Meaningful Eats
Corn Side Dish with Cream Cheese and Bacon
8 servings
I've served this simple corn side dish dozens of times for Sunday supper, and even with Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone always asks me for the recipe! It combines frozen corn (I prefer frozen corn for this recipe over canned corn) with cream cheese, chopped bacon and diced red bell pepper. Best of all, it's ready in just 25 minutes. Just like a good side dish should be!
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 24 ounces frozen corn kernels, white or yellow
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- ½ cup red pepper, diced
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 2 tablespoons milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 green onions (green part only), thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large nonstick skillet, add the bacon. Cook over medium heat until golden and crisp. Scoop the bacon out onto a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add the onion and red pepper and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the corn and cook for another 5-7 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and the corn is heated through.
- Add the cream cheese, milk, sugar, pepper and salt. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and everything is evenly incorporated.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions. Top with the bacon before serving and enjoy!
Notes
Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but always check the labels on bacon and other packaged ingredients to make sure they are gluten-free.
Dairy-Free: Use your favorite dairy-free cream cheese (I use Kite Hill) and unsweetened dairy-free milk.
Nut-Free: This recipe is naturally nut-free. Always check the labels on packaged ingredients to ensure they are made without nuts or cross-contact.
To Make-Ahead: For best texture, I recommend making this dish the day of since it contains a creamy sauce. The bacon can be cooked in advance to make meal prep easier!
To Store: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. You can add a splash of milk to loosen the sauce, if needed.
To Freeze: I don't recommend freezing this recipe. The cream cheese sauce can become grainy or separate when thawed and reheated.
Nutrition
Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 558mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 786IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg