Panzanella (Tuscan-Style Salad)
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Panzanella is a delicious Tuscan salad that helps you to put to good use juicy tomatoes and stale bread. In my version, we’ll also add some chickpeas for an extra boost in plant-based protein!
Table of contents
Who is up for a colorful and hearty Panzanella salad?
Every time I eat it, it reminds me of golden wheat fields in sunny Tuscany.
It’s one of my favorite salads to prepare for several reasons:
- It’s super quick to throw together.
- Filling yet light, it works well as a side, but it’s perfect for a healthy lunch or light dinner.
- It’s perfect for meal prep: you can leave it in the fridge for a few days, and it’s just going to get better and better by resting more.
- It just looks incredible, and it makes you want to eat it with your eyes.
It’s best in the summer when tomatoes are juicy and sweet, and basil releases its scent in the air. But I can’t deny I love to eat it all year round.
Where is Panzanella salad from?
There are so many different variations of this Italian salad that sometimes we tend to forget where it came from.
Are you up for a bit of history?
Panzanella originated in central Italy (Tuscany, Lazio, Umbria, and Marche regions). And it’s been around for a while. It was first mentioned by Boccaccio in The Decameron (14th century), where he called it called pan lavato (washed bread).
There are different stories about the real origin of Panzanella:
- Some say that farmers used to soak stale bread in water and then eat it with fresh veggies from the garden.
- Others say that Panzanella was born on fishing boats, where sailors used seawater to soak stale bread before eating it with fresh onions.
Whatever the real origin is, we are grateful to whoever invented it!
Also check Cold Rice Salad Italian Style!
What does panzanella mean in Italian?
The word panzanella comes from two words:
pane” (or bread) and “zanella” (soup bowl)
Others say it means “panzana” meaning “pappa” (food).
What are Panzanella’s original ingredients?
These days bread, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers are normally the star ingredients of this recipe. But it wasn’t always like that.
The original Panzanella recipe was made with stale bread, onions, and basil seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, and salt. That’s it. So simple.
In Tuscany and Umbria, the bread was left soaking in water, squeezed and crumbled, then mixed with the other ingredients.
In the Marche region, it used to be soaked, but then all the ingredients were laid on top of the slice of bread, a bit like an old-style bruschetta.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients I use to make my special hearty version of panzanella.
Stale crusty bread
You will need one slice of bread for two people. You can use any bread you like, but I strongly recommend you use Tuscan or sourdough bread. For this recipe, I used whole-grain sourdough.
If the bread is a couple of days old, even better. If you only have fresh bread, toast it for a couple of minutes to make sure it’s dry and crunchy before you soak it.
And don’t tell your Italian friends that I told you that using sourdough bread is allowed! According to the original recipe, you must use Tuscan bread. Tuscan bread is made without salt. It has a much more delicate structure which will allow it to crumble more easily.
Red onion
Red onion is the best for panzanella. Its vibrant color looks great, and its meatier texture gives panzanella a bit more crunch. If you find the taste too pungent, you can let the onion rest in some water for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the salad.
Tomatoes
Good old sweet and juicy tomatoes! They are the star of this panzanella. For my version of panzanella I used red and yellow cherry tomatoes as they lose a bit less juice and can last a bit longer in the fridge (ideal for my prep-ahead mason jar version).
But feel free to use any kind of tomatoes for this recipe.
Fresh basil
Sweet, fragrant basil is an essential ingredient for this panzanella. It brings a taste of summer to the plate. You can use whole leaves (like I did) or slice them into small tiny ribbons.
Black olives
I love olives. Here I used Kalamata olives (I know, I know, they are from Greece, not Italy…but what can I say? I really like them).
Olives bring a salty, meaty flavor to this salad.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are one of my favorite meat substitutes for vegetarian and vegan recipes. They are rich in protein and fiber and help to fill me up until my next meal.
Every time I eat them, I leave the table feeling satisfied. That’s why I love to add them pretty much everywhere.
Extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, plus water, salt, pepper & dried oregano
Like in the good old days, extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar are used to make a simple dressing for panzanella.
Water is used to soak the bread. But instead of soaking the bread ahead of time, I prefer to mix the water with the other dressing ingredients and pour it over the bread to give it a bit of extra flavor.
Just mix olive oil, water, and vinegar with a pinch of salt, pepper, and dried oregano to make a perfectly simple Italian vinaigrette.
