Panzanella

You will fall in love with this Tuscan recipe.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

View the print-ready version of this recipe.

This easy panzanella salad is the result of a perfect mix of simple and organic ingredients. Thanks to the raw onion, it stays nice and crispy, which is the magic of this salad: soft bread and vegetables that crunch!

Why We Love This Recipe:

• Fresh: The cucumber and vinegar provide a fresh, summery flavor.
• Easy: It doesn’t require any cooking or special skills. Just combine the ingredients, and it’s done!
• Versatile: You can make so many variations from the original recipe.
• Light and Vegan: There are no animal derivatives, suitable for vegetarians and vegans; and we love how light it is!

Choose The Right Ingredients:

• Bread: It should be rustic bread, possibly from the day before. It should be hard and firm. It should also be without salt, according to Tuscan tradition. Coarse bread can also be fine, but in this case, choose whole wheat. Soak it in water with vinegar and break it up with your hands or leave it coarse, depending on your taste.
• Vegetables: Choose fresh, organic, and very ripe tomatoes. Red onions are the best because they taste delicate and are more digestible.
• Basil: Choose the freshest and smallest leaves in the bunch; they will be more delicate and tender.
• White Vinegar: We chose white wine vinegar, but apple vinegar is also suitable.
• Water: Adding water depends on how dry the bread is, so you can increase or decrease it to get the right consistency.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: To make it closer to the Italian version, use extra-virgin olive oil; Bertolli or Lago di Garda is perfect, as are other oils, like Tuscan, with a more intense flavor.

How To Make Panzanella Salad:

Make Vinegar Bread: Cut the stale bread into cubes all the same size, about 0.5 inches on each side, and put them in a large bowl. Add vinegar to a glass of water and combine the bread with all the liquid ingredients. Mix it with your hands to soften the bread evenly.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Prepare Vegetables: Cut the cucumber into tiny slices. Slice the onion and roughly dice the tomatoes.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Serve: Combine all ingredients and sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs before serving so that all the flavors are blended together. Add the basil before serving and season with oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Courtesy of Lauren Allen

Recipe Variations:

• Onions: If you prefer to soften the flavor of raw onion, you can soak it in water and salt for an hour and a half, changing the brine every 30 minutes. This way, it will be more delicate and digestible.
• Veggies: Use thinly sliced zucchini instead of cucumber, and try adding green or black olives.
• Mint: Replace all the basil with a few mint leaves if you want a fresher taste.
• Spicy: Add tabasco, chili pepper, or dried oregano.
• Cheese: Add some mozzarella or burrata cheese.

Storage Instructions

This easy Panzanella recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. It is preferable, however, to add the tomatoes at the time of eating to prevent them from turning sour. It cannot be frozen.

Panzanella Salad

Author: Lauren Allen Servings: 4 People Calories: 292 Prep: 15 Minutes Total: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

• 7 oz of coarse bread
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 cucumber , medium-large
• 3 tomatoes , medium, ripe
• ½ red onion
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Make the Vinegar Bread: Cut the stale bread into cubes all the same size, about 0.5 inches on each side, and put them in a large bowl. Add vinegar to a glass of water and combine the bread with all the liquid ingredients.

Mix it with your hands to soften the bread evenly.

Prepare the Vegetables: Cut the cucumber into tiny slices. Slice the onion and roughly dice the tomatoes.

Combine all ingredients and sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs before serving so that all the flavors are blended together.

Add the basil before serving;

Season with oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper: the panzanella is ready to eat. Enjoy!

Notes

Variations

• Onions: If you prefer to soften the flavor of raw onion, you can soak it in water and salt for an hour and a half, changing the brine every 30 minutes: this way, it will be more delicate and digestible.
• Veggies: Use thinly sliced zucchini instead of cucumber, and try adding green or black olives.
• Mint: Replace all the basil with a few mint leaves if you want a fresher taste.
• Spicy: Add tabasco, chili pepper, or dried oregano.
• Cheese: Add some mozzarella or burrata cheese.

Storage Instructions

Panzanella can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. It is preferable, however, to add the tomatoes at the time of eating to prevent them from turning sour. It cannot be frozen.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal Carbohydrates: 30g Protein: 7g Fat: 17g Saturated Fat: 2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 11g Trans Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 243mg Potassium: 414mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 876IU Vitamin C: 16mg Calcium: 88mg Iron: 2mg

This article was originally published on tastesbetterfromscratch.com. Follow on Instagram.

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