Recipes › Salad › Tuscan Panzanella Bread Salad Recipe

Tuscan Panzanella Bread Salad Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Panzanella is a classic Tuscan salad that transforms stale bread into a refreshing, vegetable-forward dish. Built on day-old bread cubes tossed with ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onion, and fresh basil, this rustic salad gains its character from a simple vinaigrette and the bread's ability to absorb all the bright flavors. It's the perfect solution for using leftover bread while celebrating the peak of summer produce.

Ingredients

• 300g (10 oz) day-old Tuscan bread or ciabatta, cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes
• 500g (1 lb 2 oz) ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 200g (7 oz) cucumber, diced
• ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 30g (1 oz) fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
• 60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6g (1 teaspoon) sea salt
• 2g (½ teaspoon) black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut day-old bread into 2 cm cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. The bread should be firm but not rock-hard; if very fresh, leave it out for a few hours to stale slightly.

2. Wash and core the tomatoes, then cut them in half. Squeeze gently over a fine sieve set over a small bowl to collect the seeds and excess liquid; reserve the liquid and discard seeds.

3. Dice the seeded tomatoes into 1 cm (½ inch) pieces and add to the bread bowl along with the reserved tomato liquid.

4. Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthwise, and scoop out any large seeds with a small spoon. Dice into 1 cm pieces and add to the bowl.

5. Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons and add to the salad. Tear the basil leaves by hand and add them as well.

6. In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, red wine vinegar, and sea salt. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette.

7. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly with a large spoon and fork, ensuring all bread cubes are coated and the liquid is evenly distributed.

8. Season with black pepper and taste for salt, adjusting as needed. Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the bread to absorb the dressing.

Substitutions

• Gluten-free: Replace Tuscan bread with gluten-free sourdough or rustic gluten-free bread, cut the same size.
• Vegan: Already vegan; confirm olive oil is not honey-blended.
• Low-FODMAP: Omit garlic and red onion; substitute with 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives and a pinch of garlic-infused oil.
• Vegetable swap: Replace cucumber with diced zucchini or bell pepper for variation.

Tips

• Use bread that is 1-2 days old; fresh bread will become mushy, and bread that is too hard will not soften properly. If your bread is too fresh, cut it and leave it uncovered for several hours.
• Prepare the salad no more than 30 minutes before serving. If made too far in advance, the bread can become overly soft and the salad will be soggy.
• For best flavor, use San Marzano tomatoes at peak ripeness, or high-quality canned tomatoes if fresh ripe tomatoes are unavailable.
• Serve at room temperature rather than chilled; cold dulls the flavors of the vegetables and olive oil.

Panzanella originated in Tuscany as a peasant dish, born from the need to use stale bread and garden vegetables. The name likely derives from 'pane' (bread) and 'zanella,' an old Tuscan word for a shallow bowl or terracotta dish in which the salad was traditionally mixed and served.

You might also like

Easy Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

25 min · Salad

Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

35 min · Salad

Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe

27 min · Salad

Pasta Salad Dressing Recipe

10 min · Salad