Irresistible Spring Panzanella (Printable Version)
Vibrant Italian bread salad with fresh spring vegetables, herbs, and tangy dressing. Perfect for warm weather gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ Bread
01 - 7 oz crusty sourdough or ciabatta, cut into ¾ in cubes
02 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
→ Vegetables
03 - 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 6 radishes, thinly sliced
07 - 3.5 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
08 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
→ Herbs
09 - 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves torn
10 - 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn
11 - 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
12 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
13 - 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
14 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
15 - ½ tsp Dijon mustard
16 - ½ tsp sea salt
17 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss the bread cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil and spread on a baking tray. Toast for 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp. Let cool.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, radishes, sugar snap peas, and spring onions.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Add the toasted bread cubes and fresh herbs to the salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to combine.
05 - Allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes, letting the bread absorb some dressing and vegetable juices. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It turns seemingly random vegetables and stale bread into something that feels intentional and beautiful
- The dressing soaks into the bread creating these incredible flavor pockets that make every bite different
02 -
- I learned the hard way that adding the dressing too early turns this into mush, so wait until you are about 15 minutes from serving
- The bread truly needs to be at least a day old, fresh bread will disintegrate no matter how carefully you toss it
03 -
- Whisk the dressing right before pouring it over the salad, the oil and vinegar will start to separate if it sits too long
- Use your hands to toss everything together at the end, it is the gentlest way to coat each piece without crushing the vegetables