Retro Cornbread Salad

Retro Cornbread Salad Recipe – This classic southern salad is layered with cornbread, beans, cheese, bacon, and a tangy lemon-ranch dressing. It’s a delicious side dish to share at family dinners and potlucks!

Homemade Cornbread Salad

Who doesn’t love to see an old-school layer salad on the dinner table?

There is something so enticing about seeing lovely individual sections all stacked together to make one fantastic dish. And bonus points if it’s presented in a glass trifle so that all of the layers really stand out!

Like many of our fabulous retro dishes, this classic layered Cornbread Salad recipe is an oldie but a goodie. It gained popularity in the south before becoming a potluck staple across the country. It’s not hard to see why everyone fell in love with this one!

The Best Cornbread Salad

You might be thinking, wait – cornbread in a salad?

Yep! And we’re not just talking about a few croutons here…

This vintage southern Cornbread Salad is super satisfying, with a hearty layer of thick cornbread as the foundation. It’s then loaded with layers of colorful veggies, beans, cheese, a creamy and zesty lemon-ranch dressing, and, of course, crispy bacon.

Most of the elements to prepare this dish are made ahead or come packaged ready to go, so there’s not any actual cooking necessary. Prep time is a quick 20 minutes, and then you’re ready to serve and enjoy.

Don’t be surprised when everyone asks you to bring this amazingly flavorful layered salad to all your gatherings!

What Are The Ingredients For Cornbread Salad?

For the Lemon-Ranch Dressing Mix you need:

• Sour cream – or plain greek yogurt for a lighter version
• Mayonnaise – low fat or full fat
• Lemon juice – fresh is best
• Ranch dip mix – powdered salad dressing mix in a packet

To make this Layer Salad you need:

• Cubed cornbread – store-bought or homemade
• Baby spinach – or substitute romaine lettuce 
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Scallions – AKA green onions
• Tomatoes
• Bell pepper – red or green pepper
• Crumbled bacon 
• Canned pinto beans – drained
• Canned sweet corn – drained

What Equipment You Will Need

• Measuring Cups (including the teaspoon)
• Medium bowl and a large bowl (or even a trifle dish)
• Sharp Knife
• Plastic Wrap or Aluminum Foil to cover

How to Make Lemon-Ranch Dressing from Scratch

Step By Step Instructions

Once you give this familiar yet wonderfully unique ranch dressing with lemon a try, I promise you’ll be whipping up a batch for nearly all of your salads!

In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and ranch dip mix. Stir until smooth. That’s it!

You can top the salad right away, or cover it and keep it in the fridge until ready to use. Sealed in an airtight container the dressing will keep well for up to 3 or 4 days.

How to Make Classic Southern Cornbread Recipe

Next, prep the salad ingredients: Chop up the cornbread, scallions, tomatoes, red or green bell pepper, and cooked bacon. Shred the cheese, and drain the beans and corn. Keep all ingredients separated.

Set out a large glass salad bowl. This salad looks really nice in a bowl that has straight sides, like a trifle dish.

Place the cornbread cubes in an even layer across the bottom of the bowl.

Then layer on the spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers…

Next layer on the corn and scallions…

Then add shredded cheese…

And then the beans, dressing, and bacon. I like to make it super pretty by creating layers of rings on the top with the dressing, like in the photo below.

Lastly, garnish the Cornbread Salad with a few extra scallions on top.

Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Get the Complete (Printable) Retro Cornbread Salad Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Retro Corn Bread Salad Recipe Variations

There are lots of ways to give this classic salad a personal spin!

You can easily take this southern Cornbread Salad recipe into the southwest territory by adding and/or swapping out any of these few key ingredients:

• Add jalapenos for a kick of heat.
• Sub shredded cheddar with shredded pepper jack cheese.
• Swap pinto beans with black beans.
• Use lime juice instead of lemon juice
• Add chopped fresh cilantro as a garnish

Frequently Asked Questions

Is This Salad gluten-free?

That depends on the cornbread used to make the base of the salad. Cornmeal itself has no gluten but is typically combined with flour to make cornbread. So just use your favorite gluten-free mix to make this a GF-friendly side dish! You should also check the ingredients in the ranch dressing mix you buy, just in case.

How do I make this a vegetarian or vegan layered salad?

To prepare this retro recipe for vegetarians simply omit the chopped bacon. For a vegan dish, omit the bacon (or use your fave plant-based bacon alternative) and swap the shredded cheese with vegan cheddar. Make the lemon-ranch dressing with your preferred dairy-free sour cream and mayo replacements.

What dishes go well with Cornbread Salad?

This salad is absolutely perfect to pair with other classic southern foods. Bring it to a potluck, picnic, or serve for dinner alongside Slow Cooker Pulled Pork sandwiches, baked ham, Texas-style brisket, or any of your favorite comfort dishes.

How long does homemade Cornbread Salad keep well?

This layered salad tastes best when served shortly after being made. You can keep it covered in the fridge for a couple of hours. However, if you plan to wait any longer than that you should leave the dressing and bacon off when preparing the dish, and wait until just before serving to add these ingredients.

Can I Use Leftover Cornbread?

Yes, the beauty of this recipe is that you can make this with leftover cornbread from dinner or a weekend potluck. Use the chunks or crumbles you have for the bottom layer of this cornbread mixture. You can even use jalapeno cheddar cornbread for extra flavor!

Can You Freeze Cornbread Salad?

No, not really. You can freeze cornbread, crumbled bacon, corn, and pinto beans. Yet all of the fresh produce should remain fresh, and will not recover after freezing. For best results, make and serve within a few days.

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Check out the printable recipe card below for nutritional information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, sodium, cholesterol, fiber, sugar, and vitamin C percentages.

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