The Best Summer Panzanella Salad
User Reviews
5
The Best Summer Panzanella Salad
Description
This panzanella salad starts by toasting sourdough bread cubes in olive oil until crisp, providing a sturdy, crunchy base. Meanwhile, halved cherry and grape tomatoes are salted and drained to release their juices, which are collected and whisked with garlic, shallot, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, fresh ground black pepper, and olive oil to create a rich, emulsified dressing.
The bread cubes are combined with the tomatoes and chopped basil, then dressed with half of the dressing to soak in flavors and soften slightly during resting. The salad is plated with fresh corn kernels—preferably grilled for smoky sweetness—and thin avocado slices, with additional dressing added before a gentle toss. Fresh oregano and basil leaves garnish the salad for herbal brightness.
This salad works well as a summer side dish or light meal, showcasing seasonal produce textures from crisp bread to juicy tomatoes and creamy avocado. It benefits from some resting time to marry flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 sourdough bread cut into cubes, loaf
- 1/3 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons
- 3 cups cherry tomato halved or quartered
- 3 cups grape tomato halved or quartered
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- black pepper fresh ground
- 1/2 cup basil chopped, fresh
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 2 corn kernels cut from the cob (I like this grilled or fresh! your preference!, ears
- oregano fresh, leaves, for serving
- basil fresh, leaves, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet. Toss them with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are just toasted. Set the cubes aside to cool.
- While the bread is toasting, place the halved tomatoes in a colander and set it over a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let the tomato juices collect in the bowl for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing the tomatoes occasionally.
- Take the tomato juices and whisk in the garlic, shallots, dijon, vinegar and pepper. Stream in the 1/3 cup olive oil while whisking until the dressing emulsifies. This dressing is amazing!
- Place the bread cubes, tomatoes and chopped basil in a bowl. Pour about half of the dressing over top and make sure all the bread cubes are coated. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes.
- Place the bread and tomato mixture on a large plate and add the corn and avocado. Add on more dressing and toss gently. Add a ton of fresh oregano and basil on top and serve!
Notes
- This recipe is adapted from Serious Eats, reflecting tested balancing of flavors and textures.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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