This Grilled Panzanella is the perfect summer salad! Grilled crusty bread is toasted with fresh produce in this simple and delicious meal.
A Humble Salad
Panzanella: the Italian budget-friendly “salad” that transforms day-old bread in to next-level meal. Traditionally, Panzanella features stale bread that has been soaked in water and squeezed out, in an effort to rehydrate the crusty slices.
In this version, I take a day old baguette and grill it, yielding smoky, crunchy, and delicious pieces of bread that are essentially croutons. The cubed pieces of grilled baguette are then tossed in a simple vinaigrette which includes just two ingredients. This helps rehydrate the bread, as mentioned above.
A win win.
How To Make Panzanella
We’ve addressed the bread/crouton/grilled baguette situation, but what else is in Panzanella?
This scrumptious salad includes just a handful of other ingredients, which when put together, create an absolutely symphony of flavor (how’s that for a description?).
First things first: tomatoes. Since there are so few ingredients in this dish, I recommend seeking out the freshest produce you can find. Seek out bright red and fragrant tomatoes that are heavy for their size.
Next up is crunchy cucumber. This is the freshness element of this salad: cucumber is such a cooling flavor. If they’re in season, find them at a Farmer’s Market, or else opt for an English cucumber – they tend to be more crunchy.
Last is the red onion! The slightly sweet, mildly spicy jewel of the onion family. Sliced in a way that allows for the layers to separate, this offers just enough of the onion kick that keeps you coming back, bite after bite.
But how could we forget the basil?! Summertime’s sweetheart herb adorns the top of this Panzanella like edible confetti.
What To Serve With Panzanella
Realistically, not much else is needed when you have this one-bowl meal in front of you. You could easily run out the meal by adding some simple grilled chicken or serve it along side grilled salmon.
Alternatively, you could serve this alongside other antipasto style appetizers and dips, making it a fun “build your plate” evening on the patio.
But the non-negotiable? Chilled white wine, please!
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Grilled Panzanella
Ingredients
- 1 baguette, halved
- 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic or red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced thinly on the bias
- 2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced in to bit sized pieces
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Brush the cut halves of the baguette with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Grill until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool.
- Once cooled, slice grilled baguette in to bite sized pieces. Whisk 1/2 cup olive oil, vinegar, and garlic clove in a large bowl. Add baguette pieces, tossing to combine.
- Add prepared sliced vegetables and half of basil, again tossing to combine. Season lightly with salt and pepper, top with remianing basil. Serve!