Black-Eyed Pea and Cornbread Salad is a Southern-style layered dish that’s easy to make and great for summertime picnics, potlucks, and barbecues!
The Best Cornbread Salad
The key to success with this recipe is cornbread that is on the savory side. I realize this is totally subjective, but still, taste your cornbread and do your own assessment as to its level of sweetness. Keep in mind that a cornbread that is too sweet could overpower the fresh flavors of the vegetables. For this recipe, I use this homemade cornbread.
I like this salad because it offers a refreshingly light contrast to heavier dishes like potato or pasta salads that tend to dominate the side dish category at cookouts.
Ingredients for Black-Eyed Pea & Cornbread Salad
You will need the following:
- 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 scallions, minced
- Juice of 1/2 lime, approximately 1 tablespoon
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups prepared cornbread, crumbled
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shedded
How to Make Black-Eyed Pea & Cornbread Salad
STEP ONE: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
STEP TWO: In a small mixing bowl stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, lime juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and chili powder. Set aside.
STEP THREE: Into a serving bowl, sprinkle half of the cornbread in an even layer.
STEP FOUR: Continue layering with half each of the black-eyed peas, corn, tomato mixture, sour cream mixture, and cheese.
STEP FIVE: Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients, ending with cheese.
STEP SIX: Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Serve chilled.
Make it Vegan 🌱
- For a plant-based salad, use Vegan Cornbread, and dairy-free sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheddar cheese.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
- Black-Eyed Pea & Cabbage Stew
- Herbed Couscous & Tofu Salad
- BBQ Baked Beans
- Baked Black-Eyed Pea Dip
- Corn Chip Taco Salad
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Black-Eyed Pea and Cornbread Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Roma tomatoes chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 scallions minced
- Juice of 1/2 lime approximately 1 tablespoon
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups prepared cornbread crumbled
- 2 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shedded
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, lime juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and chili powder. Set aside.
- Into a serving bowl, sprinkle half of the cornbread in an even layer.
- Continue layering with half each of the black-eyed peas, corn, tomato mixture, sour cream mixture, and cheese.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients, ending with cheese.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Serve chilled.
Nutrition
Adapted from Food Network.
THis post was updated on June 23, 2025.
Giangi
Being from the South, my husband loves black eye peas and cornbread. As soon as I saw your recipe I knew I had to make it for him. Super delicious and you get both thumbs up from him and me.
Thank you.
Leah
This sounds like the perfect salad for a potluck! Not too heavy but full of flavor!
Aimee DiPasquale
this looks great for a bbq!
Deborah
This was so refreshing and I love that I didn’t have to do anything to make it vegan cause it already was. Delish. I will make again soon, most likely for Labor Day, the last barbecue of the summer for us.
Katie
This salad is absolutely incredible!! Love the cornbread in this salad it’s a delicious addition!