Bacon Corn Salad

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Bacon Corn Salad is addictively delicious! Corn, bacon, onion, and cheese coated in a creamy Ranch dressing.

Prep Time25

Cook Time0

Chill Time1

Total Time1 25

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: (approximately 1 cup) servings

Calories: 622kcal

½ pound (approximately 6 slices) thick cut bacon diced into ½ inch pieces
30.5 ounces (2 15.25-ounce) cans yellow corn drained well
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sliced green onions divided (¼ cup to mix into the corn and 1 tablespoon for garnish)
2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeno pepper seeds & veins removed before dicing
½ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons ranch seasoning mix
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

To a medium skillet oven medium heat, add the diced thick cut bacon and cook for 12-16 minutes or until crispy. Be sure to stir often to ensure that the bacon is cooking evenly and not burning.
½ pound (approximately 6 slices) thick cut bacon
Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked bacon pieces and place them onto a paper towel lined plate to allow all the excess fat to drain from the bacon. Set aside.
To a large mixing bowl add the yellow corn, ¼ sliced green onions, finely diced jalapeno pepper and finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Set aside.
30.5 ounces (2 15.25-ounce) cans yellow corn, ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sliced green onions, 2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeno pepper, ½ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
To a small mixing bowl stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lime juice, ranch seasoning mix, salt and black pepper until thick and smooth.
¼ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning mix, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Add the ranch dressing to the bowl of corn and stir to fully combine all the ingredients and coat them evenly in the ranch dressing mix.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to blend and the salad to chill completely before serving. You may want to give it a stir after refrigeration to make sure all the ingredients are well distributed.
Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon sliced green onions and serve.

Storage:

To Store: This crack corn salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in a covered container. You will want to be mindful that the longer this sits, or is refrigerated, the softer the bacon pieces will become from the moisture of the ranch dressing.
To Freeze: This is not a salad that I recommend freezing as the ingredients will lose their fresh texture and the salad will become quite soft once thawed.

Tips:

Make sure to drain the corn well so you don’t end up with a soggy salad!
You can use center cut bacon in place of the thick cut bacon if that is what is available to you. Keep in mind that the cooked, and crisped, bacon bits will not be as thick and they may crumble when mixed into the salad.
This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a large crowd for a picnic, potluck or BBQ.
I generally prefer to shred my own blocks of sharp cheddar cheese for recipes. However, I find that the pre-shredded “finely shredded” bags of cheese are really convenient to use since you only need such a small amount for this recipe.
Make sure to refrigerate the salad for at least 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to blend and the salad to chill completely before serving. You may want to give it a stir after refrigeration to make sure all the ingredients are well distributed.