Panzanella Salad

When The Art of Living Beautifully blog launched for the first time on June 4, 2014, I published the recipe for Panzanella Salad. This recipe, which originated from a recipe I learned from her highness, Ina Garten, has been a favorite in our home, and at dinner parties, for the past 15 years. Panzanella originated in Tuscany as a use for stale bread. The croutons soak up the juice from fresh vegetables and a tangy dressing, giving the bread new life. I love this desire not to be wasteful.

Anyone who knows me knows I am not a fan of salad, but perhaps I should rephrase this feeling: I am not a fan of salad with a lettuce base. I find lettuce boring, and the wonderful thing about Panzanella is that the ingredients don’t call for lettuce, just delicious chopped vegetables, crunchy croutons, and a flavorful vinaigrette. Another plus for Panzanella is that most of the time, I have all the ingredients on hand. On their own, the ingredients aren’t exceptional, but together, they create a flavorful salad that pairs beautifully with steaks, 385° Chicken, or even sausages on the grill.

Ingredients:

• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1” pieces 

• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1” pieces 

• 1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped into 1” pieces, skin left on 

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 

• 1 tsp garlic, minced 

• 3 TBS Champagne vinegar 

• ½ cup + 2 TBS olive oil, divided 

• 1 tsp country grain mustard 

• Basil, 3 leaves chiffonade 

• ½ tsp salt 

• ½ tsp pepper 

• 2½ cups artisan bread, chopped into 1” pieces (I use the Black Pepper Parmesan bread from Market Street) 

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet and sauté cubes of bread for approximately 5 minutes, until golden brown. Add more oil if needed.

2. For the vinaigrette, whisk together garlic, vinegar, mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

3. In a large clear or white bowl, combine vegetables, vinaigrette, basil, and croutons. Mix well and let sit for half an hour for flavors to combine. 

NOTE 1: Like I said above, I typically use Black Pepper Parmesan Bread that I can get at our local grocery store, Market Street. If you don’t have a Market Street near you, a sourdough loaf or bagette will work perfectly well.

NOTE 2: Every once in a while, I have an extra package of Halluomi cheese on hand, especially if I’ve made Summer Melon Salad recently. If this is the case, I might add the Halluomi cheese to the Panzanella. Cut into cubes and grill until char marks appear on each side. Add to dressed salad and toss.

NOTE 3: This recipe calls for lots of chopping. If you don’t have a good set of knives, check out my Kitchen Essentials blog post to learn about which ones are my favorite.