Can panzanella be made ahead of time?
Panzanella is one of the few salads that gets better and better when you make it ahead of time.
The more it can rest, the more the bread can soak up the flavors and juices from the tomatoes and the dressing.
That’s why it’s one of my favorite salads for meal prep. I also love to prep it when I have guests: I can make it the night before, let it rest in the fridge, and take it out a couple of hours before my friends arrive for dinner.
A no-stress side dish that everyone loves!
How to meal prep Panzanella in a mason jar
When you meal prep salads in mason jars, you normally layer them by putting the dressing at the bottom with the ingredients that won’t get soggy. The closer to the top you’ll get, the more delicate the ingredients will be (like leafy greens and chopped herbs).
The only difference with Panzanella in a jar is that you do want the bread to get soggy.
- You need to start by layering the onions at the bottom, then the chickpeas, followed by chunky bread pieces, and the chopped tomatoes.
Then pour the dressing all over. This will allow the dressing to go through the tomatoes and the bread. It will then sit at the bottom of the jar, where it will pickle and slightly soften the onions, making them less intense and delicious.
Whether you leave this salad in the fridge for a couple of hours or a couple of days, the tomatoes will release their juices, softening and infusing the bread, making it irresistible to eat.
When you are ready to eat Panzanella, just pour it on a plate, mix it well and dive in.
Why I love this Panzanella recipe
- Colorful and delicious!
- It’s so easy to make!
- Filled with wholesome ingredients
- Rich in plant-based protein
- Perfect as a light lunch or as a great side!
- Easy to meal prep!
More Salads You’ll Love
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
- Delicious Fennel Salad
- Refreshing Spring Salad
- Radicchio Salad with Apples and Walnuts
- Healthy Potato Salad (No Eggs)
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Protein Salad Meal Prep
More lunch recipes you’ll love
- One-Pan Mexican Quinoa Recipe
- 5 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas
- Mediterranean Lunch Box
- Easy Hummus Bowl
- Chickpea Buddha Bowl
- Cold Rice Salad
- Vegan sushi Bowl
- Red Cabbage Salad
And for more meal prep recipes, check out these healthy meal prep ideas or these plant-based meal prep recipes.
If you try this easy Panzanella salad recipe, let me know in the comments!
Panzanella
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 slice of stale bread
- ⅔ pound cherry tomatoes - sliced in half
- ½ red onion
- 10 large basil leaves
- 2 tablespoon black olives
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas - drained
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano - plus extra for garnish
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Optional ingredients
- 2 sundried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon caper
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1/2 red or yellow pepper
Instructions
If you are making the panzanella salad to eat straight away:
- Prepare the dressing: In a bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, water, salt, and black pepper to taste. Whisk until combined.
- Prepare the bread: If you have stale bread (at least 2-3 days old), simply cut it into cubes. If you only have fresh bread, toast it in the oven or in a toaster for a couple of minutes, until it becomes golden in color.
- Prepare the salad: Thinly slice the onion, cut the tomatoes in half (or quarters if they are big) and place in a bowl with the chickpeas. Add the black olives (I used kalamata olives) and the bread cubes. Pour the dressing all over the salad and mix well.
- Sprinkle the basil leaves all over and let it rest for a minimum of 20 minutes (but ideally a couple of hours) before serving.
If you are making the panzanella in a jar:
- Prepare the dressing: In a bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, water, salt, and black pepper to taste. Whisk until combined.
- Prepare the bread: if you have stale bread (at least 2-3 days old), simply cut it into cubes. If you only have fresh bread, toast it in the oven or in a toaster for a couple of minutes, until it becomes golden in color.
- Layer the salad: add the onions at the bottom of the jar, then the chickpeas, followed by the chunky bread pieces, and the chopped tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the salad. Add the basil leaves on top, close the jar and place in the fridge.
- You can meal prep this salad for up to 2-3 days in advance.
- When you are ready to eat panzanella, just pour it on a plate, mix it well and dive in.
Notes
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Capers
- Cucumber
- Red or yellow peppers
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Tag @gatheringdreams on Instagram. I want to see it!
Absolutely delicious and very easy to make! A wonderful summer salad with mouth watering fresh basil.
Thanks os much, Jane! Glad you like it! It’s one of my favorite salads for summer!