Panzanella
Tuscan bread salad with summer tomatoes, cucumber and red onion
Panzanella is how Tuscans eat old bread in summer: hard, unsalted loaf soaked in water, squeezed and crumbled with juicy tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and basil, then dressed with vinegar and plenty of olive oil. In Florence and the Maremma it is a cool lunch for the hottest days, and every family argues about cucumber. Make it 30 minutes before eating so the bread drinks the tomato juice but keeps some bite. Chef's tip: salt the tomatoes first and let them weep in a bowl; that juice becomes the dressing.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Soak 1 red onion in cold water with a splash of ½ tbsp red wine vinegar for 10 minutes to soften its bite, then drain.
10 minStep 2: Put 1 ⅓ lb ripe tomatoes in a large bowl with 1 tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes until they release their juice.
10 minStep 3: Cut or tear 9 oz stale country bread into chunks, sprinkle with cold water until damp all through (not soggy), leave 5 minutes, then squeeze gently and crumble into rough pieces. If your bread is only one day old, skip the water; the tomato juice is enough. Common mistake: drowning the bread, which makes the salad mushy.
5 minStep 4: Add the bread, ½ cucumber, the onion, 1 ¾ oz black olives if using and torn ⅔ oz fresh basil to the tomatoes.
Step 5: Dress with the rest of 1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar, 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and ½ tsp black pepper. Toss gently with your hands and leave for 20–30 minutes before serving so the bread soaks up the juices.
25 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does panzanella take?
- About 20 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of cucumber?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
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