Panzanella Salad Recipe (2024)

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Panzanella is a classic Tuscan tomato and bread salad that’s fresh, flavorful, and makes a healthy light meal or side salad. Perfect for easy summer entertaining!

I think you’ll enjoy thisEasy Italian Pasta Salad next.

Panzanella Salad Recipe (1)

This post was originally published on May 23, 2017.I’m going through and updating some of my old posts with new photos, better info, and more clearly written recipes.

There’s so much goodness in here. Colorful tomatoes, fresh basil, peppers, red onions, cucumber, capers… the list goes on.

Traditionally, panzanella was a way to use up bread that’s past its prime. The dressing and tomato juices would soak into the dry bread and re-animate it, basically.

Panzanella Salad Recipe (2)

The idea isn’t to make the bread go soggy but for it to soften up a bit.Using a more dense bread works best for this recipe. A flimsy bread would get soggy faster, and that’s no fun. I used a ciabatta baguette.

I’m a millennial, so waiting for anything isn’t a strong point of mine. 😛 I didn’t want to wait days for my bread to dry out, so I made croutons. Pretty sure this is an acceptable way of making panzanella nowadays. 😉

Panzanella Salad Recipe (3)

How to make panzanella

Cut a baguette into crouton-size pieces (I used half a baguette). Toss with olive oil, garlic, and salt & pepper, and bake for 20 minutes.

While the croutons are baking, you prep the rest of the ingredients.

The key to this salad is letting it sit for a while for the croutons to absorb some of the dressing and tomato juices. They then become tender-crisp.

We love our garlic here on S&L, so naturally I made the croutons with plenty of it. It just adds a special touch that makes this salad even more awesome. You can either use minced garlic or garlic powder. I’ve done it with both, and I prefer the garlic powder because it’s easier to distribute evenly.

Panzanella dressing

The dressing is a fairly basic vinaigrette that doesn’t compete too much with the acidity of the tomatoes.

It has red wine vinegar, olive oil, a dash of Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, Dijon mustard, and some garlic.

This salad is a GREAT way to use up your bounty of summer tomatoes. And fresh summer basil!! The basil in my planter is going crazy right now.

You may also like my Cajun Panzanella Salad!

Panzanella Salad Recipe (4)

When I was envisioning this panzanella salad recipe, I thought of adding a bit of shaved parmesan cheese although it’s not traditional. I did see a few panzanella recipes out there with it, so I guess I’m not the only one with that idea!

It’s optional, but it certainly goes with the other flavors in this salad and I wouldn’t leave it out personally.

What to serve with panzanella

This salad makes a great meal on its own, but it’s also perfect for a summer/BBQ side dish. It would go very well with grilled chicken or grilled shrimp.

Panzanella Salad Recipe (5)

Have you tried panzanella? Will you make this classic recipe?

Talk to me in the comments below!

Panzanella Salad Recipe (6)

5 from 5 votes

Panzanella (Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad)

By Natasha Bull

Panzanella is a classic Tuscan tomato and bread salad that's fresh, flavorful, and makes a healthy light meal or side salad. Perfect for easy summer entertaining!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Inactive time:: 30 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

Croutons:

  • 1/2 regular-sized baguette or 1 small baguette (preferably ciabatta)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Dash of Italian seasoning
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Salad:

  • 12 ounces assorted tomatoes cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 English cucumber diced
  • 1 bell pepper (I used orange) diced
  • Red onion chopped, to taste (start with 1/4 med. onion)
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • Handful fresh basil chopped
  • Parmesan shaved, to taste (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F.

  • Cut bread into 1" pieces. Add to a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and garlic powder. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, prep the dressing by adding all the dressing ingredients to a jar. Shake well and set aside.

  • Prepare the remaining ingredients.

  • Allow the croutons to cool for about 5 minutes, then toss them with the rest of the salad ingredients and dressing (shake well before adding it).

  • Let the salad sit for 30 minutes prior to serving. The croutons will soak in the dressing and tomato juices, and that's when the magic happens!

Notes

  • Serves 2 for an entree-sized salad and 4+ as an appetizer/side salad. I recommend using a whole baguette if you double the recipe.

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Panzanella Salad Recipe (7)

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Panzanella Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in a panzanella salad? ›

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

What is good to eat with panzanella? ›

What to Serve with Panzanella. Thanks to the hearty bread and mozzarella, this panzanella salad is a great lunch or light dinner on its own. If you're looking for something to pair with it, I recommend grilled eggplant or zucchini to round out the meal. It would also go nicely with any protein you like.

