Tuscan Panzanella Salad is full of fantastic flavours of fresh tomatoes and red onions. lovely peppers and basil, which is a true friend to a tomato salad. Any time you use tomatoes, don’t forget to add some basil leaves to bring flavour to your palette.
On the internet these days, there are so many variations to this recipe. I believe once you use the best ingredients, you will not need to add any more flavour to it.
Enjoy the unforgettable flavour of summer. Imagine going to the local market or picking up ingredients from your garden. Don’t spoil the magic by adding overpowering flavour to this dish; enjoy the rustic taste and nutritional benefits that Panzanella will provide.
Panzanella salad is great for BBQ, any side dish, meat, or fish. You may also enjoy my spaghetti alla crudaiola which is packed full of summer flavours of tomatoes, chilli, garlic, and basil! How about another Tuscan classic, Gnudi Toscani, fluffy dumplings filled with ricotta. And for your meat lovers indulge in Salsa Verde, fantastic sauce to accompany your grills.
Try serving Tuscan panzanella salad with pork escalopes in aromatic breadcrumbs or pasta frittata!
To get a deeper insight into Tuscany’s rich culinary and cultural heritage, check out this comprehensive guide on Tuscany.
How to make Tuscan panzanella salad?
Ingredients
- Tomatoes 500 g
- Peppers 400 g
- Staled ciabatta bread 150 g
- Red onion 100 g
- Basil leaves 5 g
- Extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
- White wine vinegar 20 ml
- Salt and pepper to taste
Note:
If you wish to use Tuscan panzanella salad as a main course the quantity is enough for 2 adults.
Gluten Free Option: substitute the ciabatta bread for good quality gluten free bread and use the same method below to make croutons. Alternatively use gluten free croutons which are widely available in supermarkets
Method:
- Pre -heat the oven to 200C
- Roasted peppers: place the peppers in a roasting tray and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt
- Should take around 30 minutes or till peppers skin start to colour and blister, don’t worry if some of the skin in burned you will remove it anyway.
- Remove from the oven and cool
- Meanwhile cut the tomatoes in wedges and chunks
- Place in a large bowl and add the thinly sliced onion and basil
- Dress with the remaining olive oil, vinegar salt and pepper
- By now the peppers should be cool enough to touch, peel off the skin which should come off very easily
- Add the pealed peppers roughly chopped using the roasting juices as well.
- Add the staled ciabatta roughly chopped and mix well. The reason for staled good quality ciabatta bread is because Italians did not like to waste anything and it was bad luck to throw away bread, also staled bread can absorb all the juices and transform itself in texture. Adding a little crunch to your Panzanella Salad!
- Leave the salad for 10 minutes before serving for the stale bread to absorb the juices from the tomatoes and peppers, also to soften up a little
- Taste for seasoning and serve
Tuscan Panzanella Salad
Equipment
- Pairing Knife
Ingredients
- 500 g Tomatoes
- 400 g Peppers
- 150 g Staled Ciabata Bread
- 100 g Red Onions
- 5 g Basil Leaves
- 60 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 20 ml White wine vinegar
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre -heat the oven to 200C
- Roasted peppers: place the peppers in a roasting tray and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt
- Should take around 30 minutes or till peppers skin start to colour and blister, don’t worry if some of the skin in burned you will remove it anyway.
- Remove from the oven and cool
- Meanwhile cut the tomatoes in wedges and chunks
- Place in a large bowl and add the thinly sliced onion and basil
- Dress with the remaining olive oil, vinegar salt and pepper
- By now the peppers should be cool enough to touch, peel off the skin which should come off very easily
- Add the pealed peppers roughly chopped using the roasting juices as well.
- Add the staled ciabatta roughly chopped and mix well. The reason for staled good quality ciabatta bread is because Italians did not like to waste anything and it was bad luck to throw away bread, also staled bread can absorb all the juices and transform itself in texture. Adding a little crunch to your Panzanella Salad!
- Leave the salad for 10 minutes before serving for the stale bread to absorb the juices from the tomatoes and peppers, also to soften up a little
- Taste for seasoning and serve
hints and tips
Nutrition
Enjoy my Classic Tuscan Panzanella salad recipe, created with perfection and no need for alterations.
For those who love to explore the richness of Italian soups, don’t miss out on our Zuppa di Zucca. It’s a creamy, comforting squash soup that perfectly complements the freshness of the Panzanella salad, offering a delightful contrast of flavors and textures.
Check out my article on Mediterranean Diet to find out great benefits to your health and well-being.
Why not finish a tasty meal with light nutella mouse with ricotta?
Lastly, share this fantastic recipe with your friends and family. Comment below and let us know how you got on!
Stay safe and eat well!
What lovely fresh ingredients. A Lovely recipe!
Panzanellas are always a hit with my family! Love the Italian flavor profile in this one. It would go great with grilled chicken or pork.
My kiddos and I made this together! We have been spending a lot more time in the kitchen lately and its so fun. They really enjoyed making this recipe but they enjoyed eating it even more! Thanks for this delish creation, we are adding it to our “make again” list!!
Cindy, I am so glad your family had enjoyed this dish!
Such a colorful and flavor packed salad. With just few ingredients, this is a simple and very tasty dish. Thanks for the recipe.
This colorful and yummy salad in my to-do list for a long time. Looking so fresh and filling. Really tempting me to make today only.
This is so amazing for summer! Love how flavorful and fresh it is! Will definitely be making all season long!