Whenever I have my homegrown tomatoes (or ones from a farm stand or farmer’s market) I know they’re destined for greatness! Making Updated Panzanella Salad made that dream come true!
Updated Panzanella Salad
We ate this to death, three of us, my favorite octogenarians (my Dad and my StepMom) and myself. Polished it off. We practically licked the plates clean.
About Updated Panzanella Salad:
I admit to an aversion to some Panzanellas – it’s the soggy bread. That’s not a problem in this salad (more about that below, and another secret, too!) This updated Panzanella Salad is killer with a fabulous dressing!
Make this as a starter or a whole meal. Add in some Feta or Burrata for a main dish or serve as is! You may want to make way more than the amount in the recipe, it’s that good. And while you’re at it, make extra dressing so you won’t have to lick the plate. Have it on hand for just about any salad!
Updated Panzanella Salad
Making the Salad:
First things first: You need good tomatoes and good bread. A nice crusty loaf. If your store doesn’t have it, a “take and bake” baguette can stand in, but there are options below under the Saving Money section. Pull out the “good” olive oil and balsamic if you have it.
The first secret of this Panzanella is toasting the bread. Cut it into cubes, drizzle with olive oil, and toss into the oven on a sheet tray. You’ll be making croutons. The trick is to toast them until a little crispy on the outside but soft inside so they soak in just the right amount of dressing without becoming soggy.
Panzanella is best served within a few hours of making.
- Mix the vegetables together, but don’t add the basil and croutons, Let it sit and marinate for at least 15 minutes. Longer is better, but put in the fridge if that’s the case, but for no longer than four hours.
- The croutons need to be mixed in about an hour before serving. After the croutons are added, toss it together and let it sit at room temperature for an hour, no longer. We don’t want soggy croutons.
- When ready to serve, gently toss in the basil and top with a little black pepper. Garnish with sprigs of basil if desired.
The second secret: The dressing. It’s fantastic and so simple. The combo of earthy Balsamic and zippy Red Wine Vinegar for a Panzanella is a departure from the classic, but is ah-maze-ing! And if you go budget with the ingredients like I had to in this little rural South Dakota town my folks live in, it’s still great!
Red Wine Balsamic Vinaigrette
Vary the Salad:
Think about cheese, maybe Feta or Burratta in your Updated Panzanella Salad. Why not toss some olives or pine nuts? Italians sometimes add Tuna (a good one, in olive oil, not your standard US chicken of the sea – Sorry, Charlie!)
The homemade dressing is fab, so I can’t, in good conscience, tell you to sub in store-bought balsamic or Italian vinaigrette, but you do you!
Croutons for Panzanella
About the Tomatoes:
I am all about good tomatoes. I thought I hated tomatoes until my Dad planted a garden when I was a teenager. I carried out the tradition when I could, and since I’m in SD helping out my folks, we planted a killer kitchen garden – with way too many tomatoes. My Dad was so happy!!
Gardening is why I don’t mind ugly tomatoes – and I am convinced they taste better! Trim off any bad parts. Tomatoes can get stretch marks – usually, it’s from too much rain. It causes growth spurts, the skin can’t expand fast enough and splits. You’ll see some of that in the pics. It’s harmless and usually only a little more than skin deep.
Updated Panzanella Salad
Storing:
Most panzanellas are best served the day they’re made. If storing, you might want to remove the bread. Even so, the shelf life is very limited. Like to the next day.
Another option is to drop any remaining (bread and all) into a blender with tomato juice and transform the salad into gazpacho.
Crusty Bread Easy Overnight No Knead
Saving Money on Updated Panzanella Salad:
This salad can be pricey or not, your choice. Spend your $$ where they make the most impact.
Vegetables: Make in season for the lowest price and best veggies. Search out great tomatoes and pick up the other veggies on sale or from a discount grocer like Aldi or Lidl. Red onions keep for weeks, bell peppers a week or two, but cucumbers go quickly. Wrap them in a paper towel, put back in the bag and they’ll last a little longer.
Bread: Good bread can be a small fortune at the regular grocery if you can find it! Lidl’s baker is good but I don’t know about Aldi. For great bread on a budget, try No Knead Overnight Bread. It’s easy, minutes of work and pennies to make. If flour and yeast aren’t in your kitchen, the initial outlay is about five bucks and will make many loaves. (Keep the extra yeast in the freezer.)
Condiments: You can go high-end or not. For budget options, check discount stores. At the grocery, watch for sales.
- Vinegar: “Fancy” vinegar will be on sale off and on through the summer – watch for lows. Check before Easter, too – basic vinegar is rock bottom, and other vinegars might be discounted.
- Olive Oil: Costco olive oil is a great buy and the cheaper brands at Aldi or Lidl (if you’re open to them) are pretty decent. Either is usually less than any sales at the regular grocery.
- Mustard: Basic condiments go on deep sale through the summer at the regular grocery. Stock up for the year! Discount groceries usually beat those sale prices.
Updated Panzanella Salad
Updated Panzanella Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes + sit time
- Yield: 6 to 7 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Toasted Bread Croutons:
- 4 cups of 1-inch bread cubes cut from a loaf of leftover rustic French or Italian bread (roughly half of a large loaf)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed
Balsamic Red Wine Vinaigrette:
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or smashed and minced
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 or 5 grinds black pepper (a bit less than 1/2 teaspoon)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Salad:
- 3 or 4 medium to large tomatoes, cut into 1″ cubes
- 1/2 red onion, cut in half then thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers, cut into 1″ chunks
- 4 to 6 basil leaves, in ribbons, divided, plus sprigs for garnish if desired
- Vinaigrette (above)
- Toasted Bread Croutons (above)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Toasted Bread Croutons:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Toss the bread cubes in 2 tablespoons olive oil; add more oil if needed to coat the bread cubes thoroughly without drenching them.
Spread the cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the bread is crispy, but retains a bit of softness. Turn several times, adding a bit more olive oil halfway through if the bread doesn’t seem well coated.
Let the bread cool. May be made ahead by a day or two, and stored in Ziploc-type bag after it is cool.
Vinaigrette:
Make the vinaigrette: Grate the garlic or mince garlic as finely as possible, then smash it against the cutting board with the side of the knife. Place in a bowl with the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly until all of the oil is incorporated. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate until needed. Let the vinaigrette sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before adding to the salad.
Alternatively, add ingredients to a jar and shake well.
Salad:
Watch the timing on the salad. It’s best if vegetables are combined and tossed with the vinaigrette and let sit for about 15 minutes or refrigerated for longer but no longer than 4 hours. It needs to be taken out and tossed with the croutons and allowed to sit at room temperature for an hour before the final touches are added and the salad is served.
Here are the detailed directions:
Mix tomatoes, onion, and bell peppers in a salad bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss. Best if made a little ahead but no longer than four hours, refrigerate if over 15 minutes or so. One hour before serving, remove from the refrigerator, add the croutons, and toss again. Let sit at room temperature.
Right before serving, toss the salad again, then add the basil and gently toss. Top with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with sprigs of basil if desired.
I’m sharing at Fiesta Friday #138, where I’m hosting with the incomparable Johanna of French Gardener Dishes. I’ll also post on Throwback Thursday.
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