This Southern cornbread salad is perfectly dressed with a tasty ranch-style sour cream mayo dressing. It’s a crowd pleaser and great to be served all year round! Use leftover cornbread to make this salad, or bake a fresh batch of my tasty cornbread.
This old fashioned recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd, it’s quick and easy to make, and it’s absolutely delicious with that lovely ranch mayo dressing. I usually take it to potlucks, or for when I’m hosting a dinner at my house.
Cornbread salad ingredients
To make this cornbread salad, you will need:
- Cornbread – either crumbled or cubed. Here’s my recipe for the perfect cornbread.
- Beans – use kidney, pinto, or black beans.
- Corn kernels – canned, drained.
- Green onion – thinly sliced.
- Bell pepper – I like to use different colors, in this recipe I’ve used green and red diced bell peppers.
- Tomato – diced.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – grated.
- For the dressing, you will need ranch dressing, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
- Salt and pepper.
Use up leftover cornbread
When I make cornbread, I always make a double batch. It’s great with warming meals, such as a bowl of chili. But I also make cornbread to pop in the freezer to enjoy later, and to make things like this cornbread salad.
However, if you have leftover cornbread, store it in the fridge for up to 1 week and use it to make this salad.
How to make cornbread salad
- If you don’t have cornbread that’s ready to be used, bake a batch and leave it to chill before you can slice it and/or crumble it.
- Make the dressing – in a small bowl mix the ranch with sour cream and mayo. Feel free to add some herbs if you like.
- Make the salad – prep the salad ingredients. If you’re using dried beans, then pre-soak them and cook, or use canned beans and drain them from any liquids (I rinse them too). Slice and dice the rest of the ingredients, and grate the cheddar cheese.
- Combine the salad ingredients with the dressing, mix until everything is well coated with the dressing. Have a little taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Change things up a little
This is my cornbread salad recipe, but it does not mean that I never change things depending on what ingredients I have available or if I’m making this for picky eaters.
The cheddar cheese is completely optional, feel free to leave it out but I like the taste and the texture that it adds to the salad.
Feel free to add more veggies, and things like pitted black olives, shredded lettuce, or even crumbled bacon!
Cook’s tips
- I recommend allowing the cornbread to sit at room temperature for at least 4-6 hours after it’s baked and before it’s added to the salad.
- Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, to allow the flavors to settle.
- Store the salad in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Be aware that the cornbread will become super moist and maybe a little bit mushy, so if you don’t like that then don’t mix everything together (cornbread, salad, and dressing) before you’re ready to serve.
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Cornbread Salad
Ingredients
- 1 batch cornbread cubed or crumbled
- 1 can kidney, pinto, or black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can corn kernels rinsed and drained
- 1 cup green onion thinly sliced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 3 tomatoes diced
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper
For the ranch-style dressing:
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- To make the dressing, whisk the ranch with sour cream and mayo until well combined. You can also add some herbs if you like.
- In a large bowl, add the crumbled or cubed cornbread, beans, corn, green onion, bell pepper, tomato, and cheddar. Mix until well combined. Then add the dressing, and mix until everything is well combined. Have a taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Diana’s Tips
- I recommend allowing the cornbread to sit at room temperature for at least 4-6 hours after it’s baked and before it’s added to the salad.
- Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, to allow the flavors to settle.
- Store the salad in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Be aware that the cornbread will become super moist and maybe a little bit mushy, so if you don’t like that then don’t mix everything together (cornbread, salad, and dressing) before you’re ready to serve.
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