This quirky layered salad is a southern classic that never fails to be a true hit at cookouts, potlucks and family gatherings. Ridiculously and surprisingly delicious, Southern Cornbread Salad is a stunner, loaded up with layers of cornbread, marinated black eyed peas, tomatoes, corn, green onions and bell pepper, bacon, cheddar cheese and a cool and creamy buttermilk Ranch dressing.
What’s In Cornbread Salad
Some recipes call for pinto beans, but this cornbread salad recipe uses a black eye pea mixture that is bursting with crisp veggies lightly marinated in olive oil and white vinegar for true old fashioned southern flavor. And while the cornbread is the star of the salad, this marinated black eyed pea layer is your little secret as to why your cornbread salad is always the best!
Look for 10 layers in all- cubed cornbread, the marinated pea mixture with corn, tomatoes, bell pepper and green onions, then shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, a drizzle of dressing. And repeat!
RELATED RECIPE: Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Classics become classics for a reason. Memorable and delicious are their certifiable trademarks. To put it simply, classics are flat out GOOD. And this Southern Cornbread Salad checks all the boxes.
- It is stunning sitting on any potluck or cookout table. This salad is a conversation piece for sure.
- It is addictively delicious.
- It includes a boatload of southern favorites– black eye peas, bacon, cornbread… and gets even better if you can include fresh tomatoes, corn, bell peppers and green onions from your own garden or the farmer’s market.
- The secret of marinating the veggies creates just enough of a light, zesty flavor boost that this salad tastes fresh and light even though it’s made with cornbread.
- Besides irresistible flavor, this salad has great contrasting textures between fluffy cornbread, creamy peas, cool dressing and crisp vegetables.
- You can make it with lightly sweetened or unsweetened cornbread, whichever your family likes best.
Southern Cornbread Salad Ingredients
- cornbread or cornbread muffin mix (sweet or unsweet- whichever you like best)
- thick sliced bacon
- shredded cheddar cheese
- black eyed peas
- whole kernel corn
- grape tomatoes
- green bell pepper
- green onion
- flat parsley
- white vinegar, olive oil, salt (creates a light marinade for the peas, corn, tomatoes mixture)
- Ranch seasoning mix
- real mayonnaise
- buttermilk
How To Make This Layered Cornbread Salad
Prep all of the ingredients first! Start with the cornbread. Prepare according to your mix instructions.
Lightly marinate the veggies. While the cornbread is baking and cooling, chop the tomatoes, bell pepper, green onions and parsley. Drain and rinse the corn and peas. Mix all the tomatoes and veggies together with the olive oil, vinegar and salt and set aside to marinate.
Whisk together the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the Ranch seasoning, mayo and buttermilk. Put in the fridge while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
Bacon, Cheese & Cornbread. Cook and chop the bacon. Grate the cheese, and cut the cooled cornbread into small cubes.
Assemble. Layer cornbread, peas mixture, cheese, then bacon. Drizzle with dressing and repeat. If you want to create the decorative topping, add extra tomatoes around the edge, sprinkle a little cornbread, bacon and green onions in the center.
Cover and Chill. Chill for at least 2 hours so that all of the flavors have time set!
Tips for Making The Best Cornbread Salad
- For perfect bites, chop the bell pepper and green onion about the same size as the peas and corn.
- You can use sweet or unsweet cornbread for this recipe. We like it both ways, so use what your family likes best. Lightly sweetened cornbread creates a delicious sweet and salty thing with the vegetables and dressing that’s addictive!
- Some recipes call for leftover cornbread. I’ve found that fresh cornbread works best for flavor and texture.
- Grating your own cheese is always the best for any recipe!
- Making your salad dressing instead of using a bottled dressing is WORTH IT for flavor.
- Substitute half of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing.
- Don’t skip the chill time in the fridge or the quick veggie marinade. Both add SO MUCH FLAVOR!
Does the Cornbread Get Soggy
The cornbread may soften a little, but should remain tender and fluffy if you follow a couple of easy steps!
- Make sure your cornbread is cool before layering it in the salad. Steam from the cornbread will get trapped in the layers and make the salad soggy if it isn’t cooled.
- Be careful not to over dress the salad with salad dressing. A simple kiss or drizzle over the first layer is all that’s needed!
- When spooning in the peas and veggie mixture, don’t include any of the marinade. It adds plenty of zing to the veggies, but will make the salad soggy if added to the salad.
- Lastly, the layers are ordered in a way that keeps the cornbread as fresh as possible, even as the salad sits.
What to Serve with Cornbread Salad
This cookout side dish goes marvelously with all of your grilled favorites, like steak, burgers and hot dogs. But you will also love it with:
- Cherry Cola BBQ Pulled Pork
- Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
- Homemade Cornmeal Fish Fry (Fried Fish)
- Pepper Crusted Pork Tenderloin
- Crispy Southern Fried Chicken
Other Cook Out Side Dishes To Make
- Classic 7 Layer Pea Salad
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad
- Southern Deviled Egg Potato Salad
- Confetti Frito Corn Salad
- Creamy Southern Cole Slaw
If You Make This Recipe, I Can’t Wait To Hear About It!
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Southern Cornbread Salad
Ingredients
- 1 8 inch pan cornbread or 6 cornbread muffins, sweet or unsweet
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, rough chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Black Eyed Peas & Veggies
- 14.5 ounce can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces kernel corn, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 3-4 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped flat parsley
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- 1 envelope Ranch Seasoning Mix
- 1 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
Decorative Topping (Optional)
- halved grape tomatoes
- chopped green onion
- remaining cornbread & bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to temperature specified on cornbread mix. Grease and heat skillet in oven while oven is preheating. Prepare mix and add to hot skillet. Bake for specified time. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- While cornbread is baking and cooling, drain and rinse peas and corn. Chop tomatoes, bell pepper, green onions and parsley. Combine all the veggies in a large bowl with vinegar, olive oil and salt. Mix well, cover and set aside to marinate until time to assemble the salad.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the salad dressing. Put in fridge while prepping the rest of the ingredients for the salad.
- Cook bacon. Rough chop and set aside. Grate cheese. Cut cooled cornbread into 1 inch cubes.
- Assemble/ layer salad in a clear bowl:-1/2 of the cubed cornbread-1/2 of the peas & veggie mixture (making sure not to include any of the marinade; it will make the salad soggy)-1/2 of the shredded cheese-1/2 of the chopped bacon-Drizzle with salad dressing, being careful not to overdress.Repeat layers, holding back a little bacon and cornbread if you intend to create the decorative topping.Finish with enough salad dressing to cover the top of the salad. You will have salad dressing leftover. Simply serve it at the table for those who might like extra.
- Create the decorative topping by adding the halved tomatoes around the edge of the salad. Fill in the center with the bacon and cornbread you held back from the second layer. Sprinkle with green onions.
- Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving.
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Notes
- Chop the bell pepper and green onion about the same size as the peas and corn.
- You can use sweet or unsweet cornbread for this recipe.Â
- Fresh cornbread works best for flavor and texture.
- Grating your own cheese is always the best for any recipe!
- Making your salad dressing instead of using a bottled dressing is WORTH IT for flavor.
- Substitute half of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing.
- Don’t skip the chill time in the fridge or the quick veggie marinade.Â
Nutrition
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