Iowa Corn Casserole

Straight from the heartland, this corn casserole is all about letting a few humble ingredients punch above their weight. Cream-style corn gets stirred together with crispy bacon, sautéed green pepper and onion, then baked under a layer of bread crumbs that have been soaked in bacon drippings.

Those bacon-fat bread crumbs are what set this apart from other corn casseroles. They toast up golden and shatteringly crisp in the oven, and every bite carries that smoky, porky richness down into the sweet, creamy corn below.

Sauté the onion and green pepper in the reserved bacon drippings until they’re soft and starting to caramelize. That extra step builds a savory base that keeps the casserole from tasting like straight-from-the-can corn.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t drain the cream-style corn. The thick liquid is part of the sauce and keeps the casserole moist during baking.
• Dice the bacon small so it distributes evenly throughout. Big chunks mean some bites get all the bacon and others get none.
• Use coarse, dry bread crumbs for the topping. Fresh crumbs absorb the bacon fat and turn soggy instead of crispy.

Variations

• Add a diced jalapeño with the green pepper for a spicy kick that plays well against the sweet corn.
• Stir in shredded cheddar cheese before baking for a richer, cheesier version.
• Mix in a drained can of whole kernel corn alongside the cream-style for more texture and bite.