Cornbread Salad

This layered Southern Cornbread Salad recipe is as flavorful as the colors are vibrant. It features homemade cornbread layered with cooked bacon, cheddar cheese and layers of vegetables. The combination of flavors makes it a surprisingly delicious side dish to serve along with any of your favorite entrees.

Ingredients to Make Southern Cornbread Salad Recipe

If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying a cornbread salad, I’m delighted to introduce them to you. If you could think for a moment, the Italians enjoy panzanella salads like this one from Two Peas and Their Pod, that features large pieces of crusty bread and fresh vegetables. This cornbread salad is a variation of that concept featuring cornbread a Southern staple. This salad is filled with colors and texture all layered in a trifle trifle or 13×9-inch pan. It all starts with a skillet of freshly baked cornbread. Ingredients to make simple Southern Cornbread Salad: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• Cornbread: Yellow self rising cornmeal, buttermilk, melted butter and one egg.
• Bacon: One pound cooked and crumbled crispy bacon for smoky flavor.
• Fresh Vegetables: Red bell pepper, green bell pepper, green onions and cherry tomatoes.
• Beans: Canned pinto beans and corn for a hint of sweetness and crunch.
• Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
• Dressing: Buttermilk, mayonnaise and Ranch seasoning mix.

How to Make the Best Southern Cornbread Salad Recipe

How do you serve cornbread salad? You can serve it as a side dish with any of your favorite entrees, pack it up and take it to potlucks and picnics or game day parties. I’ve even known some who will use it as a dip with fritos or tortilla chips. Bonus, you could also use the cornbread recipe to make Southern Cornbread Dressing for the holidays.

• Heat Oven and Prep Skillet – Place bacon drippings in an 8-inch cast iron skillet or similar size baking dish and into the oven while it preheats.
• Make Cornbread Batter -Whisk together cornmeal, buttermilk, melted butter and egg until fully combined.
• Pour Batter into Skillet -Remove skillet from oven, swirl to coat with bacon fat. pour batter into the pan. Bake per the recipe. Cool, then crumble.
• Make Ranch Dressing – Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise and Ranch dressing mix. Chill dressing mixture until assembling the salad.
• Assemble Cornbread Salad – Divide cornbread and shredded cheese into thirds. Begin with cornbread, cheese, 1/2 layer bell peppers, 1/2 bacon, 1/2 pinto beans, 1/2 green onions, cherry tomatoes and corn. Spread half of dressing evenly on top.
• Repeat Layers– Layer 1/3 cornbread, 1/3 cheese, bell peppers, bacon, pinto beans, green onion, cherry tomatoes and corn. Spread with remaining dressing. Top with final layer of cornbread and shredded cheese.
• Garnish – Garnish the top with green onions and additional cherry tomatoes.
• Serve – Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight, then serve.

Tips for Making Cornbread Salad

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: A large trifle bowl, sharp knife and cutting board, cheese grater, medium bowl, large skillet or baking pan
• Use a Large Bowl: The best bowl to use for a cornbread salad is a trifle bowl or a large glass bowl. You can also assemble this salad in a 13×9-inch cake pan for easy storage and transporting to potlucks, picnics or holiday parties.
• Tips To Expedite Assembly: Bake the cornbread and make the Ranch dressing one day in advance. You can also prep the bell peppers combining them for the bell peppers layer. Package in storage bags and pop into the fridge.
• Does the Cornbread Get Soggy? While it does naturally soften a bit the layers are arranged in such a way that it doesn’t become mushy. That’s how this salad is supposed to be and isn’t an indication that something went wrong.

Recipe Variations

• Spices and Seasonings: You can season between the layers with salt or garlic salt and black pepper to your personal taste. Avoid salting the tomatoes or they could breakdown and make the salad watery.
• Dressing Substitution: You could adapt the dressing by using a prepared bottled brand of Ranch dressing that you already enjoy. Hidden Valley, Ken’s, Kraft or any brand that you like will do. You could swap out black beans in place of pinto beans.
• Buttermilk: If you’re unable to find whole fat buttermilk you can use low fat, but preferably not fat free for the best flavor. You could use sour cream in place of buttermilk for a thicker dressing.
• Corn: Canned corn should be thoroughly drained and frozen corn should be thawed.
• Cornbread: If you’d like to take a shortcut, you could use a couple of boxed Jiffy cornbread mix prepared per the package directions for the cornbread layer.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store leftover Cornbread Salad covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container chilled in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
• Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing leftovers.

More Southern Style Salad Recipes to Make

• This Chicken Bacon Ranch Layered Salad can be served as a side dish with soup or a main dish with a side of garlic bread.
• My Easy Fruit Salad recipe is dressed with a homemade lemon lime dressing.
• Seven Layer Salad is a potluck classic.
• Grape Salad Recipe is a vintage recipe everyone loves.
• My Southern Potato Salad recipe is just how my Mom taught me to make it.
• This sweet and salty Watermelon Salad is a summer favorite.
• Homestyle Macaroni Salad is like serving up a bowl filled with comfort.
• My 5 Bean Salad is the perfect make ahead refrigerator salad for quick meals and potlucks.
• Asparagus Salad from Kalyn’s Kitchen.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Mixer
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Set
• Trifle Bowl