Panzanella Salad Recipe
Posted Jun 01, 2022, Updated Feb 17, 2024
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In this panzanella salad recipe, garden tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions and basil are combined with toasty bread and fresh mozzarella cheese, then tossed in the best homemade dressing. Panzanella is the most delicious and satisfying summer salad!
As soon as the wether warms up I start craving this panzanella salad recipe (and this burrata salad). I love picking fresh vegetables & herbs from my garden, adding some bread (like this homemade french bread), fresh mozzarella cheese and the best homemade dressing, and making this recipe.
There are many warm summer nights when we enjoy this panzanela salad as an entire meal. It’s also a spectacular side dish to serve with your favorite grilling recipes (like chicken satay, flank steak, etc.) or a bowl of fresh pesto pasta or pasta primavera.
Panzanella Salad: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bread. I prefer fresh sourdough bread in this panzanella salad. You can also use ciabatta, french bread, no knead bread, etc.
- Olive oil. Avocado oil is a good substitute for olive oil.
- Tomatoes. garden-fresh heirloom tomatoes are my favorite. You can use any variety you prefer such as vine-ripened, Roma, etc.
- Cucumbers. We prefer to peel the cucumbers, if you’d like you can leave the peels on.
- Bell Peppers. Red, orange, yellow or green – choose your favorite variety.
- Onion. Once again, choose your favorite. I like red onions for flavor and color.
- Fresh Basil. There is no substitute for fresh basil.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese. Fresh burrata cheese is also an excellent choice.
- Optional additions. In the summer we get the best corn from a local farm, so I love cooking ears of fresh corn, cutting it off the Cobb and putting it in this salad. Avocado is also an excellent addition.
- Balsamic vinegar. choose a high-quality variety that is thick and sweet and pours like molasses.
- Dijon Mustard. Choose your favorite mustard.
- Honey. Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey, if desired.
- Minced Garlic. jarred or freshly minced are both great choices.
How to Make Panzanella Salad
The majority of the time spent making this panzanella recipe is chopping up veggies! Let’s walk through the recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Toast the bread:
Begin by toasting the bread. You can cut it into 1” cubes or tear it with your hands for a more “rustic” feel. I suggest using this homemade french bread!
Then, spread the bread in an even layer onto a baking sheet and drizzle it with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix it together with your hands.
Bake for 5-8 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The bread should be crispy on the outside but still soft when squeezed (not hard like a crouton).
Alternatively, you could toast the bread on the stovetop: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bread and stir to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until lightly golden brown, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
Make the Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Assemble the Panzanella Salad
Now it’s time to assemble the salad. Put the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, mozzarella cheese, and fresh corn (if desired) in a bowl and gently stir to combine.
Then, season the veggies/cheese with salt and pepper and toss with the dressing.
Next, add the toasted bread and avocado and stir gently to combine
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired, then serve immediately.
To Prepare in Advance
To make this panzanella salad ahead of time, combine all the ingredients except for the bread and avocado.
When ready to serve, add the bread and avocado and stir to combine.
Note: the bread absorbs the dressing and can get soggy. So add it when you are ready to serve the salad, not before.
Serve
Serve this panzanella salad recipe with your favorite main dish, or as a main all on it’s own. Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair with this salad:
- I am all about the carbs and vegetables in the summer, so I love serving panzanella with Pasta Primavera or Pesto Pasta!
- It’s a great side to serve with baked pesto chicken, or even just some baked chicken breasts (or any one of these 30 best chicken recipes).
- Panzanella is a great appetizer for spaghetti and the best homemade meatballs.
- Serve it with these grilled chicken satay skewers, grilled flank steak or chicken kabobs.
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The bread in the salad will likely get a little soggy as it absorbs the dressing, but I actually really like it that way!
Panzanella Recipe FAQs
It’s said that the salad, which originated Tuscany, gets its name from the Italian word “pane” which means bread.
Serve panzanella with Pasta Primavera or Pesto Pasta or spaghetti and the best homemade meatballs.
Panzanella can be a main dish, side dish or appetizer.
I still love eating panzanella the next day!
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Panzanella Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Toasted Bread:
- 4 cups sourdough bread* (about half a loaf – diced or torn into ½" cubes)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt & pepper (or galic salt)
Panzanella Salad
- 2 tomatoes vine ripened
- 1 cucumber peeled and finely diced
- 1 bell pepper red, yellow, orange, or green finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion sliced thin or finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh basil finely chopped
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or more to taste
Optional:
- fresh corn 1 ear
- 1 avocado diced
Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or white whine vinegar, apple cider, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
Toast the Bread
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil spray.
- Cut bread into 1” cubes or tear with hands.
- Spread bread out onto baking sheet and drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix it together with your hands.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Bread should be crispy on the outside but still soft when squeezed (not hard like a crouton).
- Alternatively, you could do it on the stovetop: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bread and stir to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until lightly golden brown, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
Make the Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Assemble & Serve
- Put tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, mozzarella cheese, and fresh corn (if desired) in a bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the dressing.
- Add the toasted bread and avocado and stir gently to combine
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Bread.* I prefer fresh sourdough bread in this panzanella salad. You can also use ciabatta, french bread, Italian bread, etc.
- Olive oil. Avocado oil is a good substitute for olive oil.
- Tomatoes. garden-fresh heirloom tomatoes are my favorite. You can use any variety you prefer such as vine-ripened, Roma, etc.
- Bell Peppers. Red, orange, yellow or green – choose your favorite variety.
- Onion. Once again, choose your favorite. I like red onions for flavor and color.
- Fresh Basil. There is no substitute for fresh basil.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese. Fresh burrata cheese is also an excellent choice.
- Optional additions. In the summer we get the best corn from a local farm, so I love cooking ears of fresh corn, cutting it off the Cobb and putting it in this salad. Avocado is also an excellent addition.
- Balsamic vinegar. choose a high-quality variety that is thick and sweet and pours like molasses.
- Dijon Mustard. Choose your favorite mustard.
- Honey. Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey, if desired.
- Minced Garlic. jarred or freshly minced are both great choices.
- Combine all the ingredients except for the bread and avocado.
- When ready to serve, add the bread and avocado and stir to combine.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We enjoyed this “new to us” recipe on the patio tonight while the kids played. It was delicious and quick to make. Refreshing and hearty at the same time. Enjoy your blog. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Dana! This is my favorite summer salad by far! I love the scene of eating fresh tomatoes, bread and cheese while your kids play in the summertime – nothing better!
This salad is so amazing!!! Love it