Panzanella salad is a classic Italian dish that combines fresh tomatoes and cucumbers with oversized croutons. The base ingredients are the same as a traditional Greek salad which inspired me to add additional Mediterranean flavors into the mix. By including kalamata olives and artichoke, the flavor profile of the salad shifts, making it more compatible with Greek dressing rather than Italian.
This salad is super fresh, filling, and packed with vitamins. It’s a wonderful way to use up some bread that doesn’t have much life left, as well as the abundance of tomatoes and cucumbers that will soon fill the garden. You can play around with whatever veggies that you want to add and the dressing that you top it with. This can be served alone as a light lunch or portioned smaller to go as a side with a main meal.
YIELDS
2 salads
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- For the croutons:
- 2 cups sourdough bread, cubed
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- For the salad:
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup marinated artichokes, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, shredded
- to taste salt & black pepper
- For the dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- For the croutons:
- 2 cups sourdough bread, cubed
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- For the salad:
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup marinated artichokes, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, shredded
- to taste salt & black pepper
- For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Directions
1. To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 425F. Add the cubed bread to a bowl with the olive oil and toss to coat. Lay on a cookie sheet and top with a pinch of salt. Bake for about ten minutes, until the edges of the croutons turn golden brown.
2. While the croutons are baking, prepare your salad. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.
3. To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk well. Pour over the salad.
4. Remove croutons from the oven and add them to the salad. Add any additional salt and black pepper to taste.
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Photo: Lauren Sacerdote
