25 Best And Yummy Cornbread Side Dishes To Complete Your Meal

Cornbread is a southern classic that is both sweet and crumbly, not to mention incredibly versatile. This means it can be served with various dishes; no matter your preference, there are numerous to enjoy cornbread.

In this post, we’ve compiled some of the best dishes to serve with cornbread. So if you’ve been wondering what goes with cornbread, this list is tailor-made for you.

Quick Table: What Goes With Cornbread

Recipes	Calories Per Serving	Preparation Time
Southern Ham And Brown Beans	273	3 Hours 10 Minutes
Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Potato Soup	378	8 Hours 5 Minutes
Keto Chili	251	3 Hours 45 Minutes
Baked Southwest Chicken	220	50 Minutes
Ham And White Beans	370	8 Hours 5 Minutes
Cream Cheese Crack Chicken Chili	413	6 Hours 5 Minutes
Steak And Potato Soup	149.5	8 Hours 5 Minutes
Pinto Bean Soup	192.3	1 Hour 15 Minutes
Jalapeno Corn Relish	38	20 Minutes
Crispy Honey Soy Curls	708	45 Minutes
Red Beans And Rice	314	1 Hour
Mulligan Stew	537	1 Hours 50 Minutes
Crockpot Bbq Chicken	374	4 Hours 5 Minutes
Vegan Chili	388	40 Minutes
Crockpot Apple Butter	373	12 Hours 20 Minutes
Brussel Sprouts Salad	218	1 Hours 15 Minutes
Southern Chicken Salad	268	23 Minutes
Mason Jar Spinach Salad	305	25 Minutes
Chicken And Sausage Gumbo	477	3 Hours
Creamy Beef And Shells	507	35 Minutes
Ham Pasta Salad	493	50 Minutes
Crockpot Ribs	553.2	9 Hours 10 Minutes
Shrimp Creole	236	35 Minutes
Brunswick Stew	301	6 Hours 10 Minutes
Southern Fried Catfish	222	20 Minutes

1. Southern Ham And Brown Beans

Tender and packed full of flavor, southern ham and brown beans is a delicious meal to serve with cornbread if you’re looking for a southern comfort meal to serve on weekends.

It features pinto beans slow-cooked with garlic, chili, ham hock, and onions until a rich, thick broth is formed. You can even add some green chilies to give it a spicy kick.

Calories Per Serving: 273

Preparation Time: 3 Hours 10 Minutes

2. Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Potato Soup

As the name implies, this chicken potato soup will have you hooked with its delicious and creamy combination of chicken, cheese, bacon, ranch, hashbrowns, milk, and pepper.

It may seem complicated and filled with many ingredients, but it is surprisingly super easy to make.

All you’ll need to do is throw everything in a slow cooker, and in a few hours, you have a delicious masterpiece to serve with your cornbread.

Calories Per Serving: 586

Preparation Time: 8 Hours 5 minutes

3. Keto Chili

We all know the requirements of a keto diet are very much in contrast with eating cornbread, but for days where you want to indulge in a nice treat and you can make a delicious keto cornbread and pair it with this keto chili. 

Honestly, keto or not, everyone will love this flavor-filled chili.

It features ground beef slow-cooked into a tender broth with a combination of tomatoes, onions, garlic, cloves, beef broth, chipotle seasoning, and a host of other spices.

Calories Per Serving: 200

Preparation Time: 3 Hours 45 Minutes

4. Baked Southwest Chicken

If you’re looking for an easy and hearty meal to satisfy all your chicken cravings, baked southwest chicken is the perfect dish to make. Paired with a serving of cornbread, this dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

It features seasoned chicken breast combined with black beans, corn, green chiles, bell peppers, and Colby jack cheese and then baked until tender.

Calories Per Serving: 220

Preparation Time: 50 Minutes 

5. Ham And White Beans

White beans and ham is another great meal for dipping cornbread. It is an easy slow cooker dish you can make on a busy day as all you’ll, need to do is combine the ingredients and cook until tender.

All you’ll need is a combination of northern beans, ham shanks, onion powder, and pepper. Feel free to use diced ham if you can’t get ham shanks.

Calories Per Serving: 240

Preparation Time: 8 Hours 5 Minutes

6. Cream Cheese Crack Chicken Chili

Cream cheese crack chicken chili is another slow cooker dish perfect for those who can’t be bothered to spend time following a bunch of complicated steps.

It consists of chicken breast, tomatoes, black beans, corn, cheese, chicken broth, bacon, ranch, and chili powder, all slow-cooked to a creamy stew that will have you going for multiple servings.

If you’re not a fan of regular bacon or want to reduce the fat content in this dish, feel free to use turkey bacon instead.

