Panzanella Toscana Salad

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Looking for a vibrant, rustic dish that captures the essence of Italian summer? Meet Panzanella Toscana – a hearty, no-fuss salad that transforms day old-bread and sun-ripened vegetables into the most beautiful dish!

Why I love This Recipe

Nothing gets better than this salad. It’s fresh, homemade and so easy to make. Not to mention, it’s beautiful. I think that’s my favorite part – the beauty of it. When ingredients are at their freshest, there’s not too much you have to do to create an amazing recipe. Panzanella Toscana is the essence of this! Just beautiful food that goes together in such a simple way. I love the juiciness of the tomatoes. The bite of the crisp cucumbers is delightful. The chewiness of the bread adds texture. The creaminess of the mozzarella cheese is wonderful. The smell of the fresh basil adds the best aroma. It’s all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette that sends this salad straight to Italy! I’ve never been, but I can imagine this is what it feels, looks and tastes like!

Salad Ingredients

• Tomatoes: You can use cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, vine-ripened tomatoes or Campari tomatoes. Feel free to mix and match as well!
• Cucumbers: I suggest using Persian cucumbers for their size, flavor and crisp!
• Red onion: Sliced red onion adds a sharp, savory bite.
• Rustic bread: The star of the dish! The bread soaks up the vinaigrette adding texture and flavor.
• Fresh basil: Tons of basil is added for a fresh minty flavor.
• Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella adds creaminess, richness and a little sweetness.
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder: Salt, pepper and garlic powder help season the bread.
• Olive oil: Olive oil is used to crisp up the bread slightly.

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• Juice from the tomatoes: The juice from the tomatoes acts as a base for the vinaigrette. It enhances the tomato flavor and helps create enough liquid for the salad to be tossed together in. I explain below how to release the juices.
• Red wine vinegar: Vinegar adds a tangy, bright flavor to the dressing.
• Olive oil: Olive oil helps bind all the vinaigrette ingredients together.
• Garlic: A little garlic adds pungent savory flavor.
• Dijon mustard: The mustard helps emulsify the vinaigrette.
• Honey: Honey balances the tangy flavor of the vinaigrette and enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes.
• Oregano or thyme: Oregano or thyme season the dressing. Use one or both!
• Salt and pepper: Salt and pepper help elevate and season the dressing.

How to Make Panzanella Toscana

Tips for Success

• Read through the entire recipe before starting. This helps prevent mistakes.
• Prepare the ingredients ahead of time. This helps prevent mistakes and makes clean up easier.
• Use the freshest ingredients you can find! This won’t be hard if they are in season.
• Stir the tomatoes while they’re sitting in the colander with the salt. This will help release the juice. This step is super important as it’s the base of the vinaigrette.
• Don’t skimp on the basil. The more the better!
• Serve in a shallow serving bowl. This helps the bread absorb the vinaigrette.

Final Thoughts

If you’re craving fresh Italian flavors, this Panzanella Toscana Salad is your recipe. Bursting with fresh flavor and ingredients, this salad comes together quickly and easily. It’s a wonderful salad to enjoy as a light meal or as a side dish to grilled protein. It’s perfect for dinner parties, it’s hearty in nature, and its beauty is natural! You can’t go wrong with this one. Enjoy!

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Yield: Serves 4

Panzanella Toscana Salad

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A traditonal Italian salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, mozzarella cheese, bread and basil that's all tossed in a tangy vinaigrette.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Panzanella Toscana Salad:

• 8.5 ounces (artisan bread, cubed)
• 1 lb sweet tomatoes (vine-ripened, cherry, heirloom, Campari), cut into wedges or slice in half
• 2 persian cucumbers, sliced
• 1 small red onion (or 1/4 of a larger one), sliced
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella (torn into chunks)
• 10 basil leaves, julienned
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (divided)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Vinaigrette:

• Juice from tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano or thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions

1. Place the tomatoes in a colander set over a large bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon kosher salt over the tomatoes. Use a spoon and stir the salt and tomatoes. Let rest for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Let the tomatoes drain into the bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the bread cubes on the baking sheet and drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread along with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake in the oven for 10-13 minutes or until just barely golden. The bread should be crisp and firm but not browned. Remove from oven and let the bread cool.
3. Remove the colander with the tomatoes from the bowl. There should be some tomato juice in the large bowl now. To that tomato juice add the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar and thyme or oregano. Whisk to combine. While whisking drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil. Taste the dressing and season with salt & pepper to taste.
4. Add the toasted bread, tomatoes from the colander, red onion, mozzarella cheese and basil to a serving bowl. Pour the dressing overtop, and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt & pepper if needed. Let rest for 15-30 minutes until the bread has absorbed the dressing and then serve. Garnish with basil leaves if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Salad can be made a few hours in advance. It's best eaten the day of.

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