Tonja's Table

Welcome to Tonja’s Table. I have been inspired by many friends and family to share my recipes and love for cooking.

  • Home
  • My Book
  • About Me
  • Catering
  • Grazing Tables
  • Work With Me

My Favorite Summer Salad–Panzanella

July 19, 2017 by Tonja 1 Comment

Panzanella is one of my favorite summer salads.  It’s the perfect way to use up day-old bread and it has all the ripeness of summer with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil.  The bread soaks up the red wine vinaigrette dressing and the briny capers add the perfect punch.  Panzanella doesn’t normally have fresh mozzarella in it but I couldn’t resist.  This classic Tuscan bread salad is an ideal meal to make when the dog days of summer roll around.  It’s also perfect to bring over to your friends for dinner because the salad needs to soak in the dressing for 30 minutes before you eat.

 

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

My Favorite Summer Salad–Panzanella

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Tonja Engen
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Salad:
  • 1 loaf of French bread cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 Tbls. Olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt and pepper
  • 4–5 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cucumber, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup red onion, sliced
  • 1 fresh mozzarella ball, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ cup capers, drained and chopped
  • 1 handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • For the Vinaigrette:
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 Tbls. Red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat Add bread cubes and salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the bread with oil, then fry over medium low heat until the bread is crunchy and golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Put the tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, red onion, mozzarella, and capers in a large serving bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.
  3. In a separate small bowl, combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette and whisk together.
  4. Add the bread to the vegetables and toss to combine.
  5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
  6. Let the salad sit for at least a half hour to allow the flavors to absorb into the bread, stirring a few times to make sure the bread gets evenly soaked. Add the basil, stir to combine, then serve.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @officialtonjastable on Instagram and hashtag it #tonjastable

Filed Under: Salads Tagged With: basil, bread salad, cucumbers, panzanella, salad, summer, tomatoes, Tuscan

« Restaurant Inspiration– Lamb Chops with Herbes de Provence and Pesto Yogurt
Cantaloupe Carpaccio with Prosciutto, Mozzarella, and Cilantro »

Trackbacks

  1. Tonja’s Table’s Favorite Recipes from 2017 says:
    December 30, 2017 at 11:38 pm

    […] 8. Panzanella Salad […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Tonja’s Table’s Favorite Recipes from 2017 Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Sign up for our mailing list!

About Me

Tonja

Welcome to Tonja’s Table. I have been inspired by many friends and family to share my recipes and love for cooking.

Follow Tonja’s Table

Categories

Find A Recipe

My Cookbook

My Cookbook

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Skillet Dinner–Creamy Tuscan Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Tomatoes
  • 4th of July— Strawberry Blueberry Trifle
  • St. Patty’s Day–Reuben and Swiss Sliders
  • Valentines Dinner—Herb and Butter Basted New York Strip For Two (Video)
  • Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta w/ Basil
  • Blueberry Crumble Bars

Search

Categories

Sign up for our newsletter!

Follow Tonja’s Table

Categories

Copyright © 2025 · by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress