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Vegetables in bowl with basil on white napkin

Tuscan Panzanella Salad with Arugula

kaydimaggio
This Tuscan Panzanella Salad is the perfect dish for a warm day. It is refreshing, both sweet and acidic and most of all delicious. 
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Entree
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 175 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Salad:

  • 1 large French Baguette cubed
  • 2 pounds heirloom cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
  • ½ red onion
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Dressing:

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 cloves garlic-chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Dice the tomatoes and onion and chop the basil.
  • In a large bowl, add the diced tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss the tomatoes and set them aside. 
  • Cube the baguette. Drizzle the baguette with olive oil and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. You want the baguette to be crunchy but still have a slight softness to it.
  • To assemble the salad, add the baguette, tomatoes, red onion and basil to a bowl and toss to combine.
  • For the dressing, combine all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk until emulsified. Drizzle over salad.
  • Refrigerate the salad for 20 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the tomato juices and oil from the dressing. 
  • Serve cold and enjoy! 

Notes

  • Salting the tomatoes is an important and crucial step that shouldn't be missed. When salting the tomatoes, it helps to draw out the juices of the tomatoes giving it a better, brighter flavor.
  • Don't skip toasting the bread in the oven. This is important to avoiding terribly soggy panzanella. Even if you use day-old bread which hardens on its own, it is still important to cut it in cubes and toast it in the oven for a few minutes-just enough for the edges to get crusty, while the inside gets firm but remains chewy.
  • Allow the panzanella to sit for a bit before serving. This is an important step that shouldn't be missed. It only needs to sit for about 20-30 minutes to really let the juices of the tomatoes and dressing penetrate the bread. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 6.6gProtein: 1.3gFat: 16.9gSaturated Fat: 2.4gSodium: 403mgFiber: 1.3gSugar: 3.5g
Keyword Mediterranean, Salad
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