Panzanella
This panzanella, aka Tuscan bread salad, is simply croutons made from day-old bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, red and yellow bell peppers, onions, and a tangy vinaigrette. An Italian classic that is refreshing and takes no time to make. How easy is that!
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
- 1/2 cup really good extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the panzanella
- 3 tablespoons really good extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small French bread or boule, preferably a day old, cut into 1-inch (25-mm) cubes (6 cups)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch (25-mm) cubes
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (25-mm) cubes
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch (25-mm) cubes
- 1/2 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 handful parsley leaves, (optional)
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette
- Whisk together the garlic, mustard, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper.
Make the panzanella
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt and cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed. Remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, capers, and, if desired, parsley. Add the bread cubes and the vinaigrette and toss to coat.
- Season the bread salad liberally with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or let the salad sit for half an hour to allow the flavors to blend before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 374mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g