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.
Your recipe sounds so delicious and satiating! I am not sure I ever saw yellow rice in the UK, but I never looked beside the organic long-grain I usually buy. Will pay more attention on the next grocery shopping trip:)
This dish is so easy and sounds delicious! I’ve never heard of yellow rice before, so I learned something new!
Sounds delicious and easy to make.. thanks for sharing
I love quick and easy recipes! It tasted wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
This was absolutely delicious and the cream of mushroom made it soo creamy! Such an easy dinner recipe. I’ll definitely be making it for the family again!
This was such a comforting side dish. I served it with Cajun chicken. So good!
This yellow rice and corn casserole looks like the perfect cozy fall side dish! It would be great with a roasted chicken for a family meal. Thanks for sharing!
Easy and super delicious! Love this recipe!
Deliciousness, pure and simple!
Totally digging this corn and rice casserole! This was so delicious and amazing, I loved all the flavors!
Thank you, Kayla! Yes, this is also my favorite casserole. Great for holidays.
This yellow rice and corn casserole looks easy and delicious. I love all of the different variations. This is definitely going to be added to my list of simple pot luck dishes. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Lisa! This casserole is one of the easiest to put together and seems to always disappear fast! Definitely a keeper.
excellent job
This sounds so yummy and I love how easy it is to make! I need more of those recipes in my life!! Great for a busy night!
Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy!
So easy to make, and delicious too, perfect for a busy weekday meals!
Yes, so easy! Enjoy!
This looks so yummy and so easy to make, two of my favorite things haha. 🙂 Definitely bookmarking for later!