One Bowl Mexican Street Corn Casserole

I’m so excited about this recipe!  We found a new little Mexican restaurant in the next town over and tried their elote bowl. As soon as we sheepishly ordered our second round cuz we had basically licked the bowl clean, I knew I had to recreate it. This Mexican Street Corn Casserole takes pantry ingredients and turns them into a totally crave worthy dish!  

My kiddos LOVE corn and as a busy mom I really appreciate that its such a versatile veggie. My kiddos will gobble it up almost any way I make it.  They love charred corn, corn ribs and my copycat Chipotle corn salsa recipe is a taco Tuesday staple. And now this street corn casserole has been on repeat for weeks as well.  

Everything gets mixed up in the casserole dish, so not only can this recipe be in the oven in less than 10 minutes, but your kiddos could even make it on their own!  A great way to get them excited about cooking and helping out in the kitchen.

Ingredients

• Frozen Corn:  Bags of frozen corn are a freezer staple at my house, but canned corn will work in a pinch.  Just be sure to drain the canned corn well.
• Mayonnaise: While we are a Miracle Whip family when it comes to tuna melts and tuna sandwiches, you'll want regular mayo for this recipe.  Light mayo or regular mayo will both work. 
• Greek Yogurt:  I always have Greek yogurt in the fridge and use it as a substitute for sour cream.  If you are a sour cream family, feel free to substitute it here.
• Queso Fresco: This Mexican cheese, whose name translates into fresh cheese, is a mild, subtly tangy, creamy, yet crumbly cheese that pairs well with many dishes.  You can find it in the cheese section in most regular grocery stores, Target, etc. If you can’t find it, feel free to substitute with feta, goats cheese or cojita cheese.

Step by Step Instructions

Making a Mexican Street Corn Casserole is as simple as 1, 2, 3…Start by preheating the oven to 350℉ and then follow these three easy steps.

Step 1: Prepare the pan. Spray a 3 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Step 2: Mix all of the ingredients in the baking dish, retaining half of the queso fresco for garnish.

Step 3: Bake at 350℉ for 35-40 minutes until it’s bubbly and just barely starting to brown on top.  Sprinkle with remaining queso fresco and serve!

Serving Suggestions

Just like the elote bowl at our favorite Mexican restaurant, my Mexican Street Corn Casserole can be served as a side dish or as the main show! 

⭐As a side dish or appetizer:  For an appetizer simply put tortilla chips or toasted pita wedges out for people to scoop with. As a side dish, serve the casserole alongside tacos, quesadillas, or this Mexican rice skillet.  It would also be a great accompaniment to any grilled fish or steak (if you don’t keep kosher) dish.

⭐As the main dish: When you make this casserole the main dish, you’ll want to put out a variety of things to scoop with.  I like to serve corn chips, homemade tortilla chips and a big veggie tray.  If I have picky eaters around, I’ll make simple kid friendly guacamole and put out a jar of salsa, along with some cheese quesadillas.  

Variations & Toppings

While the Mexican Street Corn Casserole recipe is great as written, you can certainly add additional toppings to fancy things up.

• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped green onions
• Extra queso fresco
• Lime Wedges

Fun variations

• Make it spicy: Add chopped jalapenos or chopped green chilis.
• Make it smoky: Use ground chipotle pepper powder in place of the chili powder for a smokier flavor profile.
• Add avocado: Slice up some avocado and add it to the top of each serving.
• Load up the veggies: Add in chopped onions and chopped bell peppers (even chopped spinach if you want) to the corn before adding the remaining ingredients.

Storing Leftovers

As with most hot and cheesy dishes, this dish is best eaten warm from the oven.  However, if you have any leftovers, you can can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this Mexican corn casserole. 

To reheat your leftovers: Warm them in the microwave, in 30 second increments and stirring as you go.  You want it to get hot and melty all the way through.

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📖 Recipe