Home » Appetizers and Snacks » Spicy Southern Hot Corn
Published: November 15, 2016Updated: November 5, 2018Author: Jenn Laughlin
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Every Thanksgiving my husband begs for this Spicy Southern Hot Corn! This sassy Southern-style recipe has been part of our holiday meal tradition for years and doubles as a side dish AND a dip. Get ready to rock those parties and potlucks and be sure tohave the recipe handy – people will totally harass you for it!
So… it’s super duper common for this dish to be served appetizer-style with a mountain of tortilla chips or a fresh fluffy baguette. If you search“Hot Corn” on Pinterest it’s literally ALL that comes up!
Don’t get me wrong, my husband and I will GLADLY inhale this dish with either delivery method but I’ve got to say, my favorite way to eat this spicy creamed corn is alongside a plateful of holiday sides and mains.
We typically make it withChristmas and Thanksgiving dinner and there’s something so magical about throwing caution to the wind and ignoring any semblance of food spacing on our plates. If I can push a little mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and stuffing into every bite of hot corn I’ve basically won at life. The creamy, spicy corn is at perfect harmony with the savory carbalicious stuffing, tart cranberry sauce, and buttery mashed potatoes. It’s even great on chicken and/or turkey too.
Everything. It’s great with everything!
Ok seriously, just writing up this post has me dying to reheat the last cup of leftoverhot corn. I made it early so I could snap some photos for this post, but I’m not allowed to eat another bite of of the creamy, spicy deliciousness because I promised it to Paul already.
Hmmm… Maybe I’ll eat it and then make it again tonight before he gets home tonight…YES!
Spicy southern hot corn for everyone!
make-ahead + leftover tips
This spicy hot corn makes a fabulous make-ahead dish for the holidays (and the most EPIC leftovers of my life) so feel free to prep it the night before!
To reheat you have three options depending on oven/stovetop availability. I like to take the hot corn out of the fridge about 30-60 minutes ahead of time to thaw a little. This will help it cook up faster!
- Cover with foil (to prevent over-browning) or an oven-safe lid and bake at 350 F for approx. 20 minutes.
- Re-heat on the stove over low heat, covered. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Microwave until hot and bubbly!
Spicy Southern Hot Corn
Whether you go the appetizer route or whip this up as an easy peasy side dish, this spicy southern hot corn is sure to rock your plate! Make it as spicy or as mild as your heart desires.
One Thanksgiving I made it so spicy that I’m pretty sure people started sweating and fanning their faces. It was totally worth it!
Spicy Southern Hot Corn
This sassy Southern-style recipe has been part of our holiday meal tradition for years and doubles as a side dish AND a dip.
4.98 from 70 votes
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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Spicy Southern Hot Corn
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Jenn Laughlin - peas and crayons
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)
- ½ large red bell pepper diced
- 2 fresh jalapeno peppers diced (seeds/veins removed)
- 3-4 TBSP diced pickled jalapeno peppers plus extra to taste
- 2.5 TBSP butter
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ¼ tsp paprika (regular, not smoked)
- 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
EXTRAS:
- hot sauce
- extra cheese for topping
- extra jalapeños for a fiery kick!
- spicy green salsa see note below
- cilantro or parsley for topping
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Thaw corn if using frozen.
Chop all your veggies and set aside.
For tender peppers, feel free to sauté your bell peppers and fresh jalapeño to soften.
In a medium saucepan, combine butter and cream cheese.
Heat burner to medium to melt, stirring often until smooth and creamy.
Add your corn, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and pickled jalapeños.
Season with paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.
Stir in 1/2-3/4 cup of cheddar cheese and stir until fully melted.
Pour into a casserole dish and top with remaining cheddar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly!
Notes
As written above this dish is quite mild in spice/heat.We like it spicy, so each time I taste before baking, then add 2-3 TBSP of HOT green salsa ( this brand is everything!) and some extra jalapeño. If you can handle the heat, totally follow suit! We love this dish as spicy as we can get it!
No bell peppers handy? Feel free to use canned Mexi-corn, which has diced bell peppers mixed in with the corn.
This makes a fabulous make-ahead dish for any occasion so feel free to prep it all the night before and bake when you're ready the next day! Simply cover with foil (to prevent over-browning) and bake away. Enjoy!
Recipe yields approx. 4 cups and 8 (1/2 cup) servings. Nutrition facts below are estimated with an online nutrition calculator. Simply adjust as needed based on toppings/extras! xo
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 258mg, Potassium: 215mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1020IU, Vitamin C: 17.9mg, Calcium: 119mg, Iron: 0.6mg
Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!
If you get a chance to try this spicy southern hot corn, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Man this stuff is GOOD!
hungry for more?
- Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta
- Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- Rosemary Sweet Potato Rolls
- Classic Thanksgiving Slow Cooker Stuffing
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About The Author:
Jenn Laughlin
Hi! I’m Jenn and I’m here to help you eat your veggies! It'll be fun, painless, and pretty darn delicious as I teach you to plan your meals around fresh, seasonal produce with a little help from healthy freezer and pantry staples.
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