Sourdough Panzanella Salad (Print-Friendly)

Crunchy sourdough, heirloom tomatoes, and basil vinaigrette blend in this refreshing Italian salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 8.8 oz day-old sourdough bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
02 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

→ Vegetables

04 - 17.6 oz assorted heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges or bite-sized pieces
05 - 1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small garlic clove, minced

→ Basil Vinaigrette

08 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
09 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon honey
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 1.75 oz fresh mozzarella or burrata, torn (optional)
15 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss sourdough cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Spread on baking sheet and toast for 10-15 minutes, stirring once, until golden and crisp. Transfer to cooling rack.
02 - Combine fresh basil, 1/4 cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, and salt and pepper in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
03 - In large bowl, combine heirloom tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and red onion slices. Add cooled sourdough croutons.
04 - Drizzle basil vinaigrette over salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly. Allow to stand for 10 minutes to permit flavors to develop and bread to absorb dressing.
05 - Transfer salad to serving platter. Top with torn mozzarella or burrata and additional fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately while croutons remain crisp.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough cubes soak up the dressing while staying crispy, creating this perfect textural contrast that keeps you reaching back for more.
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes better the longer it sits, making it ideal for when you're cooking ahead of guests.
  • There's genuine magic in how fresh basil transforms into a vinaigrette, turning something simple into something that tastes restaurant-quality.
02 -
  • Using truly day-old bread is non-negotiable; fresh bread will turn to mush, and rock-hard bread won't absorb the dressing properly.
  • Blend that basil vinaigrette right before serving because it oxidizes quickly and loses both its color and brightness within an hour.
  • Don't assemble this more than 30 minutes ahead unless you want sogginess; the 10-minute rest is perfect, but any longer and the bread loses its textural integrity.
03 -
  • Make your croutons the morning of if you're entertaining; they stay crispy for hours in an airtight container and won't get soggy until the dressing touches them.
  • If your basil vinaigrette seems too thick, thin it with a tablespoon of water rather than more oil, which keeps the flavor balanced.
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