This mouth-watering cornbread salad recipe is the perfect addition to any summer BBQ or potluck. Its combination of fresh vegetables, creamy dressing, and savory cornbread will surely please a crowd.
Packed with flavor and texture, serve it layered in a trifle dish or tossed in a large bowl. This side dish is ideal for potlucks, picnics, family reunions, and pool parties.it is the perfect side dish. Try pea salad, southern pimento cheese, and southern collard greens if you like this Southern recipe.
What is Cornbread Salad
Southern Cornbread Salad Recipe is a delicious combination of flavors from moist cornbread, bell peppers, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, ranch dressing, sharp cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, and green onions. It all comes together quickly and easily, making it one of our favorite go-to salads.
This is an excellent dish for leftover cornbread. You can assemble this layered salad in a clear large bowl or rectangular baking dish. The colors on this salad pop and make it perfect for a party. If you are squeezed for time, bake a batch of cornbread a day or two in advance.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Mayonnaise: Duke’s is by far my favorite
- Sour cream: full-fat is best
- Ranch seasoning mix: the packet with dry ingredients
- Corn muffin mix: Use your favorite homemade cornbread recipe instead of the Jiffy cornbread, or try mine.
- Egg: large ones, please
- Milk: 2% or whole
- Pinto beans: you can substitute other beans like kidney beans or black beans
- Cheddar cheese: I like sharp cheddar but any cheddar cheese will work
How to make Cornbread Salad
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Start by preparing the dressing mix. Mix the mayo, sour cream, and ranch seasoning packet in a medium bowl. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge while you prepare the cornbread.
In another medium bowl, mix the corn muffin mix, egg, milk, and sour cream. Stir just until combined, then spoon into a greased 8×8-inch square pan and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Then, place the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for a few minutes while you cut the vegetables.
Cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes and place it into the bottom of a trifle dish or clear bowl. Top with the red bell pepper, pinto beans, corn kernels, onion, and tomatoes. Spread the dressing mixture over the top using a spatula or the smooth bottom of a large spoon. Layer with the shredded cheddar cheese, crisp bacon, and sliced green onions.
Preparation Tips
- Make the cornbread up to 2 days in advance.
- You can use any colored bell pepper. Red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers all work.
- If you have the time, make homemade ranch dressing. It is incredibly flavorful and makes the salad that much better.
- This salad is very forgiving regarding what layer goes where, so don’t sweat it.
- If desired, toss it in a large bowl and season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Storage
You can store it covered in the fridge until you are ready to serve it or up to 10 hours. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
More Salad Recipes
Cornbread Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ounce packet ranch seasoning and dressing mix
Cornbread
- 1 (8.5 ounce) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
Salad
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
- 1 medium sweet onion finely chopped
- 3 large tomatoes chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 slices bacon crispy cooked and crumbled
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and ranch seasoning packet in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- In a medium bowl mix together the corn muffin mix, egg, milk and sour cream. Stir just until combined then spoon into the prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool while you cut the vegetables.
- Cut the cornbread into 1 inch squares and place into the bottom of a trifle dish or clear bowl. Top with the red bell pepper, pinto beans, corn kernels, onion, and tomatoes. Using a spatula or the smooth bottom of a large spoon spread the ranch dressing over the top. Layer with cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve or up to 10 hours.
Notes
- Make the cornbread up to 2 days in advance.
- You can use any colored bell pepper. Red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers all work.
- If you have the time, make homemade ranch dressing. It is incredibly flavorful and makes the salad that much better.
- This salad is very forgiving regarding what layer goes where, so don’t sweat it.
- If desired, toss it in a large bowl and season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Juliane
This was so good. It reminds me of the delicious cornbread salad my aunt made for us when we were kids. I forgot how delicious this salad really is. Thanks for the blast from the past.
Tracey
I have made this for years. I don’t put corn or beans in ours and I just half cherry tomatoes…
It is always a hit. I always call it my church lady pot luck salad…my grandmother made it when we were kids and it always went to the pot lucks…I take it in the summers to barbqs…
Krystle
This is my kind of salad, I’ve been craving it all week.
Sandra
This is such an amazing salad! The combination of flavors is amazing!
Gina
I was so excited to try this recipe. It came out great! It is so delicious that I will be making next weekend as my side dish at a BBQ. I know everyone is going to love it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Gina! So glad that you liked it!
GUNJAN
This salad idea is so unique and so delicious. its so flavorful. we loved it.
Toni
Everyone at my house loved this! Such an amazing recipe!
Claudia Lamascolo
We loved this salad with cornbread dish and the cheese and onions were a perfect compliment of flavors!
Savita
This salad was so flavorful and delicious, perfect for summers.
Erin
This was amazingly delicious! It was a hit on our table.
Amanda
This is my kind of recipe! I love anything with cornbread!
Kimberly
This salad is wonderful! I’m bringing this along with me to an upcoming outdoor potluck – it’s going to be a hit!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Kimberly! I sure hope they enjoy it as much as we do!
Catalina
This salad has all the ingredients that I love! It looks amazingly delicious!
Catalina
The best salad ever! I’ve made it and everyone loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Catalina! So happy that you liked it!
Jacque Hastert
This has been saved and will be getting made this weekend! What a great idea to use cornbread, I would have never thought of that!
Allyson Zea
This looks so wonderful with so many of my favorite flavors! Love this idea of using cornbread!
Sue
This Cornbread Salad is absolutely delicious! Yummy!