Panzanella Salad with crusty bread, juicy vine-ripened tomatoes, and the best homemade vinaigrette dressing. Try this bread salad once, and it will become an instant favorite. Tomato Panzanella salad is a great way to use up fresh summer tomatoes and leftover bread.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Our garden produces so many tomatoes and tons of basil in summer and we love creative and delicious ways to take advantage of them at their peak of freshness before we start freezing batches of Roasted Salsa and Canning Tomatoes. My whole family loves this Panzanella tomato salad! Even my 14-year-old son, who otherwise doesn’t like tomatoes, went back for refills.
Panzanella Salad Video Tutorial
Watch how to make this Panzanella recipe (and you’ll even learn how to make homemade croutons).
Panzanella Salad Recipe
Panzanella is a Tuscan Salad that is popular throughout Italy. It is a chopped salad with toasted bread, tomatoes, onions, and fresh basil. The salad is soaked in a simple vinaigrette dressing that makes every bite mouthwatering and delicious.
Tomato Panzanella reminds me of a salad that my mother used to make. I have a faint memory of her making something similar in my childhood, and I could only remember the oil and vinegar-soaked bread and tomatoes in it. Sadly, she didn’t keep the recipe. Even in our humble beginnings, she always had a way of putting simple things together to make them delicious, but she didn’t always write them down.
Making this Panzanella Salad definitely brought back some memories for me. Isn’t it amazing how food can do that? Maybe one day, my son will daydream about this salad in the same way that I did.
Ingredients for Panzanella Salad
- Leftover bread – this is the best way to use up leftover bread, particularly crusty, spongy, and hearty bread like Sourdough bread or Ciabatta, which is a sad thing to go to waste. See all of our favorite bread options below.
- Ripe Tomatoes – while most salads call for firm tomatoes, Panzanella is marvelous with tomatoes that are a bit overripe and at their peak of sweetness. Garden tomatoes are best here, but you can also use sweeter store-bought varieties such as cherry or Campari tomatoes.
- Basil – this fresh herb adds a lovely floral flavor and aroma to your salad. Be generous with your basil. Also, basil bruises easily, so it’s best to stack the leaves, roll them into a log, and thinly slice, as I showed in our Bruschetta Recipe.
- Fresh Mozzarella – this is optional but a nice way to add protein. I love the little cheese bites on my fork, just like in our Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Salad. You can dice up a log of mozzarella or use mozzarella pearls.
- Red onion – we love the color and that it’s a bit milder than other varieties, but you can substitute it with a sweet onion or yellow onion.
- The Best Dressing – you’ll love this simple red wine vinegar, garlic, and olive oil vinaigrette. It’s light and vibrant and adds tons of flavor to this salad. You can also make it ahead.
What is the Best Bread for Panzanella Salad?
A sturdy stale bread works best and is less likely to become soggy from the dressing, which makes this a brilliant way to use up leftover bread. These are the best bread varieties for Panzanella:
- Ciabatta Bread – with a thick crust and alveolar holes that keep it from getting soggy
- Baguette – also crusty on the outside, spongy inside, similar to our Wreath Bread.
- Sourdough Bread – this has a different flavor profile that you’ll love
- Focaccia Bread – this makes for some super tasty croutons.
How to Make Panzanella Salad
- Toast the Bread: slice your stale crusty bread into 1-inch pieces. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Scatter on a baking sheet and bake at 400˚F for 9-11 minutes then set aside to cool. Note: Edges should be golden brown and fully dried through so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
Make-Ahead Tip:
The croutons and dressing can both be made ahead of time. Once the croutons are cooled to room temperature, cover and store them at room temperature for up to a week. Cover and store the dressing for up to a week in the refrigerator. If the oil solidifies, let it come to room temperature, then re-whisk before using.
- Make the Dressing: combine vinaigrette dressing ingredients (extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, salt, and pepper) and whisk to combine.
- Toss Salad: Place the remaining Panzanella salad ingredients into the same mixing bowl you used for the bread. Add the cooled bread. Drizzle on the dressing 15-20 minutes before serving and toss gently to combine. Garnish with more basil.
Variations for Panzanella Salad
We love changing up this salad based on what we have on hand. Some of our favorites are:
- Cheese – adding fresh mozzarella or feta cheese adds protein and adds a little salty bite
- Chicken – add diced Baked Chicken Breast or Instant Pot Chicken to make this a Chicken Panzanella
- Salami – adds that salty bite that we find irresistible, like in our Italian Pasta Salad.
- Colorful Tomatoes – use a variety of heirlooms, or cherry tomatoes, or both. The more colorful, the better!
- Cucumbers are delicious, but they tend to get juicy, so consider seeding them.
- Olives – add your favorite olives to turn this into a Greek Panzanella
This Panzanella Salad is a timeless and classic salad for good reason. It’s definitely in my top 5 tomato salad recipes – right up there with our popular Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad and Tomato Burrata Salad. I look forward to using our garden tomatoes for this salad.
What to Serve with Panzanella Salad
Panzanella salad can be served as a side salad or as a light and satisfying lunch. The addition of toasted bread and mozzarella cheese makes it hearty and satisfying. We love to pair it with these Italian-inspired dishes:
- Chicken Parmesan
- Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan
- Shrimp Scampi
- Stromboli
- Zuppa Toscana
Panzanella Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tomato Panzanella Salad:
- 6 oz crusty bread*, (1/2 loaf) cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cut into small wedges or bite-sized pieces
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, halved mozzarella pearls
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, (about 22 leaves), coarsely chopped, plus more to garnish
For the Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Place bread in a mixing bowl, drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 9-12 minutes until toasted then set aside to cool. Edges should be golden brown and crisp and the centers should be fully dried through.
- In a small bowl, combine vinaigrette dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Set it aside for the flavors to meld while you prepare the rest of your salad ingredients.
- Place remaining Panzanella salad ingredients into the same mixing bowl you used for the bread. Add the cooled bread. About 10-15 minutes before serving, drizzle on the dressing, adding it to taste. Toss the salad gently to combine.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Left out the mozzarella, didn’t count the tomatoes. Amazing recipe! I baked the bread 2 days prior, so the toasted cubes were perfect. By the time I packed away leftovers all the dressing & tomato juice was absorbed by the bread. I’m excited for dinner tonight! I vow to make this again!