Chef Dean
Amish Buttered Egg Noodles
The humblest side dish in the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, where wide egg noodles and good butter need nothing more than salt and a warm bowl to become the thing everyone remembers from the church supper.
Culinary Explorer
A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Jalapeño Creamed Corn
Created by
Golden corn kernels cloaked in a velvety cream cheese sauce with just enough jalapeño heat to wake up your taste buds. This is the dish that empties first at every potluck, the one people ask about before they've finished their first bite.
Side Dishes
Tex-Mex
BBQ
Potluck
Game Day
15 min
Active Time
20 min cook•35 min total
Yield8 servings
Somewhere along the Texas border, a home cook looked at the sad canned creamed corn on her potluck table and decided to do better. She reached for cream cheese, fresh jalapeños, and a skillet. What emerged has become one of the most requested side dishes at barbecues, tailgates, and church suppers from Houston to San Antonio.
This is not your grandmother's creamed corn, unless your grandmother happened to live in the Rio Grande Valley. The cream cheese creates a sauce that clings to each kernel without the gluey texture of flour-thickened versions. The jalapeños provide warmth that builds slowly, a pleasant hum rather than a four-alarm fire. Together they transform humble corn into something people remember.
I've watched this dish travel from Texas backyard cookouts to dinner party tables in Manhattan. It works everywhere because it delivers on its promise: rich, slightly spicy, unabashedly comforting. Make it once for guests and you'll be making it for every gathering thereafter. That's not a warning. That's a guarantee.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
fresh corn kernels
Quantity
6 cups (from about 8 ears)
or 2 pounds frozen corn, thawed
unsalted butter
Quantity
4 tablespoons
yellow onion
Quantity
1 medium
finely diced
jalapeño peppers
Quantity
3
seeded and finely diced
garlic
Quantity
3 cloves
minced
cream cheese
Quantity
8 ounces
cut into cubes and softened
heavy cream
Quantity
1/2 cup
kosher salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
black pepper
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground
smoked paprika
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
fresh cilantro
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
fresh lime juice
Quantity
1 tablespoon
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fresh corn kernelsor 2 pounds frozen corn, thawed | 6 cups (from about 8 ears) |
| unsalted butter | 4 tablespoons |
| yellow onionfinely diced | 1 medium |
| jalapeño peppersseeded and finely diced | 3 |
| garlicminced | 3 cloves |
| cream cheesecut into cubes and softened | 8 ounces |
| heavy cream | 1/2 cup |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1/2 teaspoon |
| smoked paprika | 1/4 teaspoon |
| fresh cilantrochopped | 2 tablespoons |
| fresh lime juice | 1 tablespoon |
Equipment Needed
- •12-inch skillet (cast iron preferred)
- •Sharp chef's knife for corn removal
- •Wide shallow bowl for catching corn kernels
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the corn
If using fresh corn, stand each ear upright in a wide bowl and slice downward with a sharp knife, rotating as you go. After removing the kernels, scrape the cob with the back of your knife to extract the milky liquid. This corn milk adds body and sweetness to the finished dish. If using frozen corn, thaw completely and pat dry with paper towels. Wet corn steams instead of sautés.
Fresh summer corn is worth the effort, but good quality frozen corn makes this dish perfectly respectable in January. No shame in it. - 2
Sauté aromatics
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides and the butter smells nutty, add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about four minutes. Add the jalapeños and garlic, cooking another two minutes until fragrant. The kitchen should smell like a Tex-Mex restaurant in the best possible way.
- 3
Cook the corn
Add the corn kernels to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Let the corn cook undisturbed for two minutes to develop some color, then stir and repeat. You want light golden spots on some kernels, a caramelization that adds depth. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook another three to four minutes, stirring occasionally.
Resist the urge to stir constantly. Corn needs contact with the hot pan to develop those golden, slightly charred notes that distinguish this from canned creamed corn. - 4
Build the cream sauce
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the cream cheese cubes, scattering them across the corn. Pour in the heavy cream. Stir gently and continuously as the cream cheese melts, folding it into the corn until you have a glossy, cohesive sauce that coats every kernel. This takes about three minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to mound slightly on a spoon.
- 5
Finish and adjust
Remove from heat. Stir in the lime juice and half the cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning. The lime brightens everything, cutting through the richness. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash more cream. Too thin, let it simmer another minute. Transfer to a warm serving dish and scatter remaining cilantro over the top. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a low oven until your guests arrive.
The lime juice is not optional. Without that acid, the dish tastes flat and overly rich. Trust me on this.
Chef Tips
- •For a spicier version, leave some seeds in the jalapeños. The heat lives in the ribs and seeds, not the flesh. One pepper with seeds equals about three without.
- •This dish holds beautifully in a slow cooker on the warm setting for up to two hours, making it ideal for potlucks. Add a splash of cream and stir before serving if it thickens.
- •Substitute poblano peppers for a milder, more earthy heat that won't frighten the timid eaters at your table.
- •A handful of crumbled cotija cheese over the top just before serving adds salt and authenticity. Queso fresco works equally well.
Advance Preparation
- •The complete dish can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of cream to restore the sauce consistency.
- •For potluck transport, transfer to a slow cooker set on warm. The ceramic insert retains heat beautifully and keeps the corn at serving temperature for hours.
- •Corn can be cut from cobs up to one day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 215g)
Calories
310 calories
Total Fat
22 g
Saturated Fat
13 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
9 g
Cholesterol
35 mg
Sodium
294 mg
Total Carbohydrates
26 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
4 g
Protein
6 g
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