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A vibrant cornbread salad featuring multiple layers of fresh ingredients

Classic Cornbread Salad

Enjoy this delightful Classic Cornbread Salad, featuring layers of crumbled cornbread, crispy bacon, fresh vegetables, cheddar cheese, and a creamy, tangy dressing. Perfect for a potluck or family gathering, this salad is best when chilled to allow the flavors to meld.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 people
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Skillet
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Ingredients
  

For the Cornbread

  • 1 batch of your favorite cornbread homemade or a box mix works great, cooled and crumbled

For the Salad

  • 1 pound bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
  • 1 can whole kernel corn drained
  • 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup red onion chopped
  • 1 cup bell pepper chopped (any color, or a mix for vibrancy)
  • 1 cup tomatoes chopped (cherry tomatoes halved work well too)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or a Mexican blend

For the Dressing

  • 1.5 cups mayonnaise full-fat for best results
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

Cornbread Preparation

  • Bake cornbread according to package directions and let it cool completely. Once cool, crumble it into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Bacon Preparation

  • Cook bacon until crispy, then drain on paper towels and crumble into small pieces.

Vegetable Preparation

  • While the bacon cooks, chop the red onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Drain and rinse the canned corn and black beans.

Dressing Preparation

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.

Salad Assembly

  • In a large clear serving bowl, layer crumbled cornbread, one-third of the dressing, and half of the corn, black beans, red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and cheese. Repeat the layers, finishing with cornbread, the remaining dressing, bacon, and cheese.

Chilling

  • Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.

Notes

For best results, use full-fat mayonnaise in the dressing. This salad is excellent for meal prepping as the flavors deepen overnight. Feel free to adjust the vegetables based on seasonal availability or personal preference.