Panzanella is a rustic Italian chopped salad that features Italian bread cubes soaked in red vinegar salad dressing with fresh garden tomatoes, basil and garlic. From there you can add Mozzarella or Burrata cheese, Kalamata olives, red bell pepper, and/or grilled shrimp.
Fresh Tomato Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
- 5 ounces rustic Italian bread cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon flake sea salt
- 2 1/4 pounds garden ripe tomatoes, bug into small cubes
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 small shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil, torn
- 4 ounces burrata cheese, cut into small pieces
- 12 pitted Kalamata olives
- 6.5 ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
- Garnish: fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine bread cubes with olive oil and flake sea salt. Toss to coat bread cubes with olive oil (save the bowl for later use). Spread the bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden.
- Place red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, thyme and black pepper in the mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the tomatoes, bread cubes, shallots, basil, mozzarella, olives and artichokes to the mixing bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat the bread cubes, tomatoes and cheese with the dressing. Allow the salad to sit covered in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Toss again just before serving in a large salad bowl. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
