Panzanella Salad (Tuscan Bread Salad)
This classic, colorful salad features chewy-crisp bread, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, aromatics, and a lively tomato vinaigrette. It’s light, bright, and the ultimate, crowd-pleasing dish. This is one of those times when the side dish steals the show.
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Rhodes Bake-N-Serve. All opinions are mine.
Panzanella salad is one of my favorite salads! It’s hearty-yet-light, healthy, vegetarian, and super easy to put together. In this recipe, I used Rhodes Warm & Serve Artisan French Rolls and they made all the difference in the world! The rolls bake up crackly and toasty on the outside, and warm and chewy on the inside. Just like fresh-baked French bread from a bakery!
Panzanella may be an Italian salad, but using French rolls catapults the salad to new heights. Once the rolls are baked, we cut them into bite-size pieces, toast them (so they absorb more dressing), and then toss them with tomatoes, shallot, garlic, basil, and a light vinaigrette. It’s an explosion of fresh flavors in every bite!
Bread is the base of panzanella salad, and using fresh baked rolls elevates the salad in unbelievable ways. I promise you, this will be the best Tuscan bread salad you have ever tasted.
What type of tomatoes should use? There are no rules when it comes to panzanella salad, so choose whatever tomatoes you like. Just note, fresh, ripe tomatoes will have the best flavor. I used vine-ripened tomatoes, but you can use heirloom, beefsteak, grape tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. You can also use a combination of tomatoes!
This tomato vinaigrette will rock your world! One of the first steps in this recipe is to salt your chopped tomatoes. Why? This process not only adds flavor to each piece, but it draws liquid from the tomatoes – tomato juice we then use to make a fresh, flavor-packed vinaigrette. Plus, pulling excess moisture from the tomato pieces keeps them firm in the salad. No mushy tomatoes in this panzanella salad.
Use fresh basil for the freshest flavor. There are very few ingredients in this salad, so I suggest you use fresh ingredients. Fresh basil, ripe tomatoes, and French rolls – the ultimate commingling for the best panzanella salad.
What should you serve with your panzanella salad? This year-round salad goes with practically anything – chicken, beef, pork, and seafood. It can be served as a starter or side dish, and makes a great addition to game day spreads and holiday gatherings.
Panzanella Salad (Tuscan Bread Salad)
Ingredients
- 8 Rhodes Warm & Serve Artisan French Rolls
- 2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes of choice, or combination of tomatoes, chopped (about 4 cups chopped)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or 1 teaspoon table salt, plus more for seasoning
- 8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bake the rolls according to the package directions. Set aside to cool, and keep the oven at 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a colander and set the colander in a large bowl. Add the salt and toss to coat the tomatoes. Let stand for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
- When the rolls are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups of bread cubes. Transfer the cubes to a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss to coat. Transfer the bread cubes to a large baking sheet and spread them out in an even layer. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until crisp (they don’t need to be toasted, just crisp). Let cool.
- Remove the colander from the bowl and set the tomatoes aside. Add the basil, shallot, garlic, vinegar, and Dijon mustard to the juice from the tomatoes. Whisk until well blended. While whisking constantly, drizzle in the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and black pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and tomatoes. Add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Let stand for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Serve.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.