Name: What To Serve With Cornbread
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 portion cornbread

Table of Contents

If you’re wondering what to serve with your cornbread, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for cornbread.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best dishes to serve with cornbread are chili, New Orleans gumbo, spicy collard greens, Korean pork ribs, and beef brisket. You can also try posole, shrimp creole, buffalo wings, black bean soup, or pulled pork mac and cheese. For brunch choices, try sausage gravy or baked eggs florentine.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Chili

Chili is the classic accompaniment to cornbread.

It’s packed with smoky, meaty flavors that pair nicely with your cornbread’s lightly sweet notes.

There are many recipes for this classic American dish, but I especially love this recipe – it’s loaded with pork, beef, and three kinds of beans, making it extra cozy.

This takes eight hours to make, but trust me, it’s worth the wait.

Why we love this recipe: it includes a slow-cooker method to make it effortless.

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Chili
Change the flavor
Creamy white chicken chili
Make it vegan
Three-bean chili

Instant pot Korean pork ribs

This recipe transforms your baby back ribs into a finger-licking good main.

The game changers are the Korean-style barbecue sauce and the glaze made with gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste that adds a nice background heat.

Serve alongside slices of cornbread for the ultimate fusion meal.

Why we love this recipe: it’s filled with umami goodness.

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Instant pot Korean pork ribs
Add a fruity note
Mango habanero pork ribs
Make it meatless
Vegan BBQ tempeh ribs

New Orleans gumbo

This New Orleans gumbo features sausages, shrimp, and shredded chicken drenched in a Cajun flavoured stew.

The key to this dish is the roux – it’s responsible for the deep flavor and thick consistency, so don’t skip it.

This gumbo is usually served over rice, but I love having cornbread on the side to mop up any tasty stew leftovers.

Why we love this recipe: it boasts a 4.91-star rating from 633 votes.

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Authentic New Orleans gumbo
Make it different
Scallops and lobster gumbo
Make it quick
Instant pot gumbo

Spicy collard greens

This classic Southern dish involves slowly cooking your collard greens in a bacon-flavored broth to soften and infuse them with savory flavors.

Adding a dash of hot sauce and vinegar to the mix gives your greens a fiery kick that’ll have your taste buds tingling.

And the best part? Soaking up that pot likker (concentrated broth) with a slice of freshly baked cornbread.

Why we love this recipe: it transforms plain collard greens with basic pantry staples.

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Spicy collard greens
Skip the bacon
Vegan collard greens
Make it indulgent
Creamed collard greens

New Mexico posole

This classic Mexican dish is a flavor-packed pork soup with New Mexico chiles and hominy (dried corn kernels).

It’s rich, spicy, and super filling.

This soup is usually served during special occasions like Saint Days’ feast and Christmas, but no one’s stopping you from making this whenever you need a pick-me-up.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a comforting dish that won’t break the bank.

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New Mexico posole
Make it tangy
Chicken pozole
Ditch the stovetop
Slow cooker chicken posole

Sausage gravy

This sausage gravy is so good with cornbread for a hearty breakfast.

And it’s really easy to make, you just need a few simple ingredients and 20 minutes.

Pro-tip: use whole milk to achieve that luxuriously thick consistency.

Why we love this recipe: it’s simple but delicious.

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Sausage gravy
Go meat-free
Creamy mushroom sauce
Make it different
Sausage casserole

Roast turkey

The key to a flavorful, tender, and juicy turkey?

Smother your bird with herb butter (get it under the skin, if you can) and start checking for doneness using a meat thermometer 30 minutes before your roasting time ends.

Serve your roasted turkey alongside cornbread (or cornbread stuffing if you’re extra) and whatever other trimmings you like.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a straightforward, primarily hands-off method to achieve perfectly roasted turkey.

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Roast turkey
Fire up the grill
Grilled turkey breast
Make it budget-friendly
Roasted chicken

Buffalo wings

Buffalo wings and cornbread isn’t a traditional pairing – but it makes sense when you think about it.

The wings mildly spiced and tangy buffalo sauce is a superb complement to your savory, lightly sweet cornbread.

Psst… use baking powder to coat your wings for a crispy crust.

Why we love this recipe: you won’t have leftovers to worry about!

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Crispy buffalo wings
Change the flavor
Honey garlic sriracha wings
Make it vegan
Cauliflower buffalo wings

BLT salad

Crunchy lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, and salty bacon is a classic combination.

And we can’t forget its iconic ranch dressing – you can use a pre-made one, but this recipe features an easy homemade version that tastes way better.

You can serve this salad alongside your cornbread…

Or slice the cornbread up and turn it into croutons.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a light and refreshing option.

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BLT salad
Lose the leafy greens
Tomato avocado salad
Try another classic
Chicken caesar salad

Pulled pork mac and cheese

Pair your cornbread with this pulled pork mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort meal.

Pulled pork is my personal favorite addition to mac and cheese, but you can get creative here.

Other variations include blue cheese and bacon mac and cheese, pimento mac and cheese, lobster mac and cheese, or jalapeno popper mac and cheese.

Why we love this recipe: it’s great for potlucks and cookouts.

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Pulled pork mac and cheese
Skip the macaroni
Cauliflower cheese
Make a dip
Cheesy BBQ pulled pork dip

Baked eggs florentine

Another brunch option is baked eggs.

This dish involves baking your eggs in a skillet filled with cream over a bed of sauteed spinach.

Cut open the egg yolks and let them run into the creamy sauce before dipping your cornbread in. YUM.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a one-skillet dish = less clean-up.

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Baked eggs florentine
Make it Middle Eastern-inspired
Shakshuka
Keep it simple
Breakfast mushrooms

Shrimp creole

Don’t have the time to whip up a hearty gumbo for your Cajun dinner? Try this shrimp creole instead.

Aside from the big, juicy shrimps, the highlight of this dish is its vibrant, zesty sauce that’s based on the holy trinity of southern cooking (onions, green bell peppers, and celery).

Why we love this recipe: the leftovers will taste even better the next day.

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Shrimp creole
Change the protein
Instant pot creole chicken and sausage
Make it vegan
Vegan etouffee

Beef brisket

When it comes to meat, slow-cooked beef brisket is up there with the best.

The meat holds its shape, and it’s cooked slowly in a barbecue-based sauce which turns into an irresistible gravy.

And no brisket meal would be complete without some cornbread.

Why we love this recipe: it has instructions for three different cooking methods.

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Juicy beef brisket
Make it tangy
Mississippi pot roast
Go meat-free
Seitan brisket

Spicy black bean soup

This recipe transforms a plain old can of black beans into a rich, spicy dish that’s guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

The list of spices is long, but don’t worry if you have to skip a few. The results will still be delicious.

I like to keep mine pretty chunky, but you can have it as smooth as you like.

Why we love this recipe: it’s a protein-packed vegetarian meal (that’s easy to make vegan).

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Black bean soup
Keep it simple
Easy pinto beans
Make a classic
Cowboy beans

Apple butter

We’ve got plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.

But what about dessert?

All you need to turn your cornbread into a sweet treat is an addictive spread like this apple butter.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can make some stewed apples too.

Why we love this recipe: it lasts for up to 3 weeks in the fridge.

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Apple butter
Swap the fruit
Stewed strawberries
Make it savory
Cranberry sauce

What soup goes with cornbread?

A classic gumbo is my favorite soup to serve with cornbread. If you want something with Mexican flavors, try posole and or black bean soup. For simpler options, try a tomato soup and or a pea and ham soup.

The best soups to serve with cornbread