Cornbread Salad Recipe

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What do you get when you combine garden-fresh veggies, crispy crumbled bacon, homemade cornbread, and ranch dressing? This amazing crowd-pleasing Southern cornbread salad.

Cornbread Salad

Cornbread salad is a wonderful old-fashioned Southern recipe that you need in your life! Thanks to follower, Linda Wood for sharing her amazing recipe with me. It’s kind of in the same family as potato salad and definitely something you’d expect to find at a family reunion, potluck, or barbecue. Featuring garden-fresh vegetables, crispy bacon, homemade cornbread, and a mix of ranch dressing and mayo, I encourage everyone to make this cold and creamy salad this summer. 

Now, one of the key ingredients of this salad is cornbread. While you can simply use a package of cornbread mix, here is my recipe for hot water cornbread and my dixie cornbread recipe if you’re feeling traditional.

Recipe ingredients for cornbread salad.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Onion
  • Corn
  • Mayo
  • Tomatoes
  • Bell pepper
  • Dry ranch dressing mix (optional)
  • 1 pan crumbled cornbread
  • Crisp fried bacon

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How to Make Cornbread Salad Recipe Step By Step

Ranch dressing mix and mayo in glass bowl.

Pour the ranch dressing mix into a bowl with mayo.

You can skip this step if you just really like mayo. But if you’re like me and want a little something else or if you just love the taste of ranch, do what I’m doing here.

Stirring mayo and ranch dressing mix.

Then stir it up.

Veggies for cornbread salad in large bowl.

Dice up your tomato, onion, bell pepper, and drain your can of corn.

Dump all that in a big bowl.

Crumble up your cornbread and dump that on top of the veggies.

Adding bacon to veggies.

Add in your crumbled bacon.

Stirring cornbread salad.

Stir well.

Adding salad dressing to cornbread salad.

Add in the salad dressing mix.  We went a little crazy with the mayo this time because my son likes that extra mayo, but feel free to keep it at 2 cups if you don’t want as much mayonaise.

Stirring salad dressing to coat cornbread salad.

Stir that up really good until well coated. Now, cornbread salad is even better when made ahead of time, so cover your dish and refrigerate for several hours or until chilled well.

Cornbread Salad

Garnish with beautiful sliced red tomatoes and serve cold.

DELICIOUS

Storage

This salad will last up to four days in an airtight container in the fridge. However, the cornbread does start to get mushy after only one day, so if this isn’t your style it’s best to avoid leftovers. Like most salads, you shouldn’t freeze cornbread salad.

Recipe Notes

  • This recipe is great for using up leftover cornbread. Cut the recipe in half to make a smaller portion if you like as well.
  • The secret ingredient in my easy cornbread salad recipe is bacon grease! If you saved any bacon grease from your bacon, add one teaspoon to your salad dressing, but don’t tell anyone because they’ll react as if you’d told them you didn’t like mayonnaise! I’m not going to put this in the recipe so only the folks who read this part of the post will know this little secret ingredient! It totally adds an extra KAPOW of flavor.
  • One of the best things about this salad is that it’s so easily customizable. First, use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Then, don’t be afraid to add drained pinto beans, shredded cheddar cheese, diced pickles, black olives, or even jalapenos if you prefer a kick! You can even top with a sprinkle of green onion if you have some handy.
  • For the best flavor, I recommend making this salad between one and six hours before serving.

Recipe FAQs

What goes well with cornbread salad?

Serve your salad alongside other popular Southern mains like fried chicken, pork chops, or slow-roasted beef brisket .

You may also enjoy these cornbread recipes:

Mexican Cornbread Recipe by Mama

Keto Cornbread Recipe Southern Plate

Crock Pot Cornbread Dressing

Peaches and Cream Cornbread with Maple Sausage

Cornbread salad in large serving bowl.

Cornbread Salad

Filled with garden fresh veggies, homemade cornbread, and a wonderful dressing to hold it all together, Southern Cornbread Salad is must try recipe!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: corn
Servings: 12
Calories: 623kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pan cornbread see recipe here or use a package of cornbread mix
  • 1 cup diced onions
  • 1 bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 1 cup diced tomato
  • 15 ounce can whole kernel corn drained
  • 1 pound bacon cooked until crisp and crumbled
  • 2-3 cups mayonnaise I used two
  • 1 oz Package ranch dressing mix

Instructions

  • Bake cornbread. Once cool, crumble and place in a large bowl. Add in onions, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, corn, and bacon. Stir until well combined.
    1 pan cornbread, 1 cup diced onions, 1 bell pepper, 1 cup diced tomato, 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, 1 pound bacon
  • In a separate bowl, place mayo and ranch mix (if using). Stir until well blended. Skip this step if just using plain mayo.
    2-3 cups mayonnaise
  • Add mayonnaise dressing mixture to salad and stir until fully mixed. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours before serving. ENJOY!

    Notes

    There are lots of ways to adjust this to suit your own taste by adding or leaving out ingredients. Corn or pinto beans (drained) can be added as can diced pickles or black olives or grated cheddar. I prefer the more plain one but with all that lovely mayonnaise there isn't much that can mess it up.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 623kcal
    Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

     

    I’m happier than a bird with a french fry!

    ~Unknown, but an awfully good way to feel!

     

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    297 Comments

    1. I have a recipe for cornbread salad, but the ingredients are layered in a clear glass bowl, and itis more Mexican flavors. I`m going to try this mostly because of the bacon 🙂
      Thanks for sharing your wonderful stories and yummy recipes.

      Margaret

    2. It has been a very long time since I have made a cornbread salad. When my children were growing up (I now have 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren) I made it approximately once a month and usually as a side for a big pot of pinto beans and/or barbeque. As well as I remember, the cornbread just replaced the lettuce in a regular salad; things like tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions (optional) and celery. It was tossed with a small amount of Italian dressing to taste just before serving especially if taking outside. At that time, we were taught in school to avoid using mayonnaise that would be served outside in the Texas heat. I think I am just going to have to make a big bowl of this salad and enjoy with memories of our many good family gatherings. I really enjoy your site and the recipes. You are like a cousin to me. Thank You for all that you do.

    3. I love cornbread salad. I also add boiled eggs. This salad with the bacon and boiled eggs is a complete meal. I’ve also made it with a sweet and sour type dressing made with vinegar, oil and sugar like on 3 bean salad. When I make it this way you mix in a little dressing at a time so you don’t make it soupy.

    4. You could substitute some sour cream for part of the mayo. I’m with you…not too crazy about straight mayo. 🙂

    5. I’m going to make this to take to the family Easter dinner. I’m always on the lookout for easy crowd pleasing recipes that are a little less common and this seems perfect.

      I love your website and recipes. I have tried quite a few and love them. Visiting the site is like a visit with a good neighbor. Which we practically are, I live in Alabama also, in West Blocton, in Bibb County. Smack dab in the middle of the state.

    6. Hi! I’m so glad I found you! My son will be 25 this Sat. March 5th and I wanted to throw a party for him and he sweetly says no Mama I think I’m gonna go out, decline I say, and then said well can I atleast make you a cake and he says no. Boooooo! But then he “sweetly” (wink wink) says there is one thing you can do and says I bet you’ll figure it out really quick. I laughed and said hmmmm would it be cornbread salad! He laughs and says yes, I’ve been waiting since Nov. of last year, Thanksgiving.. Its about time this sweet boy gets his cornbread salad don’t ya think haha! Needed to refresh my memory on what all goes into it soooo I Googled and picked yours! Thanks for being available! Yours truly, Kendra
      Happy cooking and many spring BBQs!!

    7. My sister-in- law made this once while we were visiting.
      I could not remember all of what she put in it.
      I want to thank you for the recipe.
      I too hate mayonnaise, so Miracle Whip it is.
      You family reunions brought back fond memories of church dinners served from a trailer.
      Thank you.

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