Panzanella Salad Recipe
Panzanella is a tomato and bread salad from Italy. The idea of bread salads and dishes is common across the Mediterranean and was a way to salvage bread that had gone stale. It can be served as a first course or as a side and is especially nice from hot summer months into heirloom tomato season.
Our version has a few tweaks to enhance the tomato and bread flavors but is also a great base from which you can explore your own variations.
Panzanella Salad Recipe
Category
Side
Author:
American Vinegar Works
Ingredients
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2lbs of heirloom tomatoes (mixed colors and firm)
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 garlic clove very finely grated
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½ of a small red onion
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4 tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar (Rose or Chardonnay as alternate)
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1 tablespoon of 19.53 ACV (or other Sweet & Tangy line vinegar)
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1 tablespoon & 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
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6 Kalamata olives, sliced
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1/3 cup of feta, crumbled
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1 English cucumber
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1/3 cup California Olive Oil, more for bread
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4 thick slices of ciabatta or baguette (fresh, not stale)
Directions
Cut tomatoes into largish 1-inch chunks. Think the size of those melon or cantaloup pieces you see at hotel breakfast bars. In a large bowl mix the salt, tomatoes, very finely grated garlic, and oregano. You want to let this ‘dry’ mix stand for about 10 minutes. This will let the flavor penetrate into your tomatoes and it will also cause the tomatoes to release some of their water which you will want to soak the bread.
While the tomatoes sit, very thinly slice half a small red onion. Cut those slices into half-moons. Put onions in a small bowl and add the red wine and sweet ACV. Let the onions soak.
Cut 4 thick slices of bread and brush with olive oil. Grill the bread until black grill marks form. If you don’t have access to a grill or are getting summer showers you can also just use a grill pan. If at all possible, you should aim for some sort of grilling for the bread however since those dark lines add a nice flavor to the salad. Set bread slices aside to cool. Once cool cut or hand rip the slices into 1-inch cubes.
Partially peel your cucumber by taking 4 skin strips off. Cut your cucumber in half the long way. Cut each cucumber half into half-moons about ¼ inch thick. Add cucumbers to tomatoes.
Slice olives and add to tomatoes. Go for flavorful Kalamata or other black olives.
Crumble feta and add to tomatoes. Try to use feta that has been soaking/sold in brine if available.
Add your onions and the soaking vinegar to your tomatoes. Add olive oil. Gently mix.
Feel free to adjust salt and acid to taste but be mindful that your feta and olives will add their own salt and brine in each of your bites so the liquid itself does not need to be overly salted.
I like assembling and serving this salad at the table. If you have guests, transfer the tomato salad from the bowl to a serving tray for a better presentation.
Place a handful of the grilled bread cubes in a shallow soup plate/bowl for each guest.
Spoon your tomato and cucumber salad over the bread in each plate. As you remove your salad you will then have access to the liquid under. Add several spoons of the salad liquid/dressing over each plate. You do want a more liquidy serving than you would with a standard vinaigrette salad dressing. Assembling the bread with the salad at the table is not only a nice serving experience but also soaks the bread while still keeping it slightly crusty.
Recipe Note
Vinegar
This is a salad that definitely requires a wine-based vinegar and I think that the Red or Rose are best. The small addition of our 19.53 ACV or Maple ACV is to add some sweetness to your onions.
Tomatoes
Try to get heirloom tomatoes and a mix of colors. The mix helps with flavor but also makes for a nicer visual presentation. Heirlooms can go soft very quickly. For this salad it is best to pick firm tomatoes and save the soft ones for sauces.
Garlic
Just a little bit of garlic on the tomatoes adds a greater depth of flavor. BUT if you don’t like garlic you can sub in a teaspoon of sharp Dijon mustard as a plan B.
Herbs
Dried oregano works very well in this dish. I like to try to find oregano still on the stem but any good quality dried oregano works well. If you prefer you can also make the salad with fresh basil instead.