Panzanella Salad: This simple panzanella salad is made with perfectly ripe tomatoes, hearty Italian bread, and a tangy vinaigrette! The best texture comes from drying the bread and toasting it in the oven with a little olive oil. For more help making this delicious summer salad, read on.
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Panzanella is a traditional Tuscan bread salad made with ripe tomatoes, dried Italian bread, and a simple, tart dressing. Panzanella salad, on the other hand, is one of my favorite things to make with tomatoes and is surprisingly complex for something so straightforward as bread and tomatoes.
Even though the tomatoes in this salad seem to be the main attraction, my Italian friends will tell me that panzanella is not just another tomato salad with bread croutons; rather, it is a bread salad that can be made with tomatoes or any other vegetable (though I use the classic tomatoes in this panzanella recipe).
In various regions of the Mediterranean, the concept of bread salads is common (if you’ve had my fattoush salad, you know that it’s another delicious way to give leftover bread, in this case pita, a new life). In Mediterranean cuisine, bread can also be used in savory dishes like sopapillas and endless bread puddings, as well as in soups like gazpacho and ribollita.
So, about traditional panzanella
According to The Guardian, this salad can be made in a variety of ways, just like other peasant dishes that were created out of necessity from Florence to Rome. However, the only thing that can’t be changed is the hefty day-old country bread. This salad is traditionally made with stale bread that has been soaked in water for about 15 minutes before being wrung out, cut up, or crumbled by hand, and tossed with vegetables that are in season, extra virgin olive oil, and red wine vinegar in a traditional manner.
However, after a few tinkerings, I am excited to share some tips that have made all the difference for me in my favorite panzanella (mine does contain mozzeralla).
Dry and toast your bread for panzanella
A crusty loaf with a dense, chewy center and a good, crunchy crust is the best bread for this salad because it can sit in the dressing without breaking apart or becoming too soggy. If you remember, tear up Italian country bread or ciabatta and let it sit uncovered for a few hours or overnight so that it will dry and harden. Also, before you start making the salad, toss the bread in some good extra virgin olive oil and toast it in the oven for a few minutes until it becomes crisp on some sides but still has a little bit of chew to it. By drying and toasting your bread first, the bread will soak up the delicious dressing and become soft and delicious without becoming overly soggy.
Use plump ripe tomatoes
I prefer a straightforward tomato panzanella, though you can use cucumbers or other in-season garden vegetables. Try to find tomatoes that are perfectly ripe and heavy for their size. They should be plump. The skin should be tight and free of blemishes, and they should be firm with some give. Regarding the type of tomatoes to use, I used vine-ripe tomatoes in this recipe. However, I prefer to use colorful heirloom tomatoes when they are in season. If you want to use small tomatoes, like grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, make sure to cut them in half. If you leave them whole, you won’t get the juice, which is a crucial component of the delicious dressing.
First, salt your tomatoes.
Should tomatoes be first salted? Before making the salad in this recipe, I highly recommend slicing and salting the tomatoes. The salt’s action of removing the tomato juices only takes about 15 minutes. This makes the tomatoes taste even better and gives you a delicious liquid that you can use to make the dressing! Additionally, it is practical because you can work on toasting your bread while the tomatoes are in the colander.
The covering
The most basic dressing for a traditional panzanella dish is red wine vinegar and good extra virgin olive oil. Fresh garlic, thyme, and a small amount of Dijon mustard are added to this salad’s dressing to raise it a notch or two. In addition, don’t forget to make use of the tomato juice that you made by salting the tomatoes.
How to make panzanella salad?
Toast and dry the bread. Spread the bread out on a large baking sheet and let it dry for a few hours or overnight if you have the time. Put the bread in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 400°F, tossing it with some good olive oil, until the edges get a little crispy (the bread still needs to be chewy).
Tomatoes need salt. Put your sliced tomatoes in a colander and season them generously with kosher salt before serving. While the bread toasts, gently toss them and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Dress the salad. Add fresh garlic (one to two minced cloves), fresh thyme, and a squeeze of Dijon mustard to the same large bowl that contains the tomato juice. Also add 1 cup of good extra virgin olive oil and 1 cup of red wine vinegar. Whisk in the kosher salt and mix well.
Bread, tomatoes, and dressing should be combined. To the bowl with the dressing, add the mozzarella, shallots, toasted bread cubes, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Mix by gently tossing.
Let the salad sit for 30 minutes before serving
Allow the salad to sit for a few minutes after it has been mixed so that the flavors can combine and the bread can absorb some of the dressing. How long? Before being served, panzanella salad can be allowed to sit for up to four hours in some recipes. However, if you’re like me and don’t like your panzanella to be overly soggy, 20 to 30 minutes will suffice. The bread won’t crumble or turn to mush because it will absorb the dressing and develop a pleasant flavor.
Serve it along
When tomatoes are in season, serve this sunny Tuscan bread salad during the warmer months. On a BBQ night, serve it with anything from salmon kabobs to grilled chicken. It also makes a great start to a fun Italian meal with anything from chicken pesto to fish of your choice and sundried tomato pasta to eggplant parmesan. Panzanella is also a great summertime salad to serve with lamb burgers, grilled shrimp, or chicken kabobs at your next barbecue.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces or one and a half loaves of rustic Italian bread, I used Ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Olive oil that is extra-virgin
- “Salmon kosher”
- 2% 14% lb. vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into small wedges or cubes
- 14 ounces of red wine vinegar
- Two minced garlic cloves
- 125 ml Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, if desired
- “Pepper black”
- 2 thinly sliced small shallots that have been peeled
- 12 cups packed, torn fresh basil
- 4 ounces of fresh baby mozzarella can be added if you prefer.
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
- Add bread cubes, a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, and kosher salt to a large mixing bowl. Toss the bread to ensure that it is thoroughly coated (reserve the bowl for later use). Spread the bread cubes out on a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden (the bread should get crisp around the edges while still being a little chewy).
- The same mixing bowl should be covered by a large colander. Sprinkle kosher salt over the tomatoes before putting them in the colander. Give a quick toss with your hand. Allow the tomatoes to release their juices in the mixing bowl by putting it aside for a few minutes.
- When you’re ready, move the colander with the tomatoes to the sink for the time being, and make the dressing in the mixing bowl with the juice from the tomatoes. Thyme, Dijon mustard, red wine, 12 cup extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and a significant amount of black pepper should be added. Combine with a whisk.
- Toss the tomatoes, bread cubes, shallots, basil, and mozzarella (if using) with the dressing in the mixing bowl. Before serving, let the salad sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Transfer the salad to a serving platter and gently toss it. If you like, add a few more fresh basil leaves as a garnish.
Notes
Cook’s Tip: Before you start, cut the bread into cubes and let it dry for a few hours. Still, do not skip toasting the bread in the oven for a few minutes; this helps keep the salad from getting too soggy and makes a big difference in texture.
Variation in the dress: If you’d like something simpler, pair the dress down. Red wine vinegar and a little extra virgin olive oil are all you need; the rest is up to you.
Which variety of tomatoes should I use? To make tomato panzanella, you can use any kind of tomato. I used vine-ripened tomatoes here, but when they’re in season, I love using a variety of colorful heirloom tomatoes. In order to incorporate their juice into the dressing, small cherry or grape tomatoes should still be cut in half.
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Nutrition
Calories: 82.3kcal
Carbohydrates: 7.1g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 4.4g
Saturated Fat: 1.4g
Potassium: 409mg
Fiber: 2.1g
Vitamin A: 1538.2IU
Vitamin C: 24.5mg
Calcium: 89.9mg
Iron: 0.6mg
