Cornbread salad is a layered salad that is common to the southern region of the United States. Often prepared using leftover cornbread, the idea of the cornbread salad is to make use of common food items to create something different and interesting. A cornbread salad is normally served cold, making it an ideal choice for hot summer days. While recipes for this type of salad call for different ingredients, a basic cornbread salad requires just a few items and takes very little time to prepare.
A basic cornbread salad recipe will start with cornbread muffins or cornbread pone. The cornbread can be prepared specifically for use in the salad, or be an excellent way to present leftover corrnbeaad in new way. The cornbread should be allowed to cool to room temperature and then crumbled into a large mixing bowl.
To compliment the crumbled cornbread, a colorful blend of chopped red, yellow, and green bell peppers can be added to chopped green onions and chopped tomatoes. Several strips of bacon should be fried and set aside to drain. To add more color and texture, whole kernel corn, pinto beans and shredded cheddar cheese will help form more of the layers of the salad. To create the dressing for the salad, use mayonnaise, sour cream and a dry packet of ranch dressing mix. Mix all three ingredients together and set aside.
Once all the ingredients are assembled, it is time to begin creating the layers of the cornbread salad. The bottom layer should be crumbled cornbread. Next, add the blend of tomatoes, peppers, and onions. The third layer will feature the pinto beans. In quick succession add a layer each of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and the whole kernel corn. The dressing mixture is added to the top of the cornbread salad once all the layers are in place.
When preparing the cornbread salad in a standard casserole dish, one set of layers is usually sufficient. However, it is possible to use a trifle bowl to add a second set of layers to the salad. The clear glass of the trifle bowl will make it easy to see all the different colors contained in the salad. Once the cornbread salad is assembled, it should be placed in a refrigerator to chill for at least two hours.
Serving the cornbread salad is usually accomplished in two different ways. One approach is to mix all the layers together just before serving. The second method is to leave the layers intact and scoop out the layers onto a salad plate. By using the second serving method, it is easier for diners to set aside any ingredients they do not wish to consume.
Regardless of the serving method, the combination of ingredients provides a spectrum of flavors that are ideal for a cold meal on a hot day. If time is limited, it is possible to prepare the ingredients for each layer in advance and store them in the refrigerator using separate airtight containers. The cornbread salad can be assembled in less than five minutes and returned to the refrigerator for a half hour or so, giving the flavors of the ingredients a short time to intermingle before serving.