Is There A Difference Between Corn Pudding And Corn Casserole? (2024)

Corn is an integral ingredient in American cuisine, which makes sense seeing how it's the largest crop in the country. Corn is common in many side dishes including corn pudding and corn casserole. Both of these creamy dishes are often served during the holidays, especially in households that embracesouthern cooking. If you've ever had the joy of eating corn pudding or casserole, you might think the name is interchangeable because they're very similar, but there are subtle differences between the foods.

The main difference is the texture. Corn pudding has a similar gelatinous texture to dessert pudding, hence its name, so it's creamy and loose. In comparison, corn casserole has a thicker consistency and holds its shape better than the pudding because it uses thickening agents like instant cornbread mix. Both use similar ingredients including a variation of corn, usually either creamed corn or fresh, frozen, or canned kernels — but, of course, every recipe is a little different.

Read more: Styles Of Regional BBQ In The US

The History Of Corn Pudding

Corn pudding is thought to have Native American roots because Native peoples showed British colonists how to grow the crop, and how to scrape it off the cob and mix it with water to use in dishes like cornpone. It makes sense that corn pudding blends these cultures, because it has a similar texture to custard which is an integral part of British cuisine. Sometimes the dish was referred to as spoonbread or hoppy glop, but corn pudding seems to be the name that's held on throughout generations. Today, it's commonly served across the southern United States.

Its core ingredients are creamed corn (usually canned), corn kernels, milk, sugar, butter, and eggs. Because it uses sugar, corn pudding can be sweeter than the casserole. Some recipes use flour or cornstarch to thicken the batter. It's baked in a casserole dish until it has the texture of custard or pudding. A spoonful of corn pudding will have a golden brown crust and creamy filling. You can mix it up and add cheese, green onions, seasonings like black pepper or garlic powder, or sliced jalapeños to kick up the heat of the dish.

Corn Casserole Is Thicker

Is There A Difference Between Corn Pudding And Corn Casserole? (2)

There's not as much history related to corn casserole, likely because it's essentially a variation of corn pudding. However, the dish uses instant corn muffin mix which was introduced by Jiffy around 1950 in the U.S., so we can assume that it came into being sometime after that. The addition of the instant cornbread results in a thicker texture, and you may prefer using a fork to serve and eat it.

Despite the textural difference between corn casserole and pudding, the ingredients are similar. Most cornbread casseroles use creamed corn, whole corn kernels, Jiffy corn muffin mix, sour cream, and butter. Those ingredients like sour cream make it more tangy and savory compared to the sweeter pudding; plus keep in mind that there's no sugar. Some recipes add shredded cheese, mayonnaise (like our recipe), or eggs as a binder. For cooking, the casserole is usually baked longer than the pudding, but the result will look very similar with a golden-brown crust.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Is There A Difference Between Corn Pudding And Corn Casserole? (2024)

FAQs

Is There A Difference Between Corn Pudding And Corn Casserole? ›

The main difference between the two is texture. Corn pudding has a gelatinous consistency similar to dessert pudding; the casserole is thicker and can hold its shape. Despite the textural difference between corn casserole and pudding, the ingredients are similar.

What's the difference between corn casserole and corn pudding? ›

The main difference is the texture. Corn pudding has a similar gelatinous texture to dessert pudding, hence its name, so it's creamy and loose. In comparison, corn casserole has a thicker consistency and holds its shape better than the pudding because it uses thickening agents like instant cornbread mix.

What is another name for corn pudding? ›

Corn pudding (also called pudding corn, puddin' corn, hoppy glop, or spoonbread) is a creamy dish prepared from stewed corn, water, any of various thickening agents, and optional additional flavoring or texturing ingredients.

What is corn pudding made of? ›

Corn pudding is a creamy side made with stewed corn, butter, and milk. It often features a thickening agent, such as cornstarch, to make the dish extra decadent. Corn pudding originated in the American South and can be served all year long, but it's frequently associated with Thanksgiving.

Is corn souffle the same as cornbread? ›

The main difference between corn casserole and cornbread is the addition of whole corn, cream of corn, and cheese to the casserole. They do have many similar ingredients, though.

Why is my corn pudding watery? ›

Internal Temperature: Overcooking corn pudding can lead to a curdled pudding and undercooking can lead to a runny pudding. The best way to check for doneness is with an instant read thermometer (this is my fav). Egg-based puddings and custards start to set at 160 degrees F and can curdle if cooked beyond 185 degrees.

What is the difference between New York cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

Why is it called piggy pudding? ›

Why Is It Called Figgy Pudding? The 'pudding' part of the name makes it a dessert in Britain, but not the custardy type of dish most Americans would associate with the word. At some point the dish included figs, lending itself to the term of 'figgy' as part of a Christmas pudding recipe.

Does corn casserole need to be refrigerated? ›

DOES sweet CORN CASSEROLE NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED? This cream Corn Casserole recipe is so moist, the leftovers stay perfectly tender for days! To store, let casserole cool to room temperature, cover a couple times in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

When was corn casserole invented? ›

Spoonbread (aka corn casserole) made with butter, milk, and eggs wasn't introduced until after the Civil War. However, it made a big splash once it debuted in society.

Why is my corn casserole mushy? ›

Is corn casserole supposed to be mushy? Yes! It has that “pudding” texture, so you want it to be moist on the inside. You can tell that your corn casserole is done when it's lightly brown on top and the center is set — but still soft.

What's the difference between cornstarch pudding and cream pudding? ›

The main difference between cornstarch and cream puddings lies in the ingredients and texture. Cornstarch puddings usually contain cornstarch for thickening and sometimes eggs, whereas cream puddings typically involve egg yolks and heavy cream. The exact composition can differ based on the recipe.

What is Southern pudding made of? ›

Also known as southern banana pudding, this decadent dessert features layers of made-from-scratch vanilla pudding, wafer cookies and bananas.

What is the difference between corn casserole and corn pudding? ›

The main difference is the texture. Corn pudding has a similar gelatinous texture to dessert pudding, hence its name, so it's creamy and loose. In comparison, corn casserole has a thicker consistency and holds its shape better than the pudding because it uses thickening agents like instant cornbread mix.

What did Native Americans call cornbread? ›

Among them was a version of Indian bread made of cornmeal, salt and water called pone or corn pone. The name came from the Algonquin word apan, meaning "baked." The Narragansett word for cornbread, nokechick, became no-cake and then hoe-cake.

Is polenta just cornbread? ›

Cornmeal and polenta are both made from ground corn, but there are differences. First, polenta is a dish, and cornmeal is an ingredient. Cornmeal is used for cornbread, muffins and other baked goods, to add thickness to chillis and stews, and for crunchy coatings on fish, meat and poultry.

Is there a difference between creamed corn and cream style corn? ›

Creamed corn (which is also known by other names, such as cream-style sweet corn) is a type of creamed vegetable dish made by combining pieces of whole sweetcorn with a soupy liquid of milky residue from immature pulped corn kernels scraped from the cob.

What is the purpose of the corn starch in the pudding mix? ›

Use as a Thickening Agent

Denser than flour, less cornstarch is needed to thicken a liquid to the desired consistency. Here's how it works: when cornstarch is added to a recipe, the starch molecules work to absorb water and thicken the mixture.

What can I substitute for one can cream style corn? ›

CREAMED CORN SUBSTITUTE

Put all the corn + 1/3 of the liquid in the can + 1 tbsp flour into a bowl. Then blitz with hand blender (or use blender) until you can't see whole corn kernels anymore but there are still corn chunks (don't to puree). Use all of it in place of canned creamed corn in this recipe.

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