How to make an Authentic Tuscan Panzanella Salad made with ripe summer tomatoes, fresh cucumber, onion and of course bread! It's a cool and refreshing salad perfect for summer and for using up stale bread.
The Tuscans know how to make beautiful food with stale bread. Pappa al Pomodoro (a tomato bread soup and one of my favourite things ever), Ribolita (a hearty vegetable and bread soup and of course, Panzanella salad.
Panzanella is a centuries-old Tuscan salad that uses stale bread soaked in water to rehydrate it. Don't be worried about the salad being "soggy" because it's not. The bread soaks up all the beautiful flavours making it super refreshing and delicious.
Once rehydrated, the bread is then mixed with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and the simplest dressing made with vinegar and olive oil.
Panzanella is best during the summer months when the ingredients are fresh, ripe and delicious. Once you've tried the traditional recipe go and try our modern take, Tuna Panzanella Salad that's made with fresh tuna steak and ciabatta crouton.
See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below
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Ingredients
See the photo below that shows you all the ingredients you need to make an Authentic Panzanella Salad plus some notes and tips on ingredients.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
The most important thing here (as always) is to use good quality, fresh ingredients.
- Crusty Tuscan bread - Tuscan bread is made with no salt but you can make Panzanella with any white stale crusty bread you have. The bread is best a few days to even a week old and should be stale. If you are using fresh bread you can still make Panzanella but you will only need to soak it for a split second.
- Tomatoes - for a delicious tasting salad you need fresh, ripe summer tomatoes. We use fresh plum tomatoes.
- Cucumber - peel the bitter skin from the cucumber before using.
- Red onion - we used Tuscan red onions but I also love using Tropea onions from time to time. Use what you have.
- Fresh basil - It's really important to use fresh basil don't ever use dried.
- White wine or red wine vinegar - We used white wine vinegar because it's what we had but either works really well.
- Olive oil - use a good quality olive oil.
- Salt - for seasoning.
Step by step photos and instructions
Soak the bread - First, you need to cut the bread into either cubes or slices (whatever is easiest depending on how stale your bread is) and soak it for a few seconds in cold water. Once wet and rehydrated squeeze all the water out (photos 1 & 2).
Prepare the veg - Next, chop the tomato into small cubes, peel and chop the cucumber into similar-sized cubes and peel and slice the onion. Add everything to a bowl with the fresh basil (photo 3).
Add seasoning & dressing - Add the vinegar, olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Add more to taste and serve (photo 4).
Recipe tips
- If you don't have stale bread - you can cut the bread and leave it out for a few hours to dry out or alternatively, you can toast the bread if you don't have stale bread to use.
- Season the salad well - sprinkle salt a little at a time over the salad, toss it and taste it for seasoning and add more according to taste.
- Use ripe and fresh ingredients - the vegetables and basil should be fresh and ripe. This salad is best with fresh summer produce that are in season.
- Let the salad sit - Panzanella tastes best once the bread has soaked up all the juices and flavour (don't be scared of it being "soggy" because it's absolutely delicious). Leave it for at least 30 minutes if possible before serving but it can also be made a few hours in advance and left in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
A true and authentic Panzanella salad is never made with croutons (you'll never find croutons served in a Panzanella in Tuscany). Instead, it's made with stale bread that been rehydrated in water. It's also made with very few ingredients and only includes fresh tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and basil with added vinegar and olive oil.
Although not traditional you can easily adapt the recipe with other ingredients such as canned tuna, mozzarella, capers or olives.
The salad is best eaten within 1 day of making it but will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.
More Italian Summer recipes to try
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📖 Full Recipe
Authentic Tuscan Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
- 150 g stale white crusty bread (4-5 large slices)
- 3 large plum tomatoes (280g)
- 1 cucumber
- 1 red onion
- 1 small handful fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- First, cut the bread into slices or rough cubes. Add the bread to cold water for a few seconds then remove it with your hands and squeeze all the water out as best as you can. Crumble the bread into a bowl and set aside.
- Cut the tomatoes into small cubes, peel the cucumber and cut that into similar sized pieces. Finely slice the onion and tear the basil into a bowl with the bread.
- Pour in a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, add the 2 tablespoons of vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss everything together and taste. Add more vinegar and/or salt to taste.
Notes
-
- If you don't have stale bread - you can cut the bread and leave it out for a few hours to dry out or alternatively, you can toast the bread if you don't have stale bread to use.
- Season the salad well - sprinkle salt a little at a time over the salad, toss it and taste it for seasoning and add more according to taste.Use ripe and fresh ingredients - the vegetables and basil should be fresh and ripe. This salad is best with fresh summer produce that are in season.
- Let the salad sit - Panzanella tastes best once the bread has soaked up all the juices and flavour (don't be scared of it being "soggy" because it's absolutely delicious). Leave it for at least 30 minutes if possible before serving but it can also be made a few hours in advance and left in the fridge.
- How long does it last - the salad is best eaten within 1 day of making it but will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
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