Panzanella

This Panzanella salad recipe is a fresh and flavorful salad of bread and vegetables. It’s a recipe from Tuscany, a land of great flavors that you will fall in love with.

Check out more Italian recipes like Chicken Cacciatore, Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, and Classic Italian Risotto!

This easy panzanella salad is the result of a perfect mix of simple and organic ingredients. Thanks to the raw onion, it stays nice and crispy, which is the magic of this salad: soft bread and vegetables that crunch!

Why we love this recipe:

• Fresh: The cucumber and vinegar provide a fresh, summery flavor.
• Easy: It doesn’t require any cooking or special skills. Just combine the ingredients, and it’s done!
• Versatile: You can make so many variations from the original recipe.
• Light and Vegan: There are no animal derivatives, suitable for vegetarians and vegans; and we love how light it is!

Choose the Right Ingredients:

• Bread: It should be rustic bread, possibly from the day before. It should be hard and firm. It should also be without salt, according to Tuscan tradition. Coarse bread can also be fine, but in this case, choose whole wheat. Soak it in water with vinegar and break it up with your hands or leave it coarse, depending on your taste.
• Vegetables: Choose fresh, organic, and very ripe tomatoes. Red onions are the best because they taste delicate and are more digestible.
• Basil: Choose the freshest and smallest leaves in the bunch; they will be more delicate and tender.
• White Vinegar: We chose white wine vinegar, but apple vinegar is also suitable.
• Water: Adding water depends on how dry the bread is, so you can increase or decrease it to get the right consistency.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: To make it closer to the Italian version, use extra-virgin olive oil; Bertolli or Lago di Garda is perfect, as are other oils, like Tuscan, with a more intense flavor.

How to make Panzanella Salad:

Make Vinegar Bread: Cut the stale bread into cubes all the same size, about 0.5 inches on each side, and put them in a large bowl. Add vinegar to a glass of water and combine the bread with all the liquid ingredients. Mix it with your hands to soften the bread evenly. 

Prepare Vegetables: Cut the cucumber into tiny slices. Slice the onion and roughly dice the tomatoes.

Serve: Combine all ingredients and sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hrs before serving so that all the flavors are blended together. Add the basil before serving and season with oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Recipe Variations:

• Onions: If you prefer to soften the flavor of raw onion, you can soak it in water and salt for an hour and a half, changing the brine every 30 minutes. This way, it will be more delicate and digestible.
• Veggies: Use thinly sliced zucchini instead of cucumber, and try adding green or black olives.
• Mint: Replace all the basil with a few mint leaves if you want a fresher taste.
• Spicy: Add tabasco, chili pepper, or dried oregano.
• Cheese: Add some mozzarella or burrata cheese.

Storage Instructions

This easy Panzanella recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. It is preferable, however, to add the tomatoes at the time of eating to prevent them from turning sour. It cannot be frozen.

Find more delicious recipes from Stef and Alex at Stefanias Kitchenette.

This post contains affiliate links.