This cornbread salad recipe is made without beans and has a BBQ Ranch flavor that is hard to beat! It’s an easy side dish recipe that’s perfect for a barbecue, dinner time with the family, or a potluck dinner!
We’ve been on a salad recipes kick lately but my goodness they’re good, aren’t they? This red skin potato salad is another one of our favorites, that’s a go-to for summertime, too.

Why you’ll love this recipe
Alright, I get it. Cornbread salad? But for real, the first time I tried this, it was like the heavens parted, the birds were signing and I felt like twirling around like Snow White.
Ok maybe that’s a little much, but just know that I mean business when I say how happy I am that I discovered another side dish I could make for dinner or to take to a potluck.
Can you agree that it’s super tough to come up with a recipe OTHER than a side salad, green bean casserole, corn casserole, baked beans, and scalloped potatoes when someone says
If you could just bring a side dish, that would be great.
I used to panic at the thought of “Crap. What can I make and take with me that a gagillion other’s won’t be bringing?”
Well, now I know! Boom! And you can too… you’ll want to make this. Not only does it have gorgeous, vibrant colors, but the flavor combination is DYNAMITE!
It’s easy to make, uses simple ingredients and has beautiful colors!
And now… I love this as much as I love panzanella, which is another side dish I LOVE seeing at potlucks that’s better than the side dishes you typically see!!
What kind of cornbread do I use?
For this recipe, I just grabbed a box of the Zatarain’s Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread mix and made it according to the package directions.
Heads Up: If you’re using the boxed mix that I used, make sure you have cheddar cheese, butter, milk and egg to make it! Or, you can sometimes find jalapeno cheddar cornbread already made at your local grocery store!
Can I make it without beans?
Yes! Actually, I prefer it without beans and love the texture that the other ingredients in this recipe provide.
Ingredients
It takes very little to make this easy salad recipe but it packs a BIG punch of flavor!
You’ll need:
- prepared jalapeno cheddar cornbread (I used Zatarain’s Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Mix in the box – but feel free to Jiffy or what you have on hand!)
- cooked bacon
- green pepper
- cherry tomatoes
- green onions
- shredded cheddar cheese
- bbq ranch dressing
How to Make Cornbread Salad

In a large bowl, break up the cornbread and use a fork to break it all down into a crumble.

Next, toss in the remaining ingredients (I save the dressing for last) and gently mix it all together until all of the dressing is evenly distributed.







Would you look at that? Aren’t the colors OUTSTANDING together!?
I absolutely love carrying this dish into a potluck dinner or serving it as a side dish at dinnertime.

I’m not going to lie… I will just eat THIS for a meal sometimes. I don’t need anything else to satisfy my tastebuds!

Tips for Making the Best Cornbread Salad:
- The jalapeno cheddar cornbread is by far the best for this recipe but feel free to use Jiffy or whatever you may have on hand. If you want a jalapeno cheddar cornbread recipe, I have one included in my Fabulously Fast Dinners e-cookbook that you can get and save RIGHT NOW!
- If you can’t find the bbq ranch dressing at the store, simply mix in a little of your favorite bbq sauce, in with your favorite ranch dressing, according to your taste!
- I like to wait to mix everything together right before serving for the best results.
- If you need more side dish recipes, then you’ll love these:
– cauliflower “potato” salad
– bacon ranch pasta salad
– carrot salad
Recipe

Cornbread Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box prepared jalapeno cheddar cornbread I used Zatarain’s Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Mix
- 4 slices cooked bacon chopped
- ½ green pepper chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced
- 4 green onions chopped
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup bbq ranch dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, break up the cornbread and use a fork to break it all down into a crumble.
- Next, toss in the remaining ingredients (I save the dressing for last), and gently mix it all together until all of the dressing is evenly distributed.
Notes
- I like to wait to mix everything together right before serving for the best results.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Linda Small says
Is BBQ ranch dressing a brand name dressing? This looks delicious and I could use another dressing but would rather try what you’ve suggested. Thanks
Jessica says
Hi Linda! I believe Hidden Valley has a bbq ranch, but you can also take regular ranch dressing and add some bbq sauce to it! 🙂 I hope that helps!
CAROL STEWARD says
I make this our main dish by adding in a small bag of shredded lettuce and shred a rotisserie chicken, premade in Walmart, and use Buttermilk Ranch (our preference). Very delicious.
Jessica says
That DOES sound amazing!! I’ll have to try that, thank you for sharing!
Jamielyn says
Delicious! Need to make this soon!
Jessica says
Thank you Jamielyn!! Yes for sure!
Sarah Walker Caron says
What a fun take on panzanella!
Jessica says
Yes!!! It’s so so good and so easy to make! 🙂
Chana says
When I saw the title, I had the same reaction as your first sentence haha. I love cornbread but have never heard of a cornbread salad. I suppose it makes sense after all. This really looks delicious and it actually seems very easy to make!
Jessica says
Haha, right?! YES! You should definitely give it a try! Thank you!
Liz says
This salad looks incredible! I never thought about adding cornbread to salad!
Jessica says
Salads with lettuce are MUCH healthier I’m sure, but I can’t resist this! Lol!