Southern Layered Cornbread Salad

"A simple Layered Cornbread Salad comes together in just 20 minutes, creating a show-stopping potluck dish that only looks like you spent hours in the kitchen. The decadent combination of sweet cornbread, crispy bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese is paired with fresh, crisp veggies for a salad that will add a touch of Southern twang to your next meal! You can think of this Layered Cornbread Salad as a Southern version of Italy’s Panzanella. For those of you who are not familiar with Panzanella, it’s a traditionally Tuscan salad that combines chunks of stale bread and tomatoes, tossed with olive oil, vinegar, and often onion and basil. For my own twist, I’m using chunks of cornbread (duh!), plus plenty of tomatoes, onions, bacon, cheese, and a simple creamy dressing. While you can certainly just toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl, the strategic layers allow you to prepare this salad in advance without fear of the lettuce getting soggy! Plus, I love how the distinct rows make the dish look bright and “fancy.” In reality, it’s not fancy at all! So simple, so quick to prepare, and so full of flavor!"

Preparation Time20 min