Cornbread Salad

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Whether served in a trifle bowl for a lovely presentation or tossed in a big glass bowl for easy serving, cornbread salad comes together quickly and has a delicious combination of flavors.

Tender pieces of cornbread are tossed with scallions, fresh tomatoes, corn, beans, crispy crumbled bacon, and cheese and topped with a creamy ranch-flavored dressing. 

The result is a delicious salad that’s got substance and flavor. Cornbread salad is full of color and easily feeds a crowd, so it’s perfect for a party. It’s ideally suited for using leftover cornbread, but baking a fresh batch just for this salad is also well worth it.

Yeap, flavorful and satisfying Southern cornbread salad truly is a crowd-pleaser, just like my Broccoli Cranberry Salad, my favorite Southern Grape Salad, this Taco Pasta Salad, and this easy Chicken Fajita Salad.

Why Make This Recipe

• A Crowd Pleaser – The combination of cornbread with the other ingredients is colorful, filling and tastes great, so everyone loves this salad. 
• Perfect for Make Ahead – The salad should be refrigerated for at least 3 hours before serving, so it’s the perfect make-ahead dish.  
• Great for Leftovers – If you’ve got leftover cornbread, cornbread salad is the perfect way to use it! Even if your leftover cornbread is a little dry, it will still taste great.  

Ingredient Notes

• Cornbread – Bake according to the package directions or make homemade cornbread according to a recipe and cut it into one-inch squares. 
• Bacon – Use about 6 slices of bacon, or more if you prefer. 
• Tomatoes – Chop whole tomatoes or cut cherry tomatoes in half. Look for really ripe tomatoes. 
• Scallions – Thinly slice green onion for a mild onion flavor. 
• Cheddar Cheese – Freshly shredded cheddar cheese tastes better than prepackaged shredded cheese. 
• Beans – This recipe calls for pinto beans, and it’s incredibly easy to cook pinto beans from scratch and use them in this recipe! You can also swap in black beans or kidney beans if you prefer.
• Corn Kernels – If using canned kernel corn, be sure to drain completely. 
• Dressing – Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and ranch dressing. You can also use a Ranch salad dressing mix. 

Ready to make this layered salad with cornbread? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…

How To Make Cornbread Salad

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Cut cornbread into one-inch cubes and set aside. 
2. In a medium frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, then cut or crumble into bite-sized pieces. 
3. Combine diced tomatoes and thinly sliced scallions in a medium bowl and drain and rinse the beans and corn kernels. 
4. Prepare the dressing by combining mayo, sour cream, and Ranch dressing in a bowl.
5. In the bottom of a large bowl, layer the cornbread pieces, tomato mixture, beans, and corn, and then top with the Ranch dressing mix. Finish with the cheese and bacon bits.
6. Cover and chill the salad in the fridge for about 3 hours.
7. Toss the cornbread mix well before serving.

Expert Tips 

• If making cornbread for this recipe, allow it to cool completely before adding it to the salad.
• Prepare the cornbread up to 2 days in advance. 
• This is a great way to use up any leftover cornbread.  
• You can make this with crumbled cornbread instead of cutting it into squares.
• Refrigerate this salad for at least 3 hours before serving. 
• Serve in a trifle dish or toss for easy service. 
• Layer the salad in any order that you prefer. 
• This salad serves 6, but the ingredients can easily be doubled. 
• Just before tossing, season with salt and pepper.

Delicious Variations

• Add More Veggies – Add chopped onions, bell pepper, or cucumbers.
• Swap the Beans – Pinto beans are my favorite, but you can use kidney beans or black beans. 
• Use Homemade Ranch – If you have time, homemade ranch dressing has incredible flavor and is my favorite for topping this salad. 
• Add Boiled Eggs – Hard-boiled eggs are another southern staple and make a great addition to this salad. 

Prep And Storage

• Prep Ahead – Prepare at least 3 hours and up to 10 hours in advance.
• Store – Leftover cornbread salad should be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Freeze – Freezing this salad is not recommended. 

FAQs

More Recipes You May Like

• Easy Southern Grape Salad.
• Hawaiian Pasta Salad.
• Christmas Fruit Salad.
• Dill Pickle Pasta Salad.
• Southern Coleslaw Recipe.

Serving Suggestions

This cornbread salad recipe pairs well with other Southern style dishes. Try any or all of these suggestions!

• Southern Fried Pork Chops and Gravy.
• Easy Smothered Chicken.
• Southern Squash Casserole.
• Banana Pudding Cake.

Best Equipment To Use

• Awesome knives.
• Handy mixing bowls.
• Measuring spoons.
• Best ever sea salt flakes.

Thank you for reading my Southern cornbread salad recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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