Panzanella
A delightful Italian salad made with ripe tomatoes, crusty bread, cucumbers, and fresh basil, perfect for summer meals and gatherings.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4-5 cups stale bread, torn into 2.5cm/1” chunks (~180g/6 oz, depending on bread used) Use day-old bread for the best texture.
- 4 medium tomatoes Cut into wedges.
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers (or 1 long telegraph/English cucumber), peeled (optional) Cut into 2.5cm / 1" chunks.
- 1 cup basil leaves, loosely packed
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, the best you can afford
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic, finely minced (~1 large or 2 small)
- 1/4 tsp salt
For seasoning
- 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt (or 3/4 tsp table salt) To taste.
Instructions
Toasting the Bread
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan).
- Toss bread chunks with 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.
- Spread bread on a tray and toast for about 15 minutes, until the outside is becoming golden and crunchy but the inside is still a little soft.
- Remove and leave to cool.
Preparing the Salad
- Cut tomatoes into 8 wedges each, then cut some wedges in half for rustic shapes.
- Put tomatoes into a colander over a large bowl. Season with salt, toss, and set aside for 10 minutes to draw out juices. Reserve the tomato juice in the bowl for the dressing.
- Cut cucumber into 2.5cm / 1" chunks.
- Place tomatoes into a large bowl. Add cucumber and basil, and toss gently.
- Add dressing ingredients into the bowl with the tomato juice and whisk well.
- Add toast to the salad, pour over the dressing, and give it a light toss.
- Leave for 5 minutes to let the juices soak into the bread, tossing once or twice. Toss once more before serving.
Notes
Panzanella is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To keep it from getting too wet, store the bread separately and mix it into the salad just before eating. Customize your Panzanella by adding olives, capers, or cheese like mozzarella.