This summer salad is delicious on its own, but the cornbread croutons are essential — they’re truly mouthwatering. Bright, bold flavors come together here: crisp greens, savory bacon, tender mozzarella, and a tangy balsamic dressing. You’ll want to make this one again and again.
Delicious Summer Salad With Cornbread Croutons
The homemade cornbread croutons are the star, complemented by crispy bacon, mozzarella balls, parmesan, and a vibrant balsamic dressing. Simple to prepare and full of texture and flavor.
Course: Salads
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
- Cucumber slices
- Red onion slices
- Cherry tomatoes cut in half
- Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Mozzarella balls
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Cornbread croutons
Balsamic Dressing
- 3/4 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 T Dijon mustard (or plain mustard if preferred)
- 1 T Balsamic glaze (or 3 T balsamic vinegar)
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp Dried basil
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 T Brown sugar
Instructions
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Combine all balsamic dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Cornbread Directions
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Prepare cornbread according to the package instructions or your favorite scratch recipe. Preheat oven to 400°F (if your recipe already uses this temperature, follow that).
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Allow the cornbread to cool about 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized cubes.
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Arrange the cornbread cubes on a large baking sheet and drizzle with about 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Toss gently to coat evenly.
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Lightly season with salt.
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Toast in the 400°F oven until golden and crisp, checking after about 6–7 minutes. Timing will vary by oven and cube size.
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Let the croutons cool, then pile them over the prepared salad right before serving for maximum crunch.