Got old-ish bread and an assortment of random veggies? That’s all you need to make this panzanella.
The recipe does not insist on peak-season tomatoes or fancy farmers market finds. It’s a flexible, no-fuss salad that makes good use of whatever produce is hanging out in your fridge or on your counter.
Let’s make something delicious from what you already have! Jump to the recipe + video to get started, or read on for some ideas for improvisation.
Ingredients for building your own panzanella
What’s fair game in panzanella? Pretty much anything. The recipe at the end of this post has instructions for using any of these ingredients. Here’s a list to get you started.
Breads
Stay away from more delicate enriched breads such as challah, brioche, and sliced sandwich bread. Otherwise, go for:
Rye
Baguette
Crusty whole wheat
Multigrain
Sourdough
Bagels
Ciabatta
Herbs
Leafy (use more)
Cilantro, dill, parsley, chives, basil, mint
Woody (use less)
Thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano
If you’re using dried herbs, use way less.
Produce
Spring produce:
roasted broccoli or cauliflower florets
sliced radishes
roasted carrots, parsnips, or beets
blanched fava beans
sautéed asparagus, ramps, or leeks
prepped fiddlehead ferns
blanched peas
sliced celery
sautéed morels
sliced strawberries or anjou pears
Summer produce:
grilled or fresh corn kernels
grilled or blanched green bean segments
quartered figs
blueberries
whole pitted cherries
thinly sliced peppers
roasted okra
halved cherry tomatoes
grilled zucchini or eggplant
sliced stone fruit or cucumbers
berries or grapes
Fall produce:
roasted okra
pomegranate arils or grapes
roasted squash or pumpkin
quartered figs
sliced roasted carrots, parsnips, or beets
sliced apple, celery, or fennel
roasted broccoli or cauliflower
chestnuts
sautéed chanterelles
sautéed broccoli rabe
sliced plums, pears, or ripe persimmons
Winter / anytime produce:
thinly sliced radicchio or fennel
roasted carrots, parsnips, or beets
roasted squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato
roasted cauliflower florets
sautéed kale or collards
clementine segments
sliced persimmons (winter-only) or pears
supremed citrus
sautéed mushrooms
sliced olives
frozen corn
Btw, here’s a quick guide to washing and drying herbs for maximum fridge-life (disable ad block if video does not appear):
4 seasonal panzanellas:
The recipe below has you covered, no matter the time of year or what’s in your fridge. But here are a few of my favorite flavor combinations to get you started:
Summer: Baguette, Tomatoes, Nectarines, Corn, Jalapeño, Cilantro, Basil (this one’s included as an example in the following recipe!)
Fall: Sourdough, Clementines, Kale, Squash, Sage, Pomegranate Arils
Winter: Rye, Oranges, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Castelvetrano Olives, Feta, Red Onion
Spring: Everything Bagels, Favas, Baby Arugula, Dill, Chives
Easy Panzanella (with any produce)
The following recipe can be made with any ingredients, but I included my favorite ingredients as an example. If you use all the example ingredients, you’ll get the panzanella pictured in this recipe card (just don’t add water). Yum!
Ingredients
- 8 oz [225 g] loaf crusty bread (e.g., a baguette)
- Cooking spray or olive oil
- 4 to 6 cups [500 to 800 g] prepared produce (e.g., 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes + 3 sliced nectarines/peaches + 1 ribbed minced jalapeño + corn from 2 grilled ears)
- ½ cup [65 g] crumbled or shredded cheese (optional)
- ½ to 1⅓ cups chopped leafy herbs -or- 2 tsp chopped woody herbs (e.g., ¼ cup cilantro or parsley + ¼ cup basil)
- ⅓ cup [70 g] extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp water (optional)
- 1 garlic clove, crushed through a press or finely minced
- 1 tsp mustard (optional)
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper or your favorite spice
- ¼ to ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F [165°C].
- Cut the bread into ¾ in [2 cm] cubes and spread out on a baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray or drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, just until dried out and lightly browned. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Set aside anything delicate that will fall apart once mixed in (such as citrus supremes, particularly ripe stone fruit, or very creamy feta). Place the rest of the prepared produce in the bowl with the bread, and top with the cheese and herbs, reserving some herbs for garnish. Set aside.
- Decide whether you should add water to the dressing*: Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, water (if using), garlic, mustard (if using), black pepper, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until completely combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together until evenly coated. Garnish with any delicate produce or any reserved herbs, let it sit for about 5 minutes, and then serve.
Notes
* If you’re using a lot of high-moisture produce (like tomatoes, nectarines, peaches, cucumbers, etc.), you won’t need to add water; if you’re using a lot of medium-moisture produce, you will need to add it. When in doubt, don’t add it, see if your bread is a bit on the dry-side, and sprinkle on a bit more water as needed. The bread should be chewy and a little crisp, but not soggy.
Video note: You can find the video in the introduction to this blog post. If you don’t see it after scrolling up, please disable ad block and reload the page.
Psst… by the way, I wrote a whole cookbook of adaptable recipes like this one. It’s called A Dish for All Seasons!
Check it out for adaptable base recipes + ideas for seasonal (and evergreen!) variations
