Description
Hearty pioneer woman cornbread salad delivers a southwestern flavor explosion with layers of crumbled cornbread, crisp vegetables, and zesty dressing. Creamy textures and bold ingredients make this dish a crowd-pleasing favorite you’ll crave at summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cups sour cream
- 12 oz (340 g) thick-cut bacon
- 2 cans (15 oz or 425 g) pinto beans
- 1 ½ cups corn, thawed frozen
- 3 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 package (11.5 oz or 326 g) cornbread mix
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pickled jalapenos, chopped
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 packet (1 oz or 28 g) ranch dressing mix
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Cornbread Preparation: Combine cornbread mix with shredded cheese in a mixing bowl. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and jalapeños in a separate container until well blended. Gently fold wet and dry ingredients together, avoiding overmixing, and transfer to a greased 9-inch square baking pan.
- Baking Process: Roast cornbread in a preheated oven at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely, then cube into bite-sized pieces.
- Bacon Crisping: Arrange bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet, roasting until golden and crisp. Crumble into small fragments once cooled.
- Dressing Creation: Blend sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch seasoning, chipotle peppers, lime zest, lime juice, and cumin until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to intensify flavors.
- Ingredient Preparation: Drain and rinse pinto beans. Dice tomatoes, bell peppers, and slice green onions into uniform pieces.
- Salad Assembly: Layer cornbread cubes, pinto beans, cheese, bacon, corn kernels, and vegetable mixture in a clear serving dish. Drizzle generously with prepared dressing between layers.
- Final Touch: Refrigerate for 2-4 hours to allow flavors to meld. Garnish with additional green onions before serving.
Notes
- Cheese Selection Tip: Choose sharp cheddar or pepper jack for extra flavor complexity and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Cornbread Moisture Secret: Do not overmix batter to maintain tender, light cornbread structure and prevent tough texture.
- Dressing Make-Ahead Strategy: Prepare dressing a day in advance to develop deeper, more robust flavor profiles.
- Temperature Control Hack: Allow salad to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to enhance overall taste experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg