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We’re constantly looking for new recipes to use up the sheer amount of tomatoes our garden produces every year, and this ultimate summer panzanella recipe is the perfect solution. If you’re looking to make this ahead for weekday lunches, simply assemble the entire dish, except the toasted bread, and save it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, toast up the bread, toss with the rest of the ingredients, and serve!
If you’re looking for more salad ideas in your life, check out my Shredded Sesame Chicken Salad, Shredded Carrot Apple Salad, and End of Summer Salad recipes!
Ultimate Summer Panzanella Salad Recipe
Servings: 1
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
2 slices of bread (I used an Asiago cheese bread from our local bakery)
3 tablespoons olive oil (I used an herb oil), divided
1 garlic clove, minced/1/4 teaspoon garlic salt/1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 pint (approx. 2 small handfuls) of cherry tomatoes
1/3 English cucumber (or 1/2 of a regular cucumber with the seeds removed), chopped
6 Kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup basil, sliced
1/4 cup mint leaves, sliced
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your oven, or toaster oven, to 400 F. Line a cookie sheet, or sheet pan, with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Cut the slices of bread into 1-inch cubes, and arrange them on the aluminum foil-lined tray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the bread, season with your choice of garlic, pepper, and salt. Omit the additional salt if you’re using garlic salt.
Bake the bread cubes for 5 minutes in the preheated oven, until just starting to brown.
Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes lengthwise (pole to pole), then cut each again to create little wedges.
Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, remaining olive oil, vinegar, herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
When the bread is toasted, toss the cubes into the tomato-cucumber salad and let sit for 5 minutes. This will allow the bread to soak up some of the dressing.
Cooking Notes
You can add all sorts of different vegetables, cheese, and meats to this salad. Whatever you have in your fridge that needs to be used up will generally work.
The inspiration for the ultimate summer panzanella salad recipe comes from a salad I recently saw over on Madeleine Shaw’s Instagram feed.
If you make and enjoy any of my recipes, please leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag me in your pictures on Instagram (@bookishkitchen #thebookishkitchen)! I love seeing my followers recreating my recipes.
