Panzanella Bread Salad

Got ripe summer tomatoes? Got day-old bread? Make this classic Tuscan Panzanella Salad recipe! This is a great make-ahead recipe for a summer potluck or backyard party, or make it for dinner and serve with grilled chicken.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated March 24, 2022
Elise Bauer
Make-Ahead Panzanella Salad Recipe served in a glass bowl
Elise Bauer

Oh the joys of summer! On the top of the list is fresh, ripe tomatoes, garden cucumbers, and basil that the more you cut, the more it grows. (Ever notice that basil is like a hydra? Cut one stem and two grow in its place.)

And the tomatoes. Beefsteak tomatoes, early girls, heirlooms, plum tomatoes, not to mention the little ones like sun golds.

Anyway, the heat has come, the garden has finally started to act like summer, and this classic Tuscan bread salad is a perfect thing to make with the bounty.

Panzanella Bread Salad in a glass serving bowl
Elise Bauer

What Is Panzanella Salad?

Panzanella is really a way to use up crusty bread that has gotten hard and to celebrate perfect summer tomatoes. It is a cooling summertime salad that relies on the bread as the “filler” to soak up the juices of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, as well as the extra virgin olive oil you pour over everything.

Once a poor man's dish, panzanella has become rather trendy. Once you make it, you'll see why! It's a great way to show off wonderful, fresh, summer produce.

Which is why you should only make it in the summer, and only use the best and freshest ingredients. With so few ingredients, you'll want all of them shine.

The Perfect Make-Ahead Salad

Panzanella is best when it has been allowed to sit for a while (at least 30 minutes) before serving. This gives the bread plenty of time to soak up the juices from the tomatoes and for the flavors in the salad to meld.

You can prepare the salad a couple hours ahead of time, keeping it at room temperature, which makes panzanella an excellent make-ahead salad for outdoor picnics and potlucks.

If you need to make further ahead, refrigerate and let come to room temperature before serving.

What to Serve With Panzanella

Serve panzanella salad as a side dish with your summer favorites — grilled chicken, grilled fish or shrimp, and grilled steak. For a vegetarian version with a little more protein, try folding in some chickpeas, or topping the salad with chopped hard boiled eggs right before serving.

Suggestions and Additions

Here are a few variations on panzanella that you might like to try:

  • Add cubes of mozzarella cheese
  • Sprinkle with red wine vinegar
  • Fold in shredded chicken
  • Fold in sliced prosciutto or small chunks of salami
  • Add other vegetables such as chopped avocados, bell pepper, or fresh corn kernels
  • Top with a fried or poached egg

Try These Other Summer Salads

Panzanella Bread Salad

Prep Time 15 mins
Marinating 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

As you cut the tomatoes, remove some of the seeds and liquid. Your panzanella will be juicy enough. Leave the crusts on the bread chunks; they will stay chewier and give the panzanella more substance.

If you don't have stale bread sitting around, you can take fresh crusty bread, cut it into big cubes, lay the cubes out on a baking sheet, and put in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes, until the outer edges have dried out a bit (not toasted, just dried). If you use fresh bread without doing this, the bread may disintegrate into mush in the salad.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups tomatoes, cut into large chunks

  • 4 cups day old (somewhat dry and hard) crusty bread (Italian or French loaf), cut into chunks the same size as the tomatoes (see Recipe Note)

  • 1 cucumber, skinned and seeded, cut into large chunks

  • 1/2 red onion, chopped

  • 1 bunch fresh basil, torn into little pieces

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Mix everything together and let marinate, covered, at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

  2. If refrigerating, let come to room temperature before serving.

    Note if you add meat, eggs, or cheese to this salad, store chilled if making ahead, and bring to room temp to serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
196 Calories
14g Fat
15g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 196
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 140mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 13mg 67%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 297mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.