Panzanella is Italian bread salad made with fresh chopped tomatoes and day old toasted or stale bread. Many traditional Tuscan recipes start with soaking the bread in water and then ringing it out. They are then tossed with the tomatoes and dressing (always made with extra-virgin olive oil and often garlic.) A lot of Americanized versions of the recipe (including this one) don't include soaking the bread and wringing it out. I never thought that made much sense, since there is so much moisture from the tomatoes!

Can it be made ahead?

You can make this recipe two to four hours ahead. But the texture of the tomatoes will start to soften up a lot after that. To Make Ahead 1 Day: 1. Toast the bread and keep it out on a sheet pan, loosely covered with foil. 2. Chop up the veggies (except the tomatoes) and keep them in a glass container in the fridge. 3. Mix the dressing and put it in a jar in the fridge. 4. Up to four hours before serving, toss the bread, freshly chopped tomatoes and dressing together, and let soak for 20 to 30 minutes. (Since the bread isn't going to be hot, it will need extra time to soak.) Then add in the remaining ingredients.

The BEST Easy Healthy Panzanella Salad Recipe

Name: The Best Easy Healthy Panzanella Salad Recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 9 ounces crusty Italian bread, cut into bite-sized cubes; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup red wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; ½ cup chopped fresh basil; 1 large ripe red tomato, cored and cut into bite sized chunks; 1 large ripe yellow tomato, cored and cut into bite sized chunks; 1 red or orange bell pepper, cut into bite sized squares; 1 purple or green bell pepper, cut into bite sized squares; ½ red onion, root removed, peeled and sliced from stem end to root end; 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into small bite-sized chunks; ½ cup sliced pitted olives

Description

This colorful Panzanella Salad has tomatoes, peppers, onion and cucumbers to give it loads of flavor, crunch and color. The bread is toasted then soaks up the garlic dressing and tomato juices which make it better and better as it sits. Perfect for summer potlucks and events!

Ingredients

Units Scale

9 ounces crusty Italian bread, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 large ripe red tomato, cored and cut into bite sized chunks
1 large ripe yellow tomato, cored and cut into bite sized chunks
1 red or orange bell pepper, cut into bite sized squares
1 purple or green bell pepper, cut into bite sized squares
1/2 red onion, root removed, peeled and sliced from stem end to root end
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into small bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup sliced pitted olives

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread bread out on a large baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until crispy and starting to brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in basil.
Add the hot croutons and red and yellow tomato to the dressing, and toss to coat. Let sit, tossing occasionally until the bread has absorbed the dressing and tomato juices, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in red and purple peppers, onion, cucumber and olives. Serve immediately or at room temperature within two hours. If not serving within two hours, cover and refrigerate.

Notes

To Make Ahead One Day In Advance:

The best way to do that is to toast the bread and keep it out on a sheet pan, loosely covered with foil.
Then chop up the veggies (except the tomatoes) and keep them in a glass container in the fridge.
Mix the dressing and put it in a jar in the fridge.
Up to four hours before serving, toss the bread, tomatoes and dressing together, and let soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Then add in the remaining ingredients.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Side dish
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 189 cals
Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 3 g