Calories Per Serving: 325

Preparation Time: 6 Hours 5 Minutes

7. Steak And Potato Soup

As you can probably tell, we’re all about ease and simplicity over here, which is why we can’t seem to get enough of slow cooker dishes.

Steak and potato soup is another comforting soup that goes well with cornbread, and all you need is a few ingredients and a slow cooker.

This delicious stew consists of a combination of stew meat, Yukon potatoes, onions, beef broth, steak sauce, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.

Calories Per Serving: 120

Preparation Time: 8 Hours 5 Minutes

8. Pinto Bean Soup

If you’re looking for a vegetarian alternative to chili or beans and ham, this pinto soup is the perfect dish to serve with cornbread.

With a tender-cooked combination of onions, carrots, potatoes, smoke sauce, celery, garlic, and dried herbs, even meat eaters will appreciate this hearty soup.

Calories Per Serving: 192

Preparation Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

9. Jalapeno Corn Relish

This jalapeno corn relish is a great side dish to pair with cornbread for a light and colorful summer lunch.

It features corn, jalapenos, bell peppers, onions, and garlic combined with a boiled sweet vinegar and spice mixture. You can make this relish in a large batch to store in the fridge and serve whenever you need a quick side dish.

Calories Per Serving: 208

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

10. Crispy Honey Soy Curls

Crispy honey soy curls are a super indulgent dish that is sweet, spicy, and incredibly addictive. 

It features soaked coy curls coated with cornstarch, fried into crispy brown perfection, and then tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce.

Serve these delicious curls with cornbread and a side of coleslaw, and you’ve got a feast perfect for just about any occasion.

Calories Per Serving: 120

Preparation Time: 45 Minutes

RELATED: 17 Tasty Cornbread Combinations

11. Red Beans And Rice

If you’re looking for a filling dish with a tasty sauce to soak up your cornbread, there’s no better option than a serving of red beans and rice.

This Louisiana classic features creamy red beans cooked in a savory red sauce and topped with white rice and browned andouille sausages.  

Calories Per Serving: 838

Preparation Time: 1 Hour

12. Mulligan Stew

Mulligan stew is a hearty dish perfect for family dinners and is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies.

This rich stew features a combination of potatoes, carrots, corn, green beans, peppers, browned beef, broth, peas, onions, and dried herbs.

Feel free to add other vegetables like Brussel sprouts, lima beans, or sweet potatoes if you prefer.

Calories Per Serving: 230

Preparation Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes 

13. Crockpot BBQ Chicken

If you’re looking for an easy chicken dish to make on weeknights, crockpot bbq chicken might just be what you need.

This saucy, shredded chicken dish features a slow-cooked combination of chicken breast, barbeque sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes, garlic, and onion powder.

The sweet sauce is perfect for soaking up cornbread.

Calories Per Serving: 223

Preparation Time: 4 Hours 5 Minutes

14. Vegan Chili

Vegan chili is a delicious dish that ensures you don’t miss out on the classic combo of chili and cornbread just because you’re on a vegan diet.   

It features a tasty combination of tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, tofu crumbles, chili, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and cumin. This chili is delicious enough to tempt even the most skeptical meat eaters.

Calories Per Serving: 370

Preparation Time: 40 Minutes 

15. Crockpot Apple Butter

If you’re serving your cornbread for breakfast or simply want a light dinner, crockpot apple butter is the perfect spread to go with cornbread.

It is super easy to whip up and features a rich blend of slow-cooked apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.

It’s a great homemade spread you can have stored in the fridge to serve with your morning toast or any other bread.

Calories Per Serving: 180

Preparation Time: 12 Hours 20 Minutes

16. Brussel Sprout Salad

Brussel sprouts often get a bad rep amongst many people for not having the best taste, but turn it into a savory salad and serve it with some cornbread, and you’ll find yourself craving this meal almost daily.

This flavorful salad features sauteed Brussel sprouts and onions tossed in a creamy mustard sauce that is sweet and packed full of rich spices.

Calories Per Serving: 56.2

Preparation Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes 

17. Southern Chicken Salad

If you’re looking for a creamy salad that is both sweet and savory, southern chicken salad is the perfect dish for you.

This cold salad features a mix of rotisserie chicken, celery, toasted almonds, scallions, apple, dill, mayonnaise, mustard, and sweet pickle relish.

It is the perfect crunchy salad to make for lunch or serve during the summer.

Calories Per Serving: 125

Preparation Time: 23 Minutes

18. Mason Jar Spinach Salad

Got some leftover cornbread you want to eat while on the go? Pair them with a mason jar salad like this spinach salad.

