Description
Chili Cornbread Salad is a layered Southwestern-inspired dish that combines savory chili, sweet crumbled cornbread, fresh vegetables, cheese, and a creamy dressing. It’s perfect for potlucks, family dinners, or as a creative way to use leftovers.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cornbread, crumbled (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 packet chili seasoning
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 cups chopped lettuce (romaine or iceberg)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Optional: dash of hot sauce or 1 tsp taco seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare or crumble pre-cooked cornbread into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in chili seasoning, kidney beans, black beans, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Simmer for 5–10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Chop bell peppers, red onion, and lettuce. Slice cherry tomatoes and green onions. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, sour cream, and optional hot sauce or taco seasoning.
- In a large clear bowl or trifle dish, layer as follows:
- – Half the crumbled cornbread
- – Half the chili mixture
- – Bell peppers, corn, red onion
- – Shredded cheddar cheese
- – Lettuce and cherry tomatoes
- – Half of the dressing
- Repeat the layers with remaining ingredients.
- Finish with a topping of cheese, cherry tomatoes, and green onions.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Use vegetarian chili or meat alternatives for a vegetarian version.Let the chili cool before layering to avoid soggy cornbread.Add jalapeños or chipotle dressing for a spicy twist.Substitute ranch with Southwest or cilantro-lime dressing if preferred.Great use for leftover chili or cornbread.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/10 of recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
