Panzanella is a rustic Tuscan bread salad made with toasted bread, juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, basil, and a tangy vinaigrette. The bread soaks up the dressing and tomato juices without falling apart, making this a simple summer salad with a lot of flavor.
It is a great way to use ripe summer tomatoes and leftover crusty bread, and it works as a side dish, light lunch, or simple dinner with grilled chicken or fish.
What Is Panzanella Salad?
Panzanella is an Italian bread salad traditionally made with stale bread, tomatoes, onions, basil, and olive oil. This version adds cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, and capers for more crunch and flavor.
Unlike a lettuce-based salad, the toasted bread is the main ingredient. It softens as it sits in the vinaigrette, but still keeps enough texture to make the salad hearty.
The Basics of Panzanella Salad
The best bread for panzanella is a sturdy, crusty loaf such as sourdough, ciabatta, Italian bread, or artisan bread. Avoid soft sandwich bread because it can turn mushy once the dressing is added.
Toasting the bread first gives it better texture and helps it absorb the vinaigrette without falling apart.
Mixing and Matching Vegetables
Classic panzanella usually includes tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and basil. This version also uses bell peppers, Kalamata olives, and capers for extra flavor. Use ripe tomatoes if possible, since their juices help flavor the bread and vinaigrette.
After tossing everything together, let the salad sit for about 30 minutes before serving so the bread can absorb the dressing.
What to Serve with Panzanella Salad
Panzanella is filling enough for lunch, but it also works well as a side dish. Serve it with grilled chicken, salmon, steak, shrimp, or a simple soup.
Print
Panzanella Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 55 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple Tuscan bread salad made with toasted bread, ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, red onion, basil, olives, capers, and a tangy vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the Toasted Bread:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small boule or crusty loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Vinaigrette:
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ÂĽ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad:
- 2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ small red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 20 Kalamata olives
- 3 tablespoons capers, drained
- 10 large fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
To Toast the Bread:
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and then add the bread cubes. Sprinkle with salt and cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the bread is toasted and golden brown (about 7-10 minutes.) Remove from the heat and let cool. Alternatively, you can start the croutons in the pan and finish them in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
To make the Vinaigrette:
- In a small bowl, add all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette and whisk together until well blended.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, basil, capers, and olives.
- Add the toasted bread cubes and vinaigrette, then toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Let the salad sit for 30 minutes before serving so the bread can absorb the vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Rest Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
PANZANELLA SALAD
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Would any kind of bread work?
Hi Shelly – you want a bread that is hearty and can hold up to having a dressing put over it even though it is toasted. A loaf of Italian or Sourdough would work well. Thanks for your comment!