It is really easy to assemble and contains mushrooms, baby spinach, boiled eggs, bacon, and onion. 

Serve with a sweet mayo dressing, and you’ll want to make this your go-to lunch. Feel free to get creative with this salad and add other ingredients like avocados, pecans, cheese, or even chicken for an added boost of protein.

Calories Per Serving: 304

Preparation Time: 25 Minutes 

19. Chicken And Sausage Gumbo

Chicken gumbo is a delicious Louisiana classic loaded with flavor and perfect for serving with sweet cornbread.

It is an indulgent stew that starts with a roux base that is then cooked with bell peppers, celery, chicken, okra, sausage, chicken broth, cayenne pepper, and cajun seasoning. 

Feel free to serve your gumbo and cornbread with a scoop of white rice for a filling dinner.

Calories Per Serving: 145

Preparation Time: 3 Hours

20. Creamy Beef And Shells

Creamy beef and shells is a tasty pasta dish with a lovely sauce perfect for serving with cornbread.

This easy one-pot dish features shell pasta cooked with ground beef, broth, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, heavy cream, and cheese.

It is the perfect meal to make for the family on weeknights. Feel free to use ground turkey or Italian sausage in place of ground beef if you prefer.

Calories Per Serving: 603

Preparation Time: 35 Minutes 

RELATED: Egg Substitutes In Cornbread | Simple And Easy Way

21. Ham Pasta Salad

This is another dish made with pasta lovers in mind. It is a creamy salad featuring a combination of cooked pasta, cheese, green onions, celery, bell peppers, peas, ham, and a tart mayo dressing. 

You can use just about any pasta for this salad but make sure to choose small-shaped ones like rotini, farfalle, macaroni elbows, or small shell pasta.

Calories Per Serving: 610

Preparation Time: 50 Minutes 

22. Crock Pot Ribs

If you’re craving a smoky barbequed dish but don’t want to go through the hassle of actually grilling in hot weather, crockpot ribs are the perfect dish to suit your cravings.

It is an easy slow cooker dish featuring pork ribs covered in a dry rub and topped with barbeque sauce and liquid smoke sauce before being cooked to tender, juicy perfection.

Calories Per Serving: 307

Preparation Time: 9 Hours 10 Minutes

23. Shrimp Creole

Shrimp creole is a delicious and easy dish loaded with cajun flavors that is sure to delight any crowd.

It features shrimp cooked in a spicy tomato sauce along with celery, onions, bell peppers, and garlic. It is another Louisiana favorite that goes well with cornbread and a serving of white rice.

Calories Per Serving: 276

Preparation Time: 35 Minutes 

24. Brunswick Stew

Cornbread always goes well with a hearty stew, and Brunswick stew is a southern favorite bursting with a rich blend of flavors.

This stew is an easy instant pot dish that only requires you to put together chicken, pork, tomatoes, chicken broth, corn, beans, bell peppers, onions, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce.

Calories Per Serving: 170

Preparation Time: 6 Hours 10 Minutes 

25. Southern Fried Catfish

If you’re a fan of seafood, you’ll love this southern fried catfish. Crisp and flaky on the outside while remaining tender on the inside, this fried fish will have you stocking up on catfish fillets.

It is very easy to make and features catfish fillets dredged in milk and cornmeal and fried till golden brown. Feel free to add some cayenne pepper or hot sauce to milk to give these fish filets a hint of spice.

Calories Per Serving: 665

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do People Eat Cornbread For Breakfast?

Cornbread is widely eaten by many people as a breakfast meal.

Most of the time, the cornbreads served at breakfast are leftovers from the meal enjoyed at dinner, and it is served with breakfast classics like bacon and eggs, milk, maple syrup, omelet, fresh fruits, or simply paired spread with jam and a cup of coffee.

What Soup Goes With Cornbread?

The crumbly texture of cornbread makes it perfect for soaking up broth and soups of all kinds, so there are many delicious soups that can be enjoyed with cornbread.

Some of the best soups that go well with cornbread include potato soup, tomato soup, minestrone soup, and chicken and mushroom soup.

You also opt for tex-mex flavored soups like taco soup, Mexican street corn soup, or Mexican shrimp soup.

What Meat Goes With Cornbread?

Cornbread is very versatile and can be paired with different meats. For example, it could go with meat varieties that include chicken, turkey, shrimp, seafood, ground beef, and pork. 

The most common meat dish paired with cornbread is chili, so if you’re new to cooking and looking for the perfect meat to serve with cornbread, ground beef is the ideal choice.

However, you can also try other cured meat like bacon or ham, as their salty taste would compliment the sweetness of cornbread.