Bright and Colorful Panzanella Salad Recipe – A Tuscan Bread Salad
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Lunch doesn’t get much brighter and more summery than this stunning Panzanella Salad Recipe! This traditional Italian bread salad is ready to enjoy in 25-minutes and combines fresh and tantalizing ingredients including ciabatta, tomatoes, olive oil, and basil.
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Panzanella Salad Recipe
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
Panzanella is a Tuscan chopped salad of soaked stale bread, onions and tomatoes that is popular in the summer. It often includes cucumbers, sometimes basil and is dressed with olive oil and vinegar. The name is believed to be a portmanteau of “pane”, Italian for bread, and “zanella”, a deep plate in which it is served.
Wikipedia
With its vibrant colours, fragrant basil, and fresh, seasonal tastes, this traditional Italian bread salad is a feast for the senses.
Although this salad can be served at any time of year, it is especially delicious during the summer months when fresh tomatoes are plentiful and in season.
The warm crusty bread gives enough weight to this salad that it may also be served as a stand-alone dinner in the summer – perfect for dining al fresco with friends and family.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Red Onions, Tomatoes, Basil
- Ciabatta – or other crusty Italian bread
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Italian Seasoning – this recipe uses store-bought Italian Seasoning, but it is so easy to make your own herb mixes, especially if you already have a bunch of herbs and spices in your pantry already. Just mix equal measures of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. You can also add a pinch of garlic granules or powder as well as red chili flakes if you like. Store in an airtight jar and use in recipes as required.
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey – try to buy locally produced honey when possible.
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Tomatoes
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is tomatoes, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- 30-Minute Instant Pot Tomato Soup Recipe
- Balsamic Mozzarella Stuffed Grape Tomatoes
- Flank Steak with Rosti and Tomato-Caper Sauce
More Italian Recipes
Looking for more Italian dishes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Italian Pasta Puttanesca Recipe (with Anchovies, Olives and Capers)
- One-Pan Chicken Cacciatore – Italian Hunter’s Stew
- One-Pot Chunky Italian Meat Sauce Recipe
Recipe Tips
- Place the sliced red onion in a large bowl with a metal colander on top. Then toss the chopped tomatoes with some salt in the colander and let the mixture stand for approximately half an hour. As the tomato juice drips into the bowl below, the liquid will soften the onion and minimize its bite, while infusing the tomato juice with incredible flavor. The result is more palatable raw onions for the salad and a more flavorful base for the homemade vinaigrette.
- An assortment of fresh grape, cherry, and/or heirloom tomatoes will work great in this salad recipe. If possible, use a nice selection of yellow and red varieties, as shown, for a great presentation.
- A simple seasoning blend of onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper is used to add flavor to the crusty toasted bread. For best results, reserve one-half teaspoon (or more, if desired) to flavor the vinaigrette, as well.
How Do I Make Panzanella Salad?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- ½ medium red onion sliced thin
- 1 lb 450g fresh cherry, grape, or heirloom tomatoes, cut in half or into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 8 oz 225g Ciabatta or other crusty Italian bread, sliced ¾” thick
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup fresh basil rinsed and patted dry, torn into bite-sized pieces
For the Vinaigrette Dressing
- 2 Tbsp tomato juice from salted tomatoes see instructions below
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp seasoning mixture leftover from toasting the bread, see above
- 1 tsp honey
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Instructions
- Place the sliced red onion in a large bowl and set a metal colander on top.
- Add the tomatoes to the colander and sprinkle with the salt. Gently toss to combine and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange the bread slices in the skillet and drizzle the remaining olive oil on top. Sprinkle with the garlic and onion powder mixture (Reserve some of the seasoning mixture to add to the vinaigrette) and heat for 4-5 minutes until the bread is nicely toasted on the bottom.
- Turn the bread and sprinkle with additional seasoning mixture on top. Continue heating for 4-5 minutes until the bread is evenly browned.
- Remove from heat and tear the bread into bite-sized pieces. Place the torn bread chunks in a bowl and set aside.
- Remove the colander from the large bowl and carefully drain out the tomato juice in the bowl to use in the vinaigrette. Set aside.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by combining two tablespoons of the reserved tomato juice with the remaining dressing ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake vigorously to combine. Set aside.
- Add the softened red onion, fresh basil, and toasted bread chunks to the seasoned tomatoes and gently toss to combine.
- Drizzle a little of the vinaigrette on top of the salad and toss gently to combine.
- Transfer to a large serving bowl or platter and serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Place the sliced red onion in a large bowl with a metal colander on top. Then toss the chopped tomatoes with some salt in the colander and let the mixture stand for approximately half an hour. As the tomato juice drips into the bowl below, the liquid will soften the onion and minimize its bite, while infusing the tomato juice with incredible flavor. The result is more palatable raw onions for the salad and a more flavorful base for the homemade vinaigrette.
- An assortment of fresh grape, cherry, and/or heirloom tomatoes will work great in this salad recipe. If possible, use a nice selection of yellow and red varieties, as shown, for a great presentation.
- A simple seasoning blend of onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper is used to add flavor to the crusty toasted bread. For best results, reserve one-half teaspoon (or more, if desired) to flavor the vinaigrette, as well.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Special Dinner!
You’ve made the salad, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: How to Assemble An Italian Charcuterie Board For Parties & Entertaining
- Soup: Italian Meatball Soup Recipe
- Main Dish: Tuscan Pork Chops with White Beans and Crispy Sage
- Side Dish: Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe
- Beverage: Refreshing Watermelon Vodka Slush Cocktail with Lime
- Dessert: Castagnaccio Recipe (A Traditional Tuscan Chestnut Flour Cake)
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.