This layered Cake Pan Cornbread Salad has layers of cornbread, bbq ranch dressing, beans, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and green onion!
A FILLING SOUTHERN SALAD RECIPE
This isn't your Momma's cornbread salad! Southern cornbread salad is traditionally served in a big trifle dish with a dressing of mayonnaise and sour cream. We are going to take cornbread salad to the next level today! First of all, I'm layering it in a cake pan. I think this makes it so much easier for family and friends to serve themselves and also so they can take advantage of every layer of the salad. And then I am topping it with a super simple BBQ ranch Dressing.
TIPS FOR MAKING SOUTHERN CORNBREAD SALAD
- What I love about making this in a cake pan is you can get to and serve up all the layers much more easily and it makes for easier serving than a tall and deep trifle dish. However, this recipe can easily be converted to serve in a trifle dish.
- Feel free to switch out the ingredients with what you love. Don't like pinto beans? Switch them out for another bean or remove altogether.
- Store bought cornbread works just as good for this to save on time!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- cornbread mix
- pinto beans
- corn
- Roma tomatoes
- red bell pepper
- cucumber
- red onion
- ranch dressing
- barbecue sauce
- romaine lettuce
- shredded cheddar cheese
- bacon
- green onion
HOW TO MAKE LAYERED CORNBREAD SALAD:
Prepare cornbread mixes according to package directions. Let cool and cut into 1" cubes. Layer cornbread on bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Top with a layer of pinto beans, followed by the corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and onion.
In a medium bowl (or large measuring cup like I did), mix together the ranch dressing and barbecue sauce.
Pour dressing evenly on top of salad.
Top with a layer of romaine lettuce. Note: You may need to gently press down this layer. Then top with cheddar cheese, bacon and green onion.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Then dig in!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Cake Pan Cornbread Salad (+Video)
Ingredients
- 2 (6 ounce) packets cornbread mix
- ingredients needed to make cornbread mix
- 14 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 14 ounce can corn, drained
- 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 1 ½ cups ranch dressing
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- 1 romaine lettuce heart, roughly chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- sliced green onion
Instructions
- Prepare cornbread mixes according to package directions. Let cool and cut into 1" cubes. Layer cornbread on bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Top with a layer of pinto beans, followed by the corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, and onion.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ranch dressing and barbecue sauce.
- Pour evenly on top of salad.
- Top with a layer of romaine lettuce. Note: You may need to gently press down this layer. Then top with cheddar cheese, bacon and green onion.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- What I love about making this in a cake pan is you can get to and serve up all the layers much more easily and it makes for easier serving than a tall and deep trifle dish. However, this recipe can easily be converted to serve in a trifle dish.
- Traditionally a cornbread salad is made with a sour cream and mayonnaise dressing. That is perfectly fine but it really doesn't offer much flavor to the dish. This combination of ranch dressing and BBQ sauce brings so much flavor!
- Feel free to switch out the ingredients with what you love. Don't like pinto beans? Switch them out for another bean or remove altogether.
- Store bought cornbread works just as good for this to save on time!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: June 2017
Updated & republished: May 2021
Nana
How far ahead should this be assembled. I do not want it to be soggy , but don't want to fool making it at the last minute either ?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I probably wouldn't assemble earlier than the morning of the day you will serve it.
Nana
Thank you .. I am thinking to add this to my Memorial Day menu .
Rena Berowski
How does this save? There are only two of us.
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Rena in your case I would only make half the recipe. The cornbread gets too soggy after sitting for a day in the fridge. Or just keep all the ingredients separate until you're ready to make some and then just make it as you go.
Janice Gowens
I'm not fond of raw cucumbers so I replace them with a layer of diced celery; I also add a can of Rotel in place of the tomatoes.
Susan Wisecup-Agbedzinu
I’m using beefsteak tomatoes for mine...less juice and more flavor, but just my opinion.
Sondra Brannon
Is there another salad dressing that would be as good as the ranch dressing? My family does not care for ranch dressing and this salad sounds so good!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Sondra, once you add the barbecue sauce, it really changes the whole flavor. So they might like it this way! 🙂
Jane
Looks SO yummy!
Vickie
Great idea Brandie ! I was not raised knowing about this salad until I was an adult. I made one once and have to admit it wasn't my favorite. I think your idea of putting it in a cake pan and changing up the dressing is genius! I can't wait to try this YOUR way!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
I hope you love it Vickie! We had friends over who had never eaten it before and they really enjoyed it (and I don't mind saying that they are very picky too...LOL) I always feel like if they like it then I did good! 🙂
Carlee
That looks absolutely delicious. I agree that it's pretty in a trifle dish but it's so much easier to get a taste of it all this way. ????
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thanks so much Carlee!