Panzanella Salad
Panzanella Salad is a fantastic Italian bread and tomato salad ideal for hot summer days. The dressing is tangy, light, and bursting with herbal notes! Plus, this fantastic side salad is hearty enough for a light lunch.
We were excited to finally take our vacation in scenic, vibrant Italy. And then we found ourselves stuck at home because of a virus. I’m sure you feel my pain.
But instead of sulking at home, I decided to get busy in the kitchen and bring Italy to me. This panzanella recipe, featuring fresh sweet onions, ripe tomatoes, stale bread, and garden veggies, was a hit! My family devoured it in one sitting, so it went on my weekly rotation for a healthy side dish.
What Is Panzanella Salad?
This Panzanella salad recipe is a great way to use day-old bread. Pan means bread in Italian, and stale bread is the star ingredient. The Tuscan and Umbrian salad traditionally has onions and tomatoes, but many add cucumbers and basil. The Italian dressing with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar seasons it perfectly.
How to Make Panzanella Salad
- Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. (Photo 1)
- Heat the oil in a skillet or cast iron over medium heat.
- Toast Bread – Add bread cubes, let them sit for a minute, then stir frequently. Add more oil as needed. If your bread browns too fast, lower the heat. Continue toasting for 8-10 minutes or until nicely browned. (Photo 2)
- Or Bake Bread – Preheat your oven to 425℉ (220℃). Spread the bread cubes out on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. Drizzle them with 1-2 tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt, then bake for 7-10 minutes until golden brown at the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
- Make the Salad – In a medium salad bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, bread cubes, cucumber, mozzarella, and olives. (Photo 3)
- Dressing – In a small mixing bowl or glass jar, combine the remaining garlic with the vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Whisk in olive oil until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Then, stir in thyme and oregano.
- Assemble – Pour dressing over the salad about 30 minutes before serving. Toss to coat and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. (Photo 4)
- Serve – Top with capers and fresh basil before serving, if desired.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I used a baguette, but any Italian or French bread works fine. I’ve even made it with stale croissants.
- The classic recipe has you soak your bread before making the salad, but I like toasted bread better. But for the original, soak your bread in water, then squeeze it before adding it.
- Winter panzanella salad is an incredible way to have a warming salad. Instead of tomatoes and cucumbers, use roasted butternut or sweet potato cubes, chopped kale, and pomegranate seeds.
- Red onions add color, but white and yellow also work fine. Whatever you have on hand.
- Roma tomatoes are a drier tomato that’s better for salad, but I also used yellow cherry tomatoes.
- Feel free to add Romaine lettuce, olives, mozzarella, capers, anchovies, and grated carrots. Turn it into a main-meal salad with protein add-ins: tuna, boiled eggs, or grilled chicken.
What Pairs With Panzanella
Panzanella bread salad is a wonderful summer salad that’s great as a vegetarian main course. But I love serving it with grilled chicken, shrimp skewers, or steak kabobs.
If dessert is non-negotiable, tiramisu and zeppole are my go-tos for an Italian-themed dinner.
More Healthy, Delicious Side Salad Recipes
By Imma
Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
Panzanella Salad
- ½ day-old baguette cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (6g) sea salt
- 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup (30g) red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup (70g) fresh mozzarella, chopped or torn into pieces
- 1 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into half-moons (about 2 cups)
- ½ cup (65g) kalamata olives
- ¼ cup (6g) fresh basil, torn into pieces
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30g) capers (optional )
Dressing
- 2-3 cloves garlic, ground into a paste
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon (3g) Dijon mustard
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
- ½ teaspoon (1g) thyme, minced
- 1 tablespoon (3-4g) oregano, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, adding oil as desired. Add the bread cubes, let them sit for a minute, then toss frequently until golden brown (8-10 minutes). Adjust the heat if the bread browns too quickly.
- Or drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt on the bread cubes and toast in the oven at 425℉ (220℃) on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
- In a medium salad bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, bread cubes, cucumber, mozzarella, and olives.
- In a small mixing bowl or glass jar, combine the garlic, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Whisk in olive oil until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Then, stir in thyme and oregano.
- Pour dressing over the salad about 30 minutes before serving. Toss to coat and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
- Top with capers and fresh basil before serving if desired.
Tips & Notes:
- Feel free to add bell peppers and other veggies
- Store-bought croutons also work if that’s what you have
- Let the salad sit for at least half an hour before serving
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe
Thanks for sharing the recipe! it was, no joking, literally the *best* salad I’ve ever had :3
Wow! Thank you, Dean! Next salad on your list to try… you can take your pick from my list of 25 Quick and Easy Summer Salad Recipes. Enjoy!
thanks for the link! Ill check some of those out later :3
Thanks.Great italian food.
I couldn’t agree more :)!