The Sweet And Creamy Side Dish That's Even Better As A Pizza Topping

If you think "outdated, canned Easter dinner side dish" when you think "creamed corn," then it's time to think again. To give this pantry staple new life (and imbue it with a new sense of appreciation), add a few spoonfuls of creamed corn to your next homemade pizza. It might seem like an odd choice for a pizza topping (we prefer "avant-garde"), but the power of creamed corn lies in the fact that it's naturally sweet, but also pairs easily with savory flavors. "Hello," dimensional pizzas. To make a knockout creamed corn pie, simply grab a store-bought refrigerated pizza crust, load it up with toppings, and bake according to package directions, as you normally might.

Just stash a can of shelf-stable creamed corn in your pantry to last the long haul. Whenever the next pizza night strikes, that creamed corn will be on hand and ready. This flavorful, dimensional hack comes at minimal cost, too. At a Walmart in Chicago, a 14.75-ounce can of Libby's Cream Style Sweet Corn runs for just $1.08. Alternatively, creamed corn pizza can also be a thrifty, zero-waste way to breathe new life into leftover homemade creamed corn from dinner the night before. If you're going the homemade route, just be sure that your creamed corn is structurally firm and not too runny, or else it'll make the pizza dough soggy. Need to thicken your creamed corn? We've got you covered with a quick fix.

The key to pulling off a creamed corn pie is pairing the star ingredient with the right toppings to create a cohesive mouthful. To let the creamed corn shine as the focal point, surround it with other minimal yet complementary toppings like diced red and yellow bell pepper, garlic, yellow onion, and mild mozzarella cheese. It'll all meld together in the oven. Craving some heat? Whip up a Mexican elote-inspired pizza with creamed corn, cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, chili powder, Tajín, cracked black pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice to dress each slice.

Or, for a summery pie that showcases both the seasonal corn flavor and a summer herb harvest, top your creamed corn pie with halved roasted grape tomatoes, dried chili flakes, whole basil leaves, and a few swipes of pesto. This herbaceous pie could even be a low-key way to flex your home herb garden at your next dinner party; pair it with a glass of Albariño and watch guests ooh and ahh. 

When the winter months strike and keep foodies indoors, just order a sausage pizza from your go-to takeout pizza joint, then dress it with a spoonful of lush creamed corn and a finishing drizzle of hot honey for some sweet heat and richness. Drizzling it on pizza is one of our favorite ways to use hot honey, for the record, and it pairs especially well with naturally sweet canned corn.