We eat a lot of cornbread around the Blind Pig house, but sometimes we don’t eat the entire cake of cornbread before it gets a little stale. When that happens I either feed it to my chickens or make cornbread salad with it.
The recipe for cornbread salad couldn’t be easier. The ingredients can be changed up according to what you have on hand or what you prefer. The amounts can be adjusted to fit the amount of cornbread you have as well.
First-crumble up some cornbread in a bowl. Some folks layer all the ingredients so you can see the different items,but I think it tastes a whole lot better if you mix them all together.
Chop up onion and tomato and add that to the bowl. Add a can (or partial can) of beans. I’ve used pinto beans as well as kidney beans and both work great.
Add a handful or so of shredded cheese. We like sharp cheddar.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dress the salad with Ranch dressing.
Some recipes call for an entire bottle of dressing, but I’ve found it easier to add a good amount and then taste to see if it needs more.
Stir all the ingredients up and that’s it! The salad is better after it ‘marries’ in the frig for a while or even overnight. Sometimes I add peppers if I have plenty on hand and I’m sure you could add in other items as well.
The salad is really quiet tasty and makes a perfect lunch for The Deer Hunter to take to work. It goes pretty good with a hamburger too.
Ever had cornbread salad?
Tipper
This post was originally published here on the Blind Pig and The Acorn in July of 2013
My favorite way to use up leftover cornbread is in stuffing/dressing; just 3 cups of crumbled cornbread mixed with sauteed onion and celery with salt, pepper, and some dried thyme and Mrs. Dash alon with enough broth to moisten the whole lot.
Tipper: I love all of your rec. I was raised in the hill country of east T. so we had your kind of food,mostly cornbread and soup beans. I love your programs keep up the good work.
I love cornbread salad. I add corn to mine too. We never really have much left over. Thanks Tipper. God Bless!
Barbara-thanks for the comment! Go here for my cornbread recipe: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/blind_pig_the_acorn/2010/01/making-cornbread.html
Tipper;
Hope you’re getting better and back up to your old self soon!
“Leftover cornbread?” Being from the “foothills” (i.e. Mayberry,) we ate ours with buttermilk! Never heard of eating it with “sweet” milk ‘ti I moved up here in ’93. Also never knew what a “real” green bean was ’til I planted my first striped creasebacks. Now I raise greaseys to grow up in my corn, which this year is yellow Hickory King for hominy way later in the year.
Do hope you’re feeling better.
BTW: all my “leftover cornbread” (that’s anything not eaten the 1st or 2nd time) gets crumbled, drizzled with butter (the real stuff) and seasoned for stuffing then spread on a cookie sheet and toasted in the oven before cooling and double bagging (and sucking out as much air as possible) and putting in the freezer for Turkey Time! Sometimes I make double batches of cornbread to make sure I have some to put aside.
I must try that. I have tried to cut out carbs, but cannot give up my favorite cornbread. I will try adding more of the tomatoes and onions and less cornbread. I have found even a smidgeon of cornbread makes anything better. Cornbread is wonderful with all Appalachian dishes. One of my favorite ways is to eat it with wilted/killed lettuce and onions.
I am still saying prayers for our Tipper that she will gain strength and stay on the mend. Sometimes life just exhausts us and makes us vulnerable to all sorts of problems. I so well recall working full time and going to college. I decided to cheat myself out of 2 hours sleep every night to study. I landed myself in the hospital with a virulent UTI, almost septic. That is when I learned the wonderful art of napping when exhausted. I still had a hectic schedule, but rearranging my sleeping habits helped me carry on through the courses. I would just fall asleep in a lounge chair with book in hand, sleep for an hour, and wake up to continue studying. We readers just want you to take care of yourself. period!
Never had it but it sounds good. I might have to try it soon. sounds like something I can try when my family are gone camping labor day weekend. I will be home by myself & can try things without having to listen to them say that looks gross.
That looks really good, but we generally don’t show much mercy to a skillet of cornbread.
All you need for leftover cornbread is buttermilk!! I do like cornbread salad and I’m going to try your version.
