Cornbread salads were developed by thrifty southern cooks who were trying to find a use for day-old cornbread, since stale cornbread never tastes as good as fresh. This Easy Cornbread Salad is my version and was adapted from an old recipe given to me by my Kentucky-born Mother-in-Law, Gwen. This salad is so popular with family and friends, that I actually bake a 6 ounce package of cornbread mix specifically so I can make the salad, or I double the recipe when making cornbread so that I’ll have enough. Cornbread freezes well, so leftovers can be frozen in a Ziploc-type bag if it isn’t convenient to make the salad the next day or two after serving cornbread.

The thing I like about this salad is that the cornbread doesn’t get soggy, since a creamy thick ranch dressing is used rather than a thin vinaigrette. It’s a hearty salad, and ham or chicken could be added to make it a main dish salad.

Yankee notes: If you were not born in the South (US) and think sweet cornbread is “cornbread,” you are sadly mistaken; Southerner’s say, “If it’s made with sugar, it ain’t cornbread!” When making this salad, make sure you use a cornbread mix that doesn’t contain sugar. As far as cornbread mixes go, Jiffy Brand, which my children and I like best, is delicious, but isn’t suitable for this salad since it’s sweet. The non-sweet variety is available in places other than the South under several brands; my grocery stores (in Utah) carry a cornbread mix called Gladiola, which is made by Martha White, a popular southern brand; it passes for genuine cornbread as far as my southern- born husband is concerned.

12 Servings

1/3 cup red onions
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
1 15 oz. can corn, or 2 cups frozen corn, rinsed
1 cup grated cheddar jack cheese
1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon, (8 strips thick bacon)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups light ranch dressing

4 cups non-sweet cornbread, (6 oz pkg mix baked according to directions), cooled and coarsely crumbled

1. Mix all ingredients except cornbread until thoroughly combined.


2. Stir in the crumbled cornbread, mix well, and serve.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 266 Calories from Fat 113
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 42% Protein 13% Carb. 44%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 13 g 19%
Saturated Fat 4 g 20%
Cholesterol 51 mg 17%
Sodium 733 mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 29 g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1 g 4%
Sugars 2 g
Protein 9 g

Vitamin A 11% Vitamin C 26% Calcium 0% Iron 8%