What does panzanella mean in English? ›

Meaning of panzanella in English

an Italian salad made with stale (= not fresh) bread in oil and tomatoes, and often other vegetables: Stale bread can be used in panzanella, a Tuscan bread salad.

What is the origin of panzanella salad? ›

Panzanella originated in the central Italian countryside, where farmers combined surplus vegetables with old bread to cut down on waste. They soaked the bread in cold water to give it a chewy texture, then tossed it with vinegar, herbs, and onions for a wonderfully tangy bite.

What are the best tomatoes for salads? ›

Baby Tomatoes: Cherry, Grape, and co*cktail

Easily halved, cherry tomatoes are ideal for all sorts of salads, especially pasta salads. They aren't only enjoyed raw, however. Because they're so juicy, cherry tomatoes make a delicious a sauce, like in our Shrimp and Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta.

How to make your salads filling? ›

Add some fibre. Fruit and vegetables are great sources of fibre but if you want to 'beef' your salad up a bit try adding some chick peas, lentils, buckwheat, quinoa or other kind of bean such as butter, kidney or black.

What does panzanella taste like? ›

Earthy beets, vibrant orange, and fresh herbs like dill, parsley, tarragon, and mint add depth to the entire dish. Food and Wine's roundup of eighteen amazing Italian salads including a panzanella recipe is a great place to start. The options are endless and will leave your mouth watering.

What is the bread you eat with pasta? ›

Of course, a classic, easy spaghetti and meatballs dinner needs garlic bread for dipping so I went on a quest that involved several loaves of bread, chopped garlic, real butter and herbs.

How do you pronounce panzanella? ›

  1. Phonetic spelling of Panzanella. Pan-zanella. pan-zanel-la. ...
  2. Meanings for Panzanella. A traditional Italian Salad. The main ingredients include onions and it is also seasoned with vinegar.
  3. Examples of in a sentence. Panzanella (Tuscan Bread Salad) ...
  4. Translations of Panzanella. Chinese : 面包

Where did Israeli Salad originate? ›

Although its name points to its Israeli origin, the roots of Israeli Salad can be traced to various cuisines across the Middle East. This straightforward, refreshing salad has counterparts in many cultures across the region, with slight variations in ingredients and presentation.

What goes well with caprese salad? ›

The best side dishes to serve with caprese salad are garlic bread, bruschetta, grilled chicken, stuffed shells, baked ziti, gluten free bread, grilled vegetables, pesto pasta, Italian sausage, antipasto platter, focaccia, and risotto.

What to do with stale bread? ›

Use it to make budget-friendly breadcrumbs, soak it in custard for bread pudding or strata or make the absolute best French toast. Whatever you decide, you'll be glad you didn't toss those crusty slices.

What are the main ingredients in panzanella? ›

A classic Tuscan bread salad, panzanella is made of ripe tomatoes, dried Italian bread, and a simple tangy dressing. But for something so simple as bread and tomatoes, panzanella salad is one surprisingly complex and delightful summer dish, and one of my favorite things to make with tomatoes.

What was the world's first salad? ›

The first recordings of people enjoying salad date back to Ancient Roman times. The salads of that time were not much different than the modern-day garden salads of today. They consisted of fresh, edible herbs, lettuce, and raw vegetables, and the dressing of the time was a simple mixture of oil and salt.

Why is it called Greek salad? ›

Its name in Greek is “Horiatiki” => Village salad, but Greek villages are not its birthplace. The story has it that our national salad was invented by restaurant owners in Athens who wanted to charge customers more during the rise of tourism in Greece.

What is the main ingredient of bound salad? ›

Bound salad: ingredients such as meat, poultry, fish, egg, or starch such as potato, pasta, or rice and bound with mayo. Vegetable salad: cooked and/or raw vegetables (coleslaw); can be bound with mayo or mixed with vinegar/oil dressing.

What is a salad that has the main ingredients mixed and held together by a vinaigrette or mayonnaise based dressing called? ›

Bound Salad

Bound salads are held together with a binding agent like mayonnaise or a thick dressing. They look a bit different than traditional composed or tossed salads, as vegetables aren't a requirement.

What are most salads made of? ›

Most leafy vegetables that can be eaten raw are used: all varieties of lettuce, garden cress and watercress, endives, cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine (cos), arugula, and fresh herbs. Other vegetables, raw or cooked—tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, beets, and so on—may garnish the green salad.

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