Do you like a good chunky salad sometimes? Something mostly leafless but still has a little healthy greenery, with a lot of textures and fun elements like boiled peanuts, fried okra, and chunks of sharp cheddar? Me too! I have been thinking about this boiled peanut salad since last summer when I thought about it, then it was way out of boiled peanut season. I even bought a can of boiled peanuts to use to create it over the winter but couldn't bring myself to open the can of boiled peanuts!

I waited patiently until summer, when good peanuts were finally available, and fresh good produce too. In fact, the tomatoes in this salad are once I grew in my garden. They're called chocolate drop cherry tomatoes because they are beautiful brownish-purpley color when fully ripe.

A note on the ingredient amounts listed...

In the recipe below, I have it labeled as for one serving, but obviously the vinaigrette and cornbread recipes make more and you will have leftovers to make more salads than just this one.

I included approximately what I used to make this one salad pictured, but clearly adjust the amounts of each item to your preference, and double, triple, or quadruple the salad ingredients for however many people you're making it for. You know what you like, so add more of that, and less or none of the things you don't. However, this in its entirety is a true song.

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Boiled Peanut Salad

Course Salad

Cuisine Southern

Keyword boiled peanuts, peanuts, salad

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings 1 serving

Ingredients

White Wine Vinaigrette

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
2-3 turns ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Cornbread

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg
⅓ cup milk

Salad

arugula
5 cherry tomatoes halved
1-2 mini peppers diced
9 1" cubes sharp cheddar
3 springs fresh parsley chopped
¼ cup red onion cut into thin slices
1 handful frozen fried okra fried and slightly cooled
15-20 boiled peanuts shelled

Instructions

Chill the salad bowl(s) in the fridge while you work on the other steps.

Make the white wine vinaigrette

Make the cornbread

Follow the directions on the Jiffy cornbread box for Johnny cake to make the cornbread.
Let it cool, then slice into 1" cubes.
Place onto a greased cookie sheet. Use spray olive oil to lightly coat the top of the cubes.
Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Turn with tongs at the 8 minute mark to evenly bake each crouton.
Let cool until the rest of the salad is ready.

Make the fried okra

Follow package directions to make the fried okra. Set aside to cool.

Assemble the salad

When you're ready and have the fried okra and cornbread croutons cooked, vegetables and cheese chopped, and peanuts shelled, pull the chilled bowl(s) out of the fridge. Add the arugula, then the parsley, chopped vegetables, boiled peanuts, and cheese. Top with the fried okra and cornbread croutons, then drizzle with vinaigrette to taste.

On Using Convenience Foods

Yes, I call for using frozen breaded okra and Jiffy cornbread in this salad. You can choose to do the same, or go more gourmet and fry your own cornbread, or use a fully homemade cornbread recipe. I just wanted to get this salad made more than I ever want to bread okra... possibly ever again! And Jiffy makes a good cornbread mix, that's why they endure! But I am of the mindset that you do what you need to do for the best results for you. Life worked out well for Sandra Lee, it can for you too!