Panzanella Salad
Panzanella is a classic Italian bread salad with crisp veggies, cheese, chunks of dried bread and a tangy Vinaigrette dressing for a light and filling meal.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 loaf French Bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt
Salad
- 1 English cucumber cut in half lengthwise then sliced.
- 1 pint grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 3 heirloom or other larger tomatoes seeded and cut into bite-sized wedges
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 4 ounces whole or sliced black olives drained
- 1/2 cup of fresh torn basil leaves or more to taste
- ¼ cup Fresh Parmesan cheese shavings
Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Cut the french bread into 1-inch cubes and arrange on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat, then sprinkle evenly with a teaspoon of salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until bread is crisp but not hard. Set aside to cool.
- Toss tomatoes, onions, cucumber, olives, basil and parmesan in a large bowl.
- Combine dressing ingredients together in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake until emulsified (oil and vinegar are fully combined); about 1 minute.
- Add bread to the bowl with the vegetables and toss everything with the dressing until well coated. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Garnish with fresh Parmesan shavings and fresh cracked black to serve.
Notes
- For the bread, I recommend drying it yourself. Stale bread can be used but is more likely to absorb the dressing and become soggy.
- For the best flavor, let the salad sit for 15-20 minutes so the bread can soak up the dressing a little bit. Don't let it sit too long or the bread will get soggy.
- Only dress as much salad as you plan to eat right away. Store leftover salad and dressing separately in airtight containers.
- To make this salad a meal, add some protein like canned tuna, steak or baked chicken leftovers.
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 718mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1434IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 3mg
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