Panzanella—or bread salad—is the perfect way to use up leftover market bread that has gone slightly stale. (You can make this with bread that isn’t stale, as long as you toast it long enough to dry it out.) Traditionally, panzanella is made with only bread, tomatoes, basil, and dressing, but there are many variations to the recipe that include mozzarella, cucumbers, summer squash, or stone fruits.
Servings: 6
Active Time: 20 minutes | Inactive Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 cups (about 1/2 pound) slightly stale bread, cut into 1-inch pieces (such as sourdough, baguette, or ciabatta)
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons red wine, balsamic, or sherry vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, any type, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 yellow or white peaches, sliced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup packed basil leaves, torn into pieces, plus additional for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes until crispy, but not browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Add the tomatoes, peaches, red onion, and bread to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Add the mozzarella and basil and gently toss. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.
- You can eat the salad right away, but it’s best to let it sit for about 30 minutes so the bread can soak up the dressing and tomato juices. To serve, divide onto plates and top with additional fresh basil.