Cornbread is a traditional American quick bread. It’s a delicious side dish that makes for a great addition to any meal you’re serving.
Cornbread is made with cornmeal, eggs, flour, and oil. It’s quite versatile in the sense that while it’s mainly a savory dish, it can also be made into a sweet dish!
There are several delicious cornbread recipes out there, both sweet and savory, with cornbread salad being one of the most interesting and delicious recipes you can make with cornbread.
That being said, what is cornbread salad, exactly? How can you make it?
In today’s article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about cornbread salad, along with a detailed guide on how to make it. Let’s dive in.
What Is Cornbread Salad?
Cornbread salad is a scrumptious southern dish that’s made with cubed cornbread, pinto beans, crispy bacon, sweet corn kernels, diced tomatoes, and sliced scallions. What’s more, the dish is topped off with a generous amount of shredded cheese!
All of the ingredients are layered in a trifle bowl to show off how delicious they look. And as odd as they are together, they make for a unique, mouth-watering dish.
How to Make Cornbread Salad?
Cornbread salad is easy to make, and you don’t need any special cooking skills to make it! First, we’ll need to prepare a batch of tasty skillet cornbread.
1 – Making the Cornbread
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this tasty cornbread recipe:
- 1½ cups of cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large beaten eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk or yogurt
- ½ cup sunflower oil or canola oil
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In a dry bowl, mix the following ingredients: cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix and whisk the oil, beaten eggs, and buttermilk.
Then, slowly pour the liquid mix into the dry one and mix them together. Continue to mix until the batter is homogeneous and thick.
Pour the mix into a 9-inch iron skillet and then place the skillet in the preheated oven. It takes around 30 minutes for the cornbread to be ready.
You can try the toothpick trick to check if the cornbread needs extra time in the oven.
Just insert a clean toothpick in the middle of your cornbread. If it comes out clean, that means your cornbread is done.
If you see dough remaining on the toothpick, give your cornbread another 5 minutes and check again with the same trick.
It’s worth mentioning that smaller pans take less baking time. So, make sure to check on your cornbread earlier if you’re using a small pan or skillet.
After your cornbread is done, let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Then, cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes and set them aside.
2 – Making the Cornbread Salad
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the incredibly delicious cornbread salad:
- 1 batch of cornbread in 1-inch cubes
- 14 ounces of sliced bacon
- 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 large tomatoes
- 6 medium scallions
- 2 cans of pinto beans
- 2 cans of corn kernels
- 1 cup of mayonnaise
- 1½ cups of sour cream
- 1 cup of ranch dressing
First, cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces and place them in a preheated large frying pan. Cook the bacon over medium heat and make sure to separate any clumps formed.
It usually takes around 10 minutes for the bacon to become brown and crispy. Once the bacon is done, put it on a plate lined with a kitchen paper towel and set the plate aside.
Next, dice the tomatoes and slice the scallions as thin as you can. Set aside half a cup of scallions, as we’ll be using it to garnish the dish.
When it comes to cheese, you can grate any type of cheese you like. Cheddar is a really great option, and it works well in this recipe
After preparing cheese of your liking, open the corn and beans cans and drain them. You can also rinse them with tap water and let them drain, but this step is optional.
You should make sure that they’re completely drained either way. If they aren’t drained thoroughly, they can make the cornbread soggy.
Finally, grab a bowl and pour the mayonnaise, the sour cream, and the ranch dressing into it. Stir until they’re all well mixed.
3 – Putting the Dish Together
This is the fun part of the recipe. Grab all the ingredients you’ve prepared and a trifle glass bowl. We’ll be spreading the ingredients inside the bowl in separate layers.
Start by placing half of the cornbread cubes. Then, spread the beans, tomatoes, cheese, scallions, bacon, and corn on the cornbread cubes. After that, spread a layer of the dressing you’ve prepared on them.
Next, repeat the same steps to make another layer. Finally, top the dish with the rest of the scallions. Et voilà! Now you have a delicious cornbread salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have a question in mind? Here are some frequently asked questions regarding our topic for today.
How do you serve cornbread salad?
Cornbread salad should be chilled in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. When it’s time to eat, scoop a portion of the salad and serve it in a dish.
Is cornbread salad a Thanksgiving dish?
Cornbread salad is an amazing side dish that goes well with almost any type of meal. It’s perfect for all sorts of parties and barbecues. It’s also a perfect Thanksgiving dish.
Can you store leftover cornbread salad?
Yes, cornbread salad leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container.
Final Thoughts
Cornbread salad is a unique dish that’s all about the presentation. It will be the star of the show at any party or backyard barbecue.
But what is cornbread salad, exactly? It’s a cornbread recipe that’s made with cubed cornbread, pinto beans, crispy bacon, sweet corn kernels, diced tomatoes, sliced scallions, grated cheddar cheese, and delicious sour cream and ranch dressing mix.
The recipe is easy and simple. Anyone can do it. Check out our recipe and enjoy your delicious cornbread salad!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.