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–+ servings
Bread salad made of toasted sourdough pieces and vegetables on a white plate.

Bread Salad (Panzanella)

Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: bread salad, panzanella, summer salad
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 370kcal
Author: Victor
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Ingredients

  • 3 ripe large tomatoes
  • 3 baby cucumbers (sliced)
  • 1 pinch sugar
  • 1/4 large red onion (thinly sliced)
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dry basil)
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dry oregano)

For the toasted bread

  • 2 slices sourdough bread (Italian style, French or whatever you like; large and about 1" thick)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil (or melted butter)

For the bread salad dressing

  • 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • 3/4 tsp sugar
  • 1 garlic clove (pressed)

Instructions

  • To prepare the vegetables for the salad, core the tomatoes, cut in 6-8 wedges, then cut each wedge in half. Place the tomatoes into a large bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of sugar and toss. Add the sliced cucumbers, red onion and chopped basil and oregano and toss well.
  • To prepare the dressing, place the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together vigorously until well blended.
  • Pour the dressing over the vegetables and gently toss. Cover and set aside. You can prepare the salad several hours in advance and let it stand at room temperature to allow the flavors to blend.
  • To prepare the bread, lightly brush sourdough bread slices with olive oil or butter on both sides. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet 4-6 inches below the heating element and broil on high until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Keep the oven door slightly ajar as you want the heating element to be on the entire time. Remove from the oven, let cool then break into bite size pieces and set aside.
  • Add the bread to the salad just before serving, give it a quick toss and serve. To keep the bread crispy longer, serve it sprinkled on top without tossing.

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 612mg | Potassium: 607mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1045IU | Vitamin C: 20.8mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 3mg