High altitude cheesy cornbread casserole that’s loaded with corn, sweet onions, green chiles, and three kinds of cheese, topped with crispy breadcrumbs. This dish is a great alternative to stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner.
You might also love these recipes for the best oven roasted crispy potatoes, cheesy ham and egg hand pies, and cheesy sausage biscuits with green chiles.
This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links. This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services. All opinions expressed on this site are my own.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
No Box Mix. Most recipes for cornbread casserole start with a box of Jiffy cornbread mix, with a can of creamed corn and a few other things added. But my recipe is made without a box mix and without canned corn. Everything is made from scratch and the flavors are so fresh!
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Butter. The butter adds lots of flavor to the cornbread and keeps it moist.
- Vegetables. You’ll need sweet yellow onion, corn (fresh or frozen), mild green chiles and garlic.
- Cheese. I used a combination of cream cheese, cheddar cheese (although pepper jack would also be good), and parmesan.
- Milk + Sour Cream. Adds moisture.
- Eggs. Gives the bread strength and binds it together.
- Cornmeal. Yellow cornmeal gives this cornbread its pretty yellow color and savory corn flavor. Don’t confuse cornmeal with corn flour or corn starch, which are completely different ingredients.
- Flour. All-purpose flour gives the bread strength and structure so it doesn’t crumble apart.
- Baking Powder. This is the leavening agent, which gives the bread its rise.
- Salt. Enhances the flavors.
- Panko Bread Crumbs. The bread crumbs add a crunchy topping that’s just so good.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick baking spray.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the frozen corn and cook the mixture just until the corn is warmed through.
- Add the green chiles and the cream cheese. Stir frequently, until the cream cheese is melted and combined with the corn mixture. Remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream and eggs, then stir in the corn mixture.
- Separately, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients and the grated cheddar/pepper jack to the wet ingredients, and stir everything together with a spatula just until combined.
- Spread the batter into the pan. In a bowl, combine the grated Parmesan with the dry breadcrumbs, and sprinkle the mixture over the batter. Scatter a few fresh thyme sprigs over the top.
- Bake on the center oven rack for about 40-45 minutes, just until a toothpick or sharp knife inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover cornbread casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This casserole is really best freshly baked. Leftovers can be reheated to soften the cornbread again, but the topping will only be crunchy when it’s freshly baked.
You can add cooked crumbled sausage, cooked bacon, or diced ham, which would all be fantastic in this dish.
You Might Also Like
Please check out my Amazon Shop for a curated collection of some of my favorite cake pans from trusted brands, baking tools, ingredients, pretty things and fashion finds. I recommend products that I buy and use every day!
Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!
High Altitude Cheesy Cornbread Casserole
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
- 1 lb frozen (or fresh) corn kernels (about 2 cups)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 can (4 oz) diced mild green chiles
- 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (optional)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 cups grated cheddar or pepper jack cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- fresh thyme sprigs, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick baking spray.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the frozen corn and cook the mixture just until the corn is warmed through.
- Add the green chiles and the cream cheese. Stir frequently, until the cream cheese is melted and combined with the corn mixture. Remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream and eggs, then stir in the corn mixture.
- Separately, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients and the grated cheddar/pepper jack to the wet ingredients, and stir everything together with a spatula just until combined.
- Spread the batter into the pan. In a bowl, combine the grated Parmesan with the dry breadcrumbs, and sprinkle the mixture over the batter. Scatter a few fresh thyme sprigs over the top.
- Bake on the center oven rack for about 40-45 minutes, just until a toothpick or sharp knife inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve hot.
Leave a Reply