Panzanella salad may just be the perfect salad. It doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, I would say it’s a top-tier salad, up there with a Classic Caesar Salad. This easy Italian summer salad is packed with the most delicious seasonal ingredients and is super refreshing—exactly what I want to eat when the weather is warm. While you can certainly enjoy it year-round, the classic version with cucumbers and tomatoes shines best with in-season produce. Nonetheless, I’m