Description
Panzanella salad is a vibrant and refreshing Italian summer classic, combining toasted crusty bread cubes with ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onion, and fresh basil. Tossed in a zesty dressing made from extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, this salad offers a perfect balance of fresh flavors and crunchy textures. Ideal as a light meal or colorful side dish, it is simple to make, highly customizable, and celebrates garden-fresh produce at its best.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 4 cups crusty stale bread, cut into bite-sized cubes
Vegetables
- 3 cups ripe tomatoes, diced (heirloom or cherry mix)
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (natural)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (natural)
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the bread: Slice the crusty stale bread into bite-sized cubes and toast them in a dry pan or oven until crisp and golden to provide the perfect crunch and absorbency.
- Chop the vegetables: Dice the ripe tomatoes, thinly slice the cucumbers, peel and thinly slice the red onion, and gently tear the fresh basil leaves by hand to release their aroma.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil (natural), apple cider vinegar (natural), vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural), salt, and black pepper until well emulsified and flavorful.
- Combine everything: In a large bowl, toss the diced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, red onion, and torn basil leaves with the toasted bread cubes. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated and the bread begins to absorb the flavors.
- Let it rest: Allow the salad to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving, enabling the flavors to meld and the bread to soften slightly while retaining a delightful texture.
Notes
- Use stale bread to ensure it soaks up the dressing without becoming mushy.
- Choose fully ripe, juicy tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Add the dressing gradually and toss gently to avoid soggy bread.
- Let the salad rest before serving to enhance texture and flavor melding.
- Adjust the amount of apple cider vinegar (natural) to balance acidity to your taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Panzanella, Italian salad, summer salad, toasted bread salad, fresh tomato salad, vegetarian salad, plant-based
