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This is my summertime version of the classic Italian Panzanella Salad. I’ve added fresh slices of juicy peaches that add another layer of freshness and sweetness.
Once you try it, I promise it will become your “go-to summer salad” too!
Five Reasons To Love This Salad
- It is bursting with the freshest flavors of summertime.
- The bread is both crispy and soft with the flavors of olive oil and red wine vinegar.
- The tomatoes are extra juicy.
- The peach slices add just the right amount of sweetness.
- Can we talk about the aroma and flavor of fresh basil? Bright, bold, pungent, with a hint of sweetness.
Fresh Ingredients
Tomatoes – you can use your favorite variety of tomatoes for this recipe. I like both vine-ripe tomatoes and the convenience and sweetness of cherry tomatoes.
Baguette – I used a French baguette, but you can also use Italian bread.
Dijon Mustard – I like to use creamy dijon mustard that has a mellow flavor in my vinaigrettes.
How To Make Sumer Panzanella Bread Salad
- Start by cutting the baguette into cubes. Toss the cubes with extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake them in a 350° oven for 10 minutes until they are crispy. Remove them from the oven and let them cool at room temperature.
- Dice the cucumbers and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces that are similar in size to the bread cubes.
- Chiffonade 8 large basil leaves. Chiffonade is a slicing technique to make ribbons. (See FAQs below.) Save some of the basil leaves to garnish the salad when you plate it.
- Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.
- Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and toss them together.
- To serve, spoon the salad onto a large platter, slice the fresh peach and nestle slices into the salad and garnish it with small fresh basil leaves.
FAQs
Panzanella originated in Italy and it was a way to use up stale dried bread. The hard bread was tossed in olive oil and added to a chopped salad.
This salad is fantastic on its own for lunch or dinner. I also like to serve it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak.
Chiffonade is a French term for slicing herbs and leaves into thin ribbons. It’s done by stacking several leaves on top of each other, making a roll, and then cutting thin strips diagonally.
No, the peaches are my addition. I find that adding fruit to a vegetable salad adds the perfect amount of natural sweetness. Try it, I’m sure you will love it!
Krazy Kitchen Mom Tips
- I recommend serving this dish as soon as you toss all of the ingredients together. You want some of the bread to soak up the vinaigrette and some of it to stay crispy.
- You can prepare the salad ahead of time by having all of the tomatoes and cucumbers diced and tossed with the vinaigrette. Just add the bread and nestle the peaches when you are ready to serve it.
- I use a mixture of tomatoes because I like the firm texture yet the juicy center of the vine tomatoes and the extra sweetness of the cherry tomatoes.
- The salad is goo ice cold, but it’s even better at room temperature.
More Fresh Summer Recipes
- Easy Homemade Bruschetta
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Tomato Corn Salsa
- Sweet Balsamic Strawberries
- Classic Sea Breeze Cocktail and Mocktail
Summer Panzanella Bread Salad
Ingredients
- 2 vine tomatoes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1-2 fresh peach
- 1/4 English cucumber
- 1/2 baguette
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cut the baguette into bite-sized cubes.
- Toss the cubes with extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Bake them in a 350° oven for 10 minutes until they are crispy. Remove them from the oven and let them cool at room temperature.
- Dice the cucumbers and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces that are similar in size to the bread cubes.
- Chiffonade 8 large basil leaves. Save some of the basil leaves to garnish the salad when you plate it.
- Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper.
- Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and toss them together.
- To serve, spoon the salad onto a large platter, slice the fresh peach and nestle slices into the salad and garnish it with small fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- I recommend serving this dish as soon as you toss all of the ingredients together. You want some of the bread to soak up the vinaigrette and some of it to stay crispy.
- You can prepare the salad ahead of time by having all of the tomatoes and cucumbers diced and tossed with the vinaigrette. Just add the bread and nestle the peaches when you are ready to serve it.
- I use a mixture of tomatoes because I like the firm texture yet the juicy center of the vine tomatoes and the extra sweetness of the cherry tomatoes.
- The salad is goo ice cold, but it’s even better at room temperature.
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