THE BEST Panzanella Recipe

THE BEST Panzanella Recipe

This simple Tuscan bread salad recipe is made with the sweetest ripe tomatoes, chunks of cucumber, slivered onion, and capers with a zesty vinaigrette and fresh basil, perfect for summertime eats.

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Keyword panzanella, tomato bread salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Rest Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 203kcal

Ingredients

Salad

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
6 cups (1-inch cubed) sourdough bread
1 ½ pounds tomatoes , cut into 1-inch pieces (any ripe, sweet tomato works)
½ English cucumber , seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup slivered red onion
2 tablespoons capers (optional)

Dressing

¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup fresh basil leaves , roughly torn or thinly sliced

Instructions

Toast the bread (if it's not stale already). Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet with 1 clove slivered garlic. Bring to medium heat, cooking the garlic until it becomes fragrant and golden, then remove the garlic slivers from the oil and discard. Add the cubed sourdough to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook the bread until golden, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
Combine the ingredients. In a large bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and capers with the cooled bread.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar and use a garlic press to add the remaining garlic cloves into the bowl with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk well and pour over the tomato mixture. Add the basil and toss to combine.
Let rest. Let stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving. This salad is best served the day it's made.

Notes

Unfortunately, panzanella does not hold up well the next day and actually starts to deteriorate (i.e. the bread becomes too soggy) a few hours after it's ready to eat. If you're trying to save time, you can always prep your bread and make your dressing ahead.

Nutrition