My Chinese Family Never Loved Thanksgiving Food—Until This Creamed Corn Recipe Came Along

My family didn’t put up a fight when I—an earnest 12-year-old—declared I’d be taking over Thanksgiving dinner in 2013.

The holiday stirs up little passion in my parents, who were born in China and didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving with conventional fare until having me and my sister, years after immigrating to the United States. The cuisine of these celebrations was lackluster, at that—usually some combination of Boston Market, Costco, and Acme dishes, reheated with as much sentiment as the food was originally prepared with. Still I ate it up, approximating the feasts I saw in magazines and on TV.

Eventually, my ambitions grew. I wanted to craft a Thanksgiving meal that honored the holiday and appealed to my family’s immigrant palates. More than a decade later, I’m still figuring out what works: turkey wings suit our small family better than a whole bird, stuffing flops unless it’s made with cornbread, and no one cares about green bean casserole as much as I do. 

But early on, I discovered a hit that would headline every Thanksgiving table: Creamed Corn Like No Other. It’s my family’s staple Thanksgiving dish, no question.

What Makes This Cream Corn Recipe Tradition-Worthy?

To my family, that sweet-salty balance of Creamed Corn Like No Other, submitted by Allrecipes community member DIANA YOCKEY, is very craveable and aligns with the Chinese culinary philosophy to balance savory dishes with sugar, as seen in red-braised pork, yuxiang eggplant, and other dishes I enjoyed growing up. In contrast, the heavy use of dairy and the rich creaminess feels decadent in a way that’s distinctly American and something we save for the holidays. The side also reheats incredibly, to boot, but you probably won’t have much left over anyway.

Frozen corn kernels make the recipe super easy and economical. Heat the corn, heavy cream, butter, sugar, salt, and black pepper in any big pan (I’ve even used a wok) until the butter is melted. Meanwhile whisk together milk and flour in a separate bowl, then stir that into the pan until the mixture is thickened. Then remove the pan from the heat and stir in a healthy heap of Parmesan cheese.

Grating your own cheese is the one bit of extra effort that I think makes the recipe shine. I prefer using Parmigiano Reggiano for a bit of funkiness and bite. I’ve also added bacon; fry off and crumble a couple strips, then use the rendered bacon grease in place of some of the butter, to lend an extra punch of salt and smoke and also add textural variety. It’s also important to season the creamed corn with sugar to taste, depending on how sweet your frozen corn is.

What the AllRecipes Community Says

Like me, other home cooks love how decadent and luscious this creamed corn tastes and feels. 

• Reviewer CSavaso says: “It can’t be beat as far as comfort food goes. It is rich and creamy and I have yet to serve this to anyone who didn’t love love love it.” 
• While I think the cheese is a critical addition, JUDI BAKES confirms that the recipe works without it: “It is good with or without the cheese, as the last couple of times I served it I got so busy I forgot to add the cheese!” 
• TastyPea8884 adds: “Super easy, super yummy and everyone loves it. Definitely never going to eat creamed corn from a can ever again! Didn’t know what I was missing!!”

The recipe continues to be a hit when I bring it to larger Thanksgiving dinners. Last year, we celebrated with my sister’s in-laws, and everyone agreed that it was the best item on the table. So whoever is sitting at yours, they’re sure to love it, too.

Get the recipe: Creamed Corn Like No Other