Irresistible Spring Panzanella (Printable)

Vibrant Italian bread salad with fresh spring vegetables and herbs

# What You Need:

→ Bread

01 - 7 oz crusty sourdough or ciabatta, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

→ Vegetables

03 - 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
06 - 6 radishes, thinly sliced
07 - 3.5 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
08 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

→ Herbs

09 - 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves torn
10 - 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn
11 - 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

12 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
13 - 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
14 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
15 - 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard
16 - 0.5 tsp sea salt
17 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss the bread cubes with 2 tbsp olive oil and spread on a baking tray. Toast for 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp. Let cool.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, radishes, sugar snap peas, and spring onions.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Add the toasted bread cubes and fresh herbs to the salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to combine.
05 - Allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes, letting the bread absorb some dressing and vegetable juices. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The bread soaks up all those bright spring juices while keeping just enough crunch
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it right before serving
02 -
  • The salad is best eaten within 2 hours of dressing or the bread becomes too soft
  • If you're making it ahead, keep the bread and dressing separate until the last minute
03 -
  • Cut all vegetables roughly the same size for the most pleasant eating experience
  • Taste a piece of toasted bread with the dressing before adding it to the salad

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