This southwest cornbread salad has flavorful layers of crumbled cornbread, veggies, bacon, cheese and a delicious salsa ranch dressing. The perfect way to spice up a potluck!
Layered cornbread salad
If you’re in need of an easy and delicious recipe to bring to a BBQ, this cornbread salad recipe is perfect for you. It’s simple to throw together and super flavorful. I put a Mexican spin on mine by adding corn and black beans and the end result was fabulous!
It starts with a layer of crumbled cornbread, then another layer of lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn, salsa ranch dressing, bacon, green onions and cheese. Then you repeat the layers until all ingredients are used. All kinds of yummy flavors and textures!
Cornbread for salad
For convenience, you can use premade cornbread from the store, or use a box mix such as Jiffy Mix. If I have the time, I love to make homemade sweet cornbread or a batch of cornbread muffins so that I can freeze any leftovers for a quick snack.
Sometimes I’ll make the cornbread the day before, so that it has some time to harden up a bit. That way it stays sturdy in the salad and it’s one less thing to do when preparing on the day of serving. I love the flavor and texture it adds!
Tips and substitutions
- Dressing: Plain ranch dressing also tastes delicious on top of this dish.
- Mexican cornbread: To add a little spice and more Mexican flare, make a batch of Mexican cornbread.
- Grilled corn: Instead of canned corn, try adding grilled corn for a charred and delicious flavor.
- Spice: If you like a little heat, mix in some chopped jalapenos or use hot salsa for the dressing.
- Bacon: I love to cook my bacon in the oven for easy cleanup and a perfectly crispy exterior.
- Layering: Layer in a large glass bowl or trifle bowl for best results.
- Let chill: Make sure to chill the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to set.
Make ahead + storing
This salad tastes best the first day of assembling. The cornbread tends to get a little moist (and sometimes mushy) after being in the fridge for an extended period of time, so I’d recommend serving it the same day as preparing for best results. It does need to chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes prior to serving to allow the flavors to settle, but this isn’t long enough for the cornbread to lose it’s shape or sturdiness.
If you’d like to prepare this dish ahead of time, I’d recommend that you prepare the different components ahead of time however do not assemble the salad. You can cook both the cornbread and bacon the day before, as well as mix together the dressing. Then when ready to serve the next day, layer the ingredients into the bowl and let chill for 30 minutes.
Other summer potluck salads:
- Chicken caesar pasta salad
- Southwest quinoa salad
- Macaroni salad
- Buffalo chicken pasta salad
- Southwest pasta salad
Southwest Cornbread Salad
Ingredients
- 6 ounce package of cornbread mix , can also make from scratch or buy premade cornbread from the store
- 1 head of romaine lettuce , shredded
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes , sliced
- 15 ounce can black beans , rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can whole kernel corn , drained
- 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled
- 4 green onions , chopped
Dressing:
- 1 ounce envelope of Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayo
- 1-2 cups salsa
Instructions
- Bake cornbread according to directions. Allow to cool and then cut into 1/2-inch cubes. You can also buy this premade from the store or make it from scratch if preferred.
- Mix together ranch dressing mix, sour cream and mayonnaise. Then add in salsa and stir. Place in a covered jar or container until ready to assemble.
- In a large bowl, layer using half of all ingredients: cornbread, tomato, beans, corn, bacon, green onions, lettuce and cheese. Drizzle over some of the dressing. Repeat the layering process until you have used up all of the ingredients.
- Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Recipe contributed by Leigh Anne from Your Homebased Mom for I Heart Naptime.
Mixing cornbread with a salad was new to me but my family absolutely loved it. Fresh summer flavours!!