Do you want to know if you can freeze corn casserole? The answer is yes. At least you can with most types of corn casserole, unless there’s something in it that doesn’t freeze well. If you make this easy corn casserole recipe with cream cheese and green chiles, you certainly can.
Corn casserole is the perfect side dish to go with roast turkey, pork chops, or even your favorite seafood. It’s also good with southern fried chicken.
Whether you cook it in a casserole dish in your oven or in your slow cooker, you’ll want to enjoy every last bite of the entire casserole. In other words, you don’t want to waste any of it. That’s why I like to freeze whatever we don’t eat right away or even the next day. Don’t leave corn casserole out overnight.
Make Side Dishes Ahead of Time
If you’re anything like me, you have a long to-do list to prepare for any special occasion. So why not make a few things ahead of time and freeze them?
That would definitely take some of the last-minute load off and free you up for other things. I often make several things ahead of time, such as this squash casserole and this deluxe green bean casserole.
I also like to freeze tea in ice cube trays to add to glasses of iced tea later. That way, the tea is never watered down.
Creamy Corn Casserole – Corn Pudding Casserole
There’s nothing better than a corn casserole with certain foods. Also known as a corn pudding casserole, it’s delicious with any holiday meal, including Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and the Fourth of July. And it’s not only good on the holiday table. My family loves it for any special occasion.
So the short answer to the question about whether or not you can freeze corn casserole, it’s yes, you can. Since I use canned corn, Jiffy cornbread mix, and a few other sturdy ingredients, it turns out really yummy. However, if the casserole has ingredients that are likely to separate during the freezing process, the texture might be compromised.
If you’re not sure, cut off a small section of the corn casserole, wrap it in plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. Stick it in the freezer for 24 hours and then test it.
How to Freeze Corn Casserole
Even if you know that it freezes well, you need to follow certain steps.
How to freeze corn casserole ahead of time:
If you plan to freeze it, make sure it’s in a freezer-safe container. Set the corn casserole on a cooling rack and let it reach room temperature. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly over the casserole, then cover it with foil. Label it and place it in the freezer.
Here is what you need to do to freeze leftover corn casserole:
First, allow the casserole to come down to room temperature. If you put it in the freezer while it’s still hot the condensation will make it soggy and not as appetizing.
Secondly, divide the casserole into portions. I prefer having one or two servings in each portion so I can take out only what I need.
Next, use freezer-safe, airtight containers for each portion. Since I want to make sure air doesn’t get to it and cause freezer burn, I wrap it in plastic wrap and then put it in an airtight container. Label each portion with the contents and date that you’re putting it in the freezer.
Put it in the freezer, and you’ll have a delicious side dish for the future. Frozen corn casserole will be good for up to 3 months. We typically use it more quickly than that, but that’s the maximum.
How to Reheat Corn Casserole
When you’re ready to reheat the entire corn casserole, remove it from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator to thaw. When you’re thawing individual portions, do the same thing. If you don’t have that much time, put the airtight container in a bowl of water. Don’t leave it on the counter to thaw. Doing this may result in bacteria growth that can make people sick.
After the corn casserole thaws, you have a couple of options for reheating it. In my opinion, the best way to do this is to cover the pan with aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and heat it an additional 5-10 minutes.
For smaller portions, I still recommend heating them up in the oven. This helps maintain the integrity of the ingredients without the risk of them becoming rubbery or grainy. That said, when I’m in a hurry, I microwave it. Just be careful not to leave it in the microwave too long, or the texture will change.
You can either put the entire portion in a microwave-safe container and cover it with a paper towel. Or portion it out on individual plates. One of the things I like to do when I reheat almost any casserole is to sprinkle a little bit of cheese on top. That gives it a slightly different flavor and actually freshens up the taste.
More Tips for Freezing and Reheating Corn Casserole
Follow the directions above, and your corn casserole will turn out wonderful. I usually advise people to follow the directions to the letter the first time making something. Then you can get as creative as you like.
Here are some more tips to make it even better:
- Add a little bit of sour cream or heavy cream to make the casserole more moist.
- Stir in some shredded cheddar cheese to make cheesy corn casserole.
- If you’re making it in advance, shorten the cooking time when you first prepare it. Then when you reheat it, let it stay in the oven until the top turns golden brown.
- Add a little butter to the top to make it an extra delicious buttery casserole.
- Since I use Jiffy mix for the recipe above, this turns out to be a sweet corn casserole. If you want it sweeter, simply add a tablespoon of sugar to the mix.
- You can double the recipe above, simply by doubling all of the ingredients. Be sure to add an extra box of Jiffy corn muffin mix. And put it in a larger baking dish to avoid overflow.
- If you don’t want to add green chiles, you can chop up green onions to add color and flavor.
More Side Dishes You Can Freeze
As someone who likes to do as much ahead of time as possible, the freezer becomes one of my biggest helpers in the kitchen during the holidays. I also hate wasting food. So I often put some food in the fridge for the next day and freeze the rest.
Make sure everything is in an airtight container or freezer bag and labeled with the name of the dish and the date. Most foods can be frozen. However, as I always recommend, test it first to make sure that the texture doesn’t lose its integrity after being frozen and reheated.
Here are some other side dishes you can freeze ahead of time:
Pineapple Baked Beans – This is a much-requested side dish that is easy to make ahead of time. Follow the same freezing and thawing directions as you would for the corn casserole.
Balsamic Glazed Zucchini – Easy to freeze and thaw, your guests will never know that you made these a week ahead of time.
Twice Baked Loaded Potato Casserole – You’ll need lots of room in your freezer to freeze enough for a large crowd. But it’s worth it because this casserole is so delicious!
Desserts You Can Freeze
You can purchase desserts from the grocery freezer section. Or you can make them yourself and freeze them. The second option is usually better because people love homemade desserts.
Here are a few desserts you can freeze:
Sugar Cookies – After I pull these out of the freezer, I spread them on a baking sheet and heat them up in a warm oven at 300˚ F for about 5 minutes. They come out tasting fresh and yummy! You can actually do this with most homemade cookies.
Coconut Balls – These little orbs of deliciousness are perfect for freezing. The night before you plan to serve them, put them in the refrigerator. Serve them cold.
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bars – Before freezing these bars, I separate them with layers of wax paper to prevent them from sticking. Pull out as many as you want to serve the next day and pop them in the fridge to thaw.
Most cookies and dessert bars can be frozen. And many pies and cakes can as well. However, dump cakes are so easy to throw together at the last minute, but I don’t typically make them ahead of time.
Freezing a Great Side Dish
As I mentioned, there are a couple of reasons to freeze a corn casserole. First, doing this takes the pressure off when you’re preparing a large meal. And second, you can save leftovers to enjoy at another time.
Simply follow the simple instructions above, and you’ll be a pro at freezing and reheating food. No one will ever know the difference.