Vegetarian Recipes

Creamed Corn

One of my favorite sides to load up on at the holiday dinner table is Creamed Corn! This budget-friendly side dish is made with minimal ingredients and is so easy to prepare. It’s rich, buttery, cheesy, and tastes way better than the canned stuff. As a veggie-lover who grew up in a family of meat eaters, I’ve grown accustomed to filling my holiday dinner plate with all the sides and skipping the meat. (Don’t feel bad for me—I’ve got way more tricks up my sleeve now regarding plant-based proteins and veggie mains!) But seriously, this easy recipe never disappoints. I guarantee you won’t have any leftovers!

What is Creamed Corn?

Homemade creamed corn is made from corn kernels cooked in a creamy sauce until they become tender, juicy, and flavorful. You can purchase it in a can, but this is typically labeled as ‘cream-style corn’ because the sauce doesn’t usually contain any cream! Instead, it often relies on the starch from the corn to create a creamy texture. (Yes, corn is both a starch and a grain—it just depends on how it’s processed!) However, nothing beats the taste and texture of this side dish when made from scratch.

For this recipe, I create a roux from butter and flour, then add half & half, seasonings, fresh corn (frozen works, too!), and Parmesan cheese to make it extra decadent. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and creamy. If you love corn pudding, you’ll definitely love this dish.

Here’s what you’ll need to make the best creamed corn recipe ever:

Corn: I used fresh corn for this recipe, but frozen corn works just as well. Fresh has a little more crunch and sweetness, but frozen is convenient and still delicious. If using fresh, I recommend using a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels off the cob.
Sugar: This is a classic ingredient in cream corn. It adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the savory flavors.
Flour: Combines with the butter to create a roux, which thickens the cream sauce.
Salted Butter: Makes the sauce rich and flavorful.
Half and Half: Adds creaminess to the sauce without being too heavy. (If you’re avoiding dairy, you can also make this with the same amount of full fat coconut milk plus dairy-free substitutes for the butter and cheese.)
Salt & Pepper: Basic seasonings to compliment the sweet corn and cheesy sauce.
Parmesan Cheese: Nothing compares to the nutty, salty flavor of shredded Parmesan cheese in this recipe. It adds an indulgent and umami (savory) element that the canned stuff can’t compete with!

Should I Use Fresh Or Frozen Corn?

Both work perfectly well! It ultimately comes down to personal preference and what’s available. When testing this recipe for creamed corn, the corn at Walmart cost $0.50 cents per ear. The cost of the store-brand frozen whole-kernel corn (about 4 cups) was $2.94. Because the difference was negligible, I went with fresh because I prefer the texture to have a little more bite. If you’re going to use frozen, your cooking time will be significantly less, so make sure your sauce is spot on before adding the (rinsed!) frozen corn to your pan.

Your creamy sauce should have thickened to a gravy-like consistency and coat the back of a spoon before adding the corn (see my process photos below for a visual reference). It’ll continue to thicken up as it cooks with the corn added in. If your sauce is too thin, allow it to cook a little longer. If it’s thick but you want to thin it out, add a splash of half and half until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serving Suggestions

When I say you can serve this corn with pretty much anything, I mean it! Serve it up for Thanksgiving with turkey breast and all your favorite trimmings, like green bean casserole. It also pairs well with BBQ ribs and homestyle cornbread! It’s a fun, year-round side and perfect for any occasion—not just the holidays!

Storage Instructions

If you have any leftovers (which is rare in my house), you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Let them cool before storing, and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a little half and half if the sauce thickens too much when reheated. You can also freeze individual portions in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. I’d let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Side view of creamed corn in a serving dish with a wooden spoon taking some.

Creamed Corn Recipe

Making Creamed Corn from scratch is easier than you think! This delicious side is perfect for the holidays and made with simple ingredients.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Total Cost $5.29 recipe / $0.66 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings (½ cup each)

Calories 137kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

Ingredients

6 ears of corn (or 4 cups of frozen corn) $3.00
5 Tbsp salted butter $0.60
1 Tbsp flour $0.01
1 cup half & half $0.89
1 Tbsp sugar $0.02
½ tsp salt $0.01
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese $0.74

Instructions

Husk and shave your ears of corn and set aside. If using frozen corn, rinse it well, strain, and set aside.
In a saucepan, melt salted butter and add flour and whisk together over medium heat to make a light roux.
Add half & half, sugar, salt and pepper and whisk together until smooth.
Cook down until a gravy-like sauce forms.
Add corn, tossing until completely coated. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until the corn is cooked but still has some crunch. (Cook time will be significantly less if you’re using frozen, so taste often!) Take the pan off the heat and stir in the shredded Parmesan until melted.
Serve and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Side view of creamed corn in a serving dish garnished with fresh parsley.

how to make Creamed Corn – step by step photos

Butter and flour being whisked together in a saucepan to make a roux.

Husk and shave 6 ears of corn and set aside. If using 4 cups of frozen corn, rinse it well, strain, and set aside. In a saucepan, melt 5 Tbsp salted butter, add 1 Tbsp flour, and whisk together over medium heat to make a light roux.

Milk, salt, and pepper added to a roux in a saucepan.

Add 1 cup half & half, 1 Tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper and whisk together until smooth.

The sauce for creamed corn in a sauce pan with a spoon checking the thickness.

Cook down until a gravy-like sauce forms.

Corn kernels added to the cream sauce for creamed corn in a saucepan.

Add corn, tossing until completely coated. Cook 5-8 minutes, until the corn is cooked but still has some crunch. (Cook time will be significantly less if you’re using frozen, so taste often!)

Parmesan added to creamed corn in a saucepan.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in ½ cup shredded Parmesan until melted.

Serve and enjoy!

Overhead view of creamed corn in a serving dish garnished with fresh parsley.

This delicious cream corn recipe couldn’t be easier to make. Serve it as a side dish at your next holiday feast or potluck, and watch it disappear!

Sweet Corn Risotto

$9.37 recipe / $2.34 serving

Street Corn Salad

$3.51 recipe / $0.58 serving

Hot Corn Dip

$5.14 recipe / $0.86 serving

Microwave Corn On The Cob

$3.15 recipe/ $0.79 serving

The post Creamed Corn appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Cheesy Vegetarian

Easy Mediterranean Lentil Meatballs

Don’t you just love it when a recipe is as simple as ‘mix + bake’? No pre-cooking, no unnecessary extra steps – just mix together all of the ingredients, and pop it in the oven. And that’s just the case for these vegetarian lentil meatballs (lentil balls? vegeballs? meatlessballs?). They couldn’t be easier.

Other easy ‘mix and bake’ recipes → easy nut roast; baked fajita rice; Boursin pasta.

Vegetarian Mediterranean lentil meatballs served with spaghetti and tomato sauce.

I served my lentil balls with spaghetti and tomato sauce – spaghetti and meatballs is such a classic that’s hard to improve on. If you prefer, you could equally serve these vegetarian meatballs with couscous and tzatziki, stuffed into pitta bread, or even just eaten straight from the oven (no judgment here). They’re packed with Mediterranean-inspired flavours, and they’re super versatile.

Mediterranean lentil meatballs on a baking tray.

What’s in these Lentil Meatballs?

The basic recipe for these lentil meatballs is canned lentils + flour + egg (the same base I used for my cheesy lentil burgers). Once you’ve got that far, you can jazz things up however you like. I added:

black olives
sun-dried tomatoes
parmesan-style cheese
fresh basil
garlic

If you like, you could easily switch things up to bring a different flavour profile to your meatballs – maybe you could make a Tex-Mex version, or use some Indian spices, for example.

Cheesy Vegetarian Bakes ebook on an ipad screen.

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these vegetarian meatballs. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

cooked lentils. I used lentils from a can, because they’re so convenient – just drain them well, and they’re ready to use. If you can’t get canned lentils, you can boil dried brown or green lentils until they’re soft, then continue with the recipe as written. I would not recommend using red lentils for this recipe, as they will not give quite the same end result.
eggs
plain flour (I used wholemeal for extra fibre)
sun-dried tomatoes
black olives
parmesan-style cheese. ‘Real’ parmesan isn’t vegetarian, but there are plenty of vegetarian alternatives, which are very similar. Often, supermarkets sell a generic ‘Italian hard cheese’, which is usually vegetarian.
fresh basil
garlic granules

Spaghetti with tomato sauce and Mediterranean lentil meatballs.

Printable Instructions

Mediterranean Lentil Meatballs

Easy vegetarian lentil meatballs, made extra tasty with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients. These are so simple – just mix and bake!

Course Main meal

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings meatballs

Calories 216kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

2 x 390g tins green lentils, thoroughly drained (470g, or ~ 2 2/3 cups, in total when drained)
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons sliced black olives, roughly chopped
5 pieces sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
50 g (~ 1/2 cup) finely grated vegetarian parmesan-style cheese
1 teaspoon garlic granules
Few sprigs fresh basil, roughly chopped
85 g (~ 2/3 cup) plain flour (I used wholemeal)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Add all of the ingredients, except for the flour, to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix the ingredients thoroughly. It’s fine if the lentils get a little mashed up.
Add the flour, and mix well to combine.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. Use clean hands to form the mixture into ball shapes, and place them on the tray. The mixture will be quite sticky – they don’t have to be perfect balls. I managed to get 25 balls from the mixture.
Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, until the lentil balls are slightly crispy and just firm.
Serve with spaghetti and tomato sauce, if desired.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare these lentil balls in advance?

You could certainly mix together the ingredients in advance, and then store the mixture in a sealed container in the fridge for a day or so, until you’re ready to shape and bake the balls. The meatballs are tastiest when freshly baked, but if needed, you could even bake them in advance, and then reheat when you’re ready to eat them.

Can I freeze these lentil meatballs?

I didn’t experiment with freezing these balls, but it’s the sort of recipe I have had luck with freezing in the past, so I definitely think it’s worth a try.

How should I reheat leftover vegetarian meatballs?

The easiest way to reheat these lentil meatballs is in the microwave. They do dry out a little and lose their crispiness when reheated, but they’re still tasty. Alternatively, you could re-crisp them in the oven or air fryer.

How should I serve vegetarian lentil balls?

I served my meatballs with spaghetti and tomato sauce, which worked beautifully. You could alternatively serve them stuffed into pitta bread with some tzatziki, or alongside some mashed potato.