Classic Italian Style Fresh Panzanella Salad For Summer Lunch

If you crave something light and fresh and have ripe tomatoes and crusty bread on hand, don’t delay and try this summer Italian-style Panzanella salad. This salad will brighten your summer days, filling you with natural and hearty flavors.

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Summer has passed by too quickly. After being there for work, I returned from Montenegro (the hottest summer of my life) and jumped into the fall season here in Poland. I must say I missed my country, and I am grateful we get to experience these four seasons, colder weather, changes, and coziness that these fall/winter months are offering (even when there is just rain).

While writing this post, I am sitting and looking through the window; the leaves are falling, the air is clean and crisp, and the sun is trying to get through the clouds. I am full of gratitude and reflections on how my time here is flying by.

This summer was all about ripe tomatoes, sourdough bread (which I adore), onion, eggplant, and watermelons. I ate these every single day with a variety, of course. Today, I want to share my favorite way to use sourdough bread and ripe tomatoes and make this Panzanella salad, which is fantastic and straightforward!

What does Panzanella salad mean?

You might ask, what does Panzanella salad mean?
Panzanella is an Italian salad made from pieces of stale, moistened bread, adding tomatoes, onions, or basil, and a dressing of vinegar and olive oil. This salad, mainly known from the Tuscany region, is made during the summer when there is a season for tomatoes. You can add other vegetables of your choice: cucumber, red onion (like I said in this recipe), mint leaves for boosting the flavor, or feta cheese. The dish’s name comes from two words: pane, meaning bread, and zanella, meaning soup bowl.

Everything you need to make fresh Panzanella salad.

• Sourdough bread
• Ripe tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Red onion
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Dijon organic mustard (light)
• Garlic cloves
• Honey

Tomatoes are the primary source of lycopene; here is why your body needs it.

Lycopene is a natural compound found mainly in tomatoes, tomato sauces, and puree, but also in watermelons and grapefruit. It’s a carotenoid chemical that gives the vegetables a beautiful red color. It’s also one of the most potent antioxidants that your body needs. What’s important to know is that lycopene is still actively working, even if it’s heated. This is the best way for your body to absorb lycopene, so every tomato cream soup, tomato puree, paste, and more is a perfect source of lycopene. If you combine it with olive oil, you will get the maximum of it.

Besides that, tomato contains many vitamins and minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates and has various positive health effects. (read more here)

How to make Panzanella salad; step-by-step

STEP 1:

You will start with preparing the bread. In the original recipe, there is stale sourdough bread used. That means if you have an old sourdough bread that is not soft and fresh anymore, you can use it in that recipe. I found another way (toasting the bread in the oven) of making my bread more crunchy, which is more satisfying. You can try both ways and see what you like the most.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius and prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Please cut some sourdough bread (about 200g) into medium-size cubes. Add oil and salt and toss the bread to combine with oil and salt. Bake for about 10-15 minutes in the oven. What you want is to dry the bread pieces without burning them. After that time, take the bread out of the range and let it sit aside.

At this stage you can add also dried oregano and basil to make the bread more flavorful by itself.

STEP 2:

The next step is preparing tomatoes. Wash them gently, dry them with a paper towel, and cut them into medium-sized (similar to bread) cubes. Prepare a medium-sized mixing bowl and drainer. Add tomatoes to the drainer and place the drainer on the bowl. Then season tomatoes with salt and let them sit for about 10 minutes.

You can do this while drying your bread in the oven. By doing this, the tomatoes will release juice you will later use for honey dressing. The better the quality of tomatoes, the better the salad tastes, so remember to use them at the most relevant time of the year to enjoy the full flavor. The best possible option is to grow your tomatoes; indeed, there is no better taste than straight from your garden.

You can see this juice straight from tomatoes. It’s flavorful and will be a perfect base for Panzanella salad dressing. Remember to gently mix the tomatoes with your hands when you season them with salt.

Transform the tomato juice into a small bowl or glass container to make a dressing.

STEP 3:

Add dried sourdough bread, tomatoes, freshly chopped basil leaves, and finely chopped red onion in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

STEP 4:

Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl or glass container, add tomato juice (about 1/3 cup) along with 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp honey/maple syrup, 3 tbsp olive oil, minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp lemon juice, and salt to taste. Whisk to combine.
I recommend combining all ingredients without salt because the tomato juice might already be salty. Try without salt, then taste it and see what needs more. You can add dried herbs to it as well.

STEP 5:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and add as much dressing as desired. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving, and enjoy your fresh and herby Panzanella salad recipe!

Serve Panzanella Salad with;

Seriously Good Creamy Parsley Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Fantastic Red Lentil Millet Meatballs (Kid’s Friendly and gluten-free)

Smoky Roasted Pumpkin With Tahini Sauce (Yummy!)

The Best Roasted Zucchini Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

I hope you enjoy this classic Italian Panzanella salad recipe and get inspiration from today’s post. Let me know in the comment section below if you tried it and liked it. If there is anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to write me. I would love to connect with you and help you even more!  
Domi