I was in Italy this Summer and you can’t help but want to make a delicious juicy Panzanella salad when you see all the tomatoes at the produce stand. Panzanella is a traditional Italian salad that originates from the region of Tuscany.
The dish uses stale bread combined with fresh tomatoes and Basil. It’s a great example of how Italian cuisine makes use of simple, local ingredients to create flavorful dishes.
Feel free to make this your own with cucumbers, red peppers or other herbs added and basil to create a satisfying and refreshing dish, especially during the hot summer months. However you make yours, the core idea of using stale bread and fresh, seasonal ingredients remains central to the dish.
Panzanella Salad
Panzanella Salad is a great way to make the most of beautiful Summer tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 4 cups rustic sourdough bread cut into 1 1/2–inch cubes -i like ciabatta
- 2 Tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil divided
- 2 lbs mixed ripe tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp shallot minced
- 1 large clove garlic microplaned
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Champagne Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup basil leaves roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Toss bread cubes with two tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until crisp and firm we are not going for browning here; you are just trying to dry out the croutons.
- Make vinaigrette by putting shallot, garlic, mustard, and vinegar in a mason jar. With 1/2 cup olive oil. Shake and season with salt and pepper.
- Combine all ingredients and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Arrange fresh basil on top of the salad and serve with fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
Add sliced cucumber or hunks or chopped red pepper, or red onion, peach slices or mozzarella balls for variations.
