Panzanella Salad
from kristineskitchenblog.comThis panzanella salad is simple, fresh and flavorful, with ripe juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber and red onion, fresh basil and garlicky toasted bread cubes. It's the best way to enjoy summer tomatoes!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 271kcal
Ingredients
For the Bread Cubes
- 6 cups 1-inch bread cubes from a ciabatta loaf, French baguette, French bread, or similar (fresh or 1 day old bread will work)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small clove or ½ medium clove garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Remaining Salad Ingredients
- 5 cups chopped ripe fresh tomatoes Chop them into large chunks. I like to use a variety of colors and types (such as heirloom tomatoes and Campari tomatoes on the vine).
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt for the tomatoes
- ½ English cucumber Slice it into ¼-inch thick half rounds, no need to peel.
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced, about ½ cup
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Toast the Bread Cubes:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons olive oil, small clove minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Add the bread cubes and stir them together with the oil and seasonings until evenly coated. Spread the bread cubes out in an even layer on the baking sheet, using a small spatula to scrape all of the oil and seasonings from the bowl onto the bread. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until barely golden and crisp, flipping bread cubes over half way through the bake time. Wipe out the bowl to use for tossing together the salad.
Make the Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
Assemble the Salad:
- Place tomatoes in a large colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt over them and briefly toss gently. Let sit for 5 minutes to drain off excess juices.
- Place the cucumber and red onion in the reserved mixing bowl. Add the drained tomatoes and dressing. Stir gently to mix. Add the toasted bread cubes and fresh basil; stir gently until just combined. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1132IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 3mg
