Panzanella Toscana- Italian Bread Salad

5 from 2 votes

Panzanella Toscana made with overripe tomatoes, and stale bread is the sort of salad put together as a tribute to glorious leftovers.

Prep Time5

Salting & Standing30

Total Time35

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Easy

Difficulty: Easy

Diet: dairy free, nut free, Vegan, Vegetarian,

Servings: As a side

Calories: 244kcal

2 pieces of stale bread (ciabatta or sourdough bread)¹ (1 cup diced, Note: 1)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning Mix² (can sub with dried oregano Note: 2)
4 medium truss tomatoes³ (approximately 500grams/17.64 ounces; Note: 3)
1 small Lebanese/Persian cucumber⁴ (approximately 130 grams/4.6 ounces; Note: 4)
1 small red onion (approximately 60 grams/2.12 ounces)
½ bunch basil (fresh)
⅓ cup olive oil ⁵ (Note: 5)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Wash and trim your tomatoes, cut into wedges and salt for 10-15 minutes in a large mixing bowl.
Cut your bread into a small dice, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkly with Italian seasoningg. Grill until golden brown.^{Note 6}
Wash, trim and peel your cucumber and onion, cut the cucumber into thick rounds and the onion into thin slices.
Wash your basil, shake to remove excess water, pick the leaves (reserve a few for a garnish) then tear them roughly.
Add all your prepared ingredients to the mixing bowl with the tomatoes with the olive oil and red wine vinegar, and season with some pepper.
Toss everything together until well combined; taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
Arrange your Panzanella Toscana salad in a serving bowl, and chill in the fridge, ideally for 30 minutes, before you are ready to serve, then garnish with the reserved basil leaves and bread. ^{Note 7}Serve and enjoy!

Try a ciabatta, a pane di casa, artisan or sourdough with lots of holes in it (open crumbed). Avoid soft loaves such as baguettes and dinner rolls as they will not hold up the dressing.
For added flavour I have used some of our Italian Seasoning Mix, you can sub with dried oregano or leave it out if you prefer.
This is such a simple salad, so you must use good quality ingredients. It is best made when tomatoes are in season, super-ripe, with a wonderful rich tomatoey aroma. We have used truss tomatoes, but heirloom tomatoes, beefsteak or even small sweet cherry tomatoes will work.
Lebanese/Persian cucumbers have fewer seeds and won't go soggy in the salad.
Use good quality olive oil for its fresh, complex flavour.
Grilling your bread prevents it from turning gloopy in the salad and adds a nice crunch.
You need to get the timing of Panzanella just right; the veggies need enough time to soak up the flavourful dressing but not too long that they turn soggy. Ideally, 30 minutes but at a pinch 15 minutes also works.