Easy Panzanella Recipe
This colorful summer panzanella recipe is a classic Italian bread salad, with crusty bread, ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, and fresh basil. It comes together in 25 minutes!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups artisan-style bread, cut into cubes (see Notes)
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1 pint multi-colored cherry tomatoes
- 3 bell peppers (one each yellow, red, green)
- ½ red onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Slice the bread into cubes. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Spread in a single layer and bake until golden brown, about 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Dice the bell peppers. Thinly slice the red onion. Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the basil (chiffonade).
- In a medium bowl, combine the sherry vinegar, and garlic. Gradually whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a creamy emulsion forms. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables, dressing, basil, and toasted bread. (If making in advance, add the toasted bread last to avoid becoming soggy.) Allow to stand about 15 minutes for the flavors to meld, then serve immediately. (Leftovers are delicious, but the bread becomes soggy after a few hours.)
Notes
For the bread: It’s ideal to use a sturdy artisan-style loaf: do not use a squishy store-bought white or wheat loaf here. Good options are sourdough bread, ciabatta, a homemade no knead bread, or a rustic country loaf. Day-old bread is actually ideal, but fresh works if you toast it a little longer. A homemade focaccia also makes an excellent version.
