Yellow Rice and Corn Casserole
Sometimes, the best recipes are the simplest ones, and this Yellow Rice and Corn Casserole is proof of that. Made with just a handful of pantry ingredients, it comes together quickly but delivers big on flavor. Every bite is creamy, cheesy, and full of goodness. It’s the kind of dish that’s easy enough for a weeknight but tasty enough to bring to a family gathering or serve during the holidays.
I remember the first time I made this easy rice casserole many years ago—I had a feeling the yellow rice would make it tasty, and it definitely delivered. It turned out warm, cheesy, and incredibly comforting. It’s now one of those go-to side dishes on our table throughout the month.
If you love easy, comforting dishes like this one, be sure to check out my slow cooker corn recipe and my flavorful yellow rice and chicken recipe—they’re just as simple and satisfying!
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💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This cheesy rice casserole is easy and tasty. Here are several reasons to make it today.
- Simple Ingredients: Everything is easy to find and affordable. Check your pantry. The ingredients are probably already there.
- Fast Prep: Once you cook the rice, the other ingredients come together quickly. To save time, prep the rice a day or two earlier.
- Versatile: This dish goes with everything from chicken to beef to pork. I served this recipe with Spicy Oven Baked Ribs, and it was fantastic!
- Bakes Quickly: This recipe bakes in 25 minutes, which is perfect for when you need a hot side dish quickly.
- Make-Ahead Recipe: Mix everything up the night before, store it in the fridge, and bake it the next day.
🛒 Ingredients Needed for Yellow Rice with Corn
This corn casserole with yellow rice is a flavorful twist on a classic side dish. It combines creamy, cheesy comfort with perfectly seasoned rice. Only five ingredients are needed!
- Yellow Rice: Yellow rice is usually found next to white rice at the grocery store. It’s flavorful, vibrant, and golden from spices like turmeric or saffron. I recommend using yellow rice for this recipe. White rice will change the taste a bit.
- Whole Kernel Corn: I use canned corn for this recipe, but frozen corn would work just fine. If you have Mexicorn, you could also use that.
- Butter: I usually use salted butter. You could use unsalted if desired, but you’ll need to season to taste.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: This binds everything together and makes it creamy. You can substitute cream of chicken or cream of celery.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: I usually use shredded cheddar cheese, but I’ve used Colby Jack, and it was just as good.
📖 Recipe Variations
There are several ways to change up this yellow rice casserole. Here are a few suggestions.
- Change the Flavor: Add some diced jalapenos, sauteed onions, or bell peppers for a bit of flavor.
- Swap the Cheese: Add some of your favorite cheeses to the top. For a nice swap, try Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheeses.
- Make it a Meal: Add some diced cooked chicken or scrambled ground beef to the rice mixture before baking.
🔪 How to Make This Recipe
If you’re wondering how to make yellow rice with corn, this simple casserole combines the two with creamy, cheesy goodness in every bite. The instructions are simple, and it only takes minutes to prepare this corn and rice casserole.
Step 1: Cook the Rice- Prepare the rice according to the package directions. (If it calls for butter, go ahead and skip it—we’ll add plenty later.)
Step 2: Combine the Ingredients- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice with corn, melted butter, and soup. Mix well.
Step 3: Pour into Prepared Dish- Spoon into a greased 1.5-quart baking dish and top with cheese.
Step 4: Bake- Bake until hot and bubbly and the cheese melts.
💭 Pro Tips
Use the Correct Dish: Use a 1.5-quart baking dish to avoid overflow.
- Make-Ahead: Want to get ahead? Mix this yellow rice with corn recipe and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Just add 5–10 extra minutes to the baking time.
- Drain the Corn Well: Make sure to drain the corn well. Too much liquid will make the dish soupy.
- Use Leftover Rice: If you already have some leftover yellow rice in the fridge, this is a great way to use it!
- Double the Recipe: You may want to double this recipe if you plan to make it for family gatherings, church socials, or family reunions so that you can have leftovers at home.
🍽 When To Serve This Dish
Whether you serve cheesy rice bake alongside your favorite main dish or make a meal out of it with a few extras tossed in, it’s sure to be a hit at the table. This rice casserole side dish is perfect for:
- Weeknight dinners: Serve it with French onion dip chicken, crispy breaded pork chops, or my easy sloppy joes recipe (5 ingredients).
- Holiday meals: A great alternative to the usual Thanksgiving side dish recipes or easy Christmas side dishes.
- Potlucks: Travels well and reheats beautifully.
- Barbecue night: Pairs perfectly with the best slow cooker pulled pork or bbq smoked sausage bites.
❔ Recipe FAQs
I’ve tried this recipe with several different brands of yellow rice, and they all work great. Just follow the package directions to prepare it, but skip the butter in the instructions—there’s plenty of butter added later in the recipe.
Store all leftover corn and yellow rice casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed throughout.
Absolutely. Mix it, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 5–10 minutes to the bake time if it’s cold.
More Rice Recipes
If you tried this Yellow Rice and Corn Casserole recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Yellow Rice and Corn Casserole
Ingredients
- 5 ounce package Yellow Rice
- 15 ounce can Whole Kernel Corn drained
- ½ cup Melted Butter
- 10 ounce can Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions. If it calls for butter, omit the butter.
- Combine the rice with corn, melted butter, and soup in a bowl; mix well.
- Spoon into a greased 1.5 quart baking dish and top with cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot, bubbly and cheese melts.
Hi, I made this for an office potluck. It was so easy to make and everyone loved it. Just wanted to let you know.
What an easy and tasty dish with just a few ingredients. Can’t wait to make this again.
I was looking for a new side dish to add to my weekly routine and this looks great! Saved and can’t wait to try it later this week.
It was delicious! I made it as a side for fried pork chops and everyone enjoyed it!
This was so easy and delicious. I used pepper jack cheese (thanks for the suggestion) and my family really loved it. So creamy!
I love the texture of this dish! The flavors are super good and it goes so well with so many mains!