There’s nothing like a meal in the summer that’s made with fresh veggies straight from the garden. Extra bonus points if it’s a meal that can be made ahead and served on the go!!
Panzanella is a classic Tuscan salad that is a staple in Italian households during the summer months. It can be made in a variety of ways, but mainly consists of chunks of bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions tossed in a vinaigrette. At first, my crew was a little skeptical when they first eyed it up, but after one bite, they added it to our list of dishes to make again!
This is a dish that can be prepared in many ways, but below you can find my way!
CLASSIC PANZANELLA SALAD
Ingredients:
2 cartons of cherry tomatoes, halved
3 teaspoons kosher salt, more for seasoning
1 English cucumber, cubed
1 loaf of ciabatta bread (or other rustic bread like sourdough) cut into 1 1/2″ cubes
3/4 cup olive oil plus 3 T; divided (more if needed at the end to moisten)
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned or cut into pieces
Directions:
**Preheat over to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Halve your cherry tomatoes and place them in a colander over a bowl to catch the drained juice. Salt with Kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread out on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until bread becomes toasted, but not brown. Remove and let cool.
- In a large bowl, pour any juice taken from the tomatoes, as well as the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, shallot, salt, and pepper. Whisk together to blend.
- Add the toasted bread and all of the veggies and toss. Stir in the fresh herbs at the end.
- Add more olive oil to moisten, if needed.
- Let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow all of the flavors to meld together. Toss occasionally.
- Serve at room temperature.
Note: I bought a rotisserie chicken at the store to have with this meal for some added protein! Enjoy! xo