Panzanella
A classic Italian salad that features fresh ripe tomatoes and stale bread tossed with a simple dressing.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: how to make panzanella, italian salad, panzanella, panzanella salad, summer salad recipe, tomato and bread salad, tomato salad
Servings: 4
Calories: 137kcal
- ⅓ ciabatta baguette about 2 cups when cubed
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled
- 2½ - 3 cups diced ripe juicy tomatoes do not use paste tomatoes
- ½ tsp course salt
- ½ field cucumber, diced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves
Slice ciabatta baguette in half lengthwise. Brush each cut side with ½ tsp olive oil. Grill cut side down only until slightly browning, do not char. When bread has cooled enough to handle, rub a garlic clove over cut side to infuse with flavour. Cut baguettes into bite sized cubes and allow to sit on cutting board to dry out.
Cut tomatoes into similar sized pieces as bread. Sprinkle course salt over top and gently stir. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to release juices.
Cut cucumber in half or quarters lengthwise, depending on the thickness, then into pieces. Add to salad bowl along with baguette cubes. Using a slotted spoon, remove tomatoes from juice and add to salad mixture.
Whisk together the other 1 Tbsp of olive oil, vinegar and cracked black pepper. Add about 2 Tbsp of reserved tomato juice to dressing. Pour over salad. Toss and let rest for 15 minutes.
Tear basil and toss with salad. If bread is still dry, add extra tomato juice if desired.
Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.3g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 5.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.3g | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 4.6g