a box of Jiffy corn mix, but I haven't tried this method.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Corn pudding is delicious the next day!  Be sure to store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Corn pudding will last 3-4 days.

Corn pudding can definitely be eaten cold.  If you're reheating, I suggest warming in the oven at 350˚ F for about 20 minutes.  You can also stick in the microwave at 50% power for about 3 minutes. 

What to Eat with Your Corn

My personal favorite is BBQ pulled pork -- and this recipe is incredibly delicious, flavorful, and easy.

A nice grilled steak would be my second favorite option or even a simple grilled piece of sausage. There's really no meats that wouldn't be a great match with corn pudding.

xox,

kathryn

As always, if you make anything from the blog, be sure to let me know! I love hearing from you in the comments on this post below or find Worn Slap Out on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!