Tipper,
That cornbread salad looks so good. Yesterday I fixed cornbread flitters on top of the stove and had pork ‘n beans heated until the soup thickened. That hit the spot!
I enjoyed the update on the chicken story too. …Ken
I love cornbread dressing. First time I had some was after a funeral in MS back in 2004 and I have been making it ever since. I put a can of corn in mine too, but otherwise it is made like yours. I think it is really good with ham too.
I do the same thing sometimes except I cover the whole thing with homemade chili instead of ranch dressing. The marrying part don’t work so well though.
I also do something similar with the vegetables cut in bigger pieces and ringing the plate. The ranch dressing is in the center for dipping. The cornbread is on the side. Right near the buttermilk. Got to have buttermilk in case the onions have too much of a bite. Buttermilk kills the burn immediately. It works for hot peppers too.
The cornbread also serves to clean the plate when your through. Slurping all those good juices ain’t polite when you have company and neither is licking the plate. Sopping with cornbread is OK though, I think! If not, Oh Well!
Cornbread salad is filling and it is a good way to use everything and even though I was brought up to eat whatever was placed before me, I do not crave cornbread ” salat”.
I use the leftovers to make cornbread and eggs. I just beat eggs with a little milk, put the cornbread into a hot frying pan with a little oil or butter, then pour the eggs over top. I guess you could say it’s sort of french toast cornbread, but whatever you call it, it’s good!
I have never had cornbread salad. With all the ingredients on hand, I think I know whats for supper today.
Oh, my, that sounds scrumptious! I have always made cornbread salad, but in a much different way.
I add crumbled cornbread to an ordinary green salad (mostly lettuce, with bell pepper, cucumber, celery, radishes, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, and sometimes tomato all chopped up). I put the dressing (olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, a bit of mustard, and a dollop of honey) in the bowl first. Then add the cornbread and dried cranberries if I have them and let it sit while I chop the veggies. Then I
add all the veggies and toss it until the cornbread and dressing are well mixed in. Delicious!
Tipper: I missed your first post! This would be a dandy dish any time! THANKS! Eva Nell
I’ve never heard of this, and want to try it….have even sent to recipe to several friends – here in FLA. as well as one on Colorado. Hope I get good jives back. Hazel R. Carr (West Palm Beach, FL)
Never heard of cornbread salad but I sure do recognize the ‘don’t just throw it away’ thinking. I do not like to throw away food or old clothes or whatever. Exactly where that comes from I don’t know except it be that growing up we didn’t have to waste. For me waste represents a bad attitude and just maybe a lack of character.
I know someone in the waste business and boy does he encounter waste. On the construction sites he finds extension cords, tools, pallets of building materials etc. We all know who paid for them.
Anyway, guess I’ve gotten pretty far afield from cornbread salad. We’ll have to remember the recipe.
Oh, yum! This sounds so good! I had never had it before until not too long ago, we ate a new “country” restaurant. I had some, and oh, my, it was wonderful! I hope you are feeling much better. I am praying for you!
What is your cornbread recipe?
Never had it, but sounds good. We usually just pour chili over it. Maybe have to try the salad
Tipper,
I love cornbread salad! I usually layer mine and add corn as well as black beans and kidney beans.
Most of the time I use one of those packets of Mexican cornbread dedicated just for the salad.
We don’t have much leftover cornbread. I usually crumble the last cake or so, and put in the freezer. Not the Mexican cornbread for I use it all for the salad, they are small kegs of bread barely a six inch skillet full. I only freeze the leftover buttermilk cornbread to save for dressings or toppings for casseroles especially if it is getting close to Thanksgiving!
Your salad looks so good, it is making me hungry…I believe I could eat it for breakfast with some scrambled eggs and ketchup…
Thanks Tipper,
Think I’ll mix mine all together next time I make it!
PS…Hope you are getting along and feeling better…
That looks and sounds wonderful! My mother and sister used to take left over cornbread and put cream of chicken soup on it and eat it. I was a picky little eater and wouldn’t touch it.
I bet you could add some green chilies to this recipe and give it a Mexican flavor and it would be good!