What bread is best to use for Panzanella Salad?

A nice crusty sourdough is great for this- rustic sourdough, country white, or multi-grain. Day-old bakery bread is perfect! Or use your own sourdough bread !

What does panzanella mean in Italian?

This salad is believed to be invented in the 1500's as to not waste food. Stale bread and ripe vegetables thrown together created a masterpiece that we love to this day! Pane means 'bread' and zanella means 'soup bowl'.

What type of salad is panzanella?

Tuscan bread salad or Panzanella is made of stale bread and juicy fruit or veggies. The bread soaks up all the luscious juices of the dressing and salad ingredients creating a hearty delicious salad.

Where does panzanella salad originate?

Panzanella originates from the Italian countryside, where farmers would combine surplus vegetables with old bread to create a hearty meal.

Grilled Panzanella Salad

Name: Grilled Panzanella Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1/2 of a rustic bread loaf, about 4 slices, cut into 1 ” slices (smaller is fine if your loaf is pre-sliced); 3 bell peppers varies colors, cutting so there is more flat surface area to grill, about 4 pieces per pepper ( or add grilled zucchini and summer squash); 1 sweet onion, slice in 1/2″ thick rings; olive oil for brushing; 15 oz white beans, drained- see notes.; 15 oz artichoke hearts in water, drained, and sliced into bite-size pieces; 1 cup basil leaves, torn; optional additions: romaine, cherry tomatoes,kalamata olives, capers, feta or goat cheese; 1/2 cup white balsamic; 4 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Description

Grilled Panzanella Salad with colorful bell peppers, artichoke hearts, and white beans tossed in a flavorful white balsamic dressing. Make it on the grill for easy outdoor summer meals! Simple to make and totally vegan!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Salad

1/2 of a rustic bread loaf, about 4 slices, cut into 1 ” slices (smaller is fine if your loaf is pre-sliced)
3 bell peppers varies colors, cutting so there is more flat surface area to grill, about 4 pieces per pepper ( or add grilled zucchini and summer squash)
1 sweet onion, slice in 1/2″ thick rings
olive oil for brushing
15 oz white beans, drained- see notes.
15 oz artichoke hearts in water, drained, and sliced into bite-size pieces
1 cup basil leaves, torn
optional additions: romaine, cherry tomatoes,kalamata olives, capers, feta or goat cheese

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup white balsamic
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Preheat grill to medium high.
Brush olive oil on all sides of peppers, onions and bread slices. Sprinkle with salt just before placing on a preheated hot grill.
Grill until peppers and onions are lightly charred on both sides and the bread slices are toasty on both sides. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette.
Drain the white beans and place them in the bowl with the artichoke hearts.
Add half of the vinaigrette and toss together.
Cut the grilled veggies into bite-size pieces and tear the bread into bite-sized pieces and toss in the bowl along with fresh basil leaves.
Taste and add more dressing and salt and pepper as needed.
Toss or top with any optional additions: cherry tomatoes, chopped romaine, kalamata, or cheese if you like.

Notes

You may not need all the dressing- keep it up to 5 days, it is great on a green salad, steamed greens, grilled veggies.

Feel free to leave out the white beans, or swap out for this grilled chicken, sliced, or cut into bite sized pieces.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 325
Sugar: 8.2 g
Sodium: 477.9 mg
Fat: 11.2 g
Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
Carbohydrates: 49.6 g
Fiber: 18.5 g
Protein: 12.6 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg