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Southern Cornbread Salad: A Classic Layered Favorite

Southern Cornbread Salad

A chilled Southern-style layered salad made with cornbread, bacon, beans, corn, fresh vegetables, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing. It serves 8–10 people and tastes best after several hours of refrigeration.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cornbread
  • 1 8.5-ounce box Cornbread mix
  • 1 egg Ingredients called for on package, usually egg
  • 2/3 cup Ingredients called for on package, usually milk
Salad
  • 8 slices, about 1/2 pound Bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
  • 1 15-ounce can Pinto beans or ranch-style beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can Whole-kernel corn, drained
  • 2 medium tomatoes, about 2 cups Medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 medium pepper, about 1 cup Green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 medium onion, about 1/2 cup Red or yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3 green onions, optional Green onions, sliced
Ranch Dressing
  • 1 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 cup Sour cream
  • 1 1-ounce packet Dry ranch dressing mix

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Prepare the cornbread according to the package directions in an 8-inch square pan, usually baking at 375°F for 18–25 minutes. Cool it completely, then cut or crumble it into bite-size pieces.
  2. Cook the bacon until crisp, transfer it to paper towels to drain, and let it cool before crumbling. Drain and rinse the beans, drain the corn thoroughly, and prepare the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and optional green onions.
  3. Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, and dry ranch dressing mix together in a bowl until smooth. Taste only if desired, keeping in mind that the bacon, cheddar, and ranch mix already provide plenty of seasoning.
  4. In a large glass trifle bowl or deep serving dish, layer approximately half of the cornbread, beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, bacon, cheese, and dressing. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Finish the salad with shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon, adding sliced green onions if using. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, so the flavors blend and the cornbread absorbs some of the dressing.

Notes

Cool the cornbread fully before assembling, and drain the beans and corn very well. Assemble several hours ahead for the best flavor and texture, but do not stir until just before serving. Ranch-style beans may be used instead of plain pinto beans, and drained black beans are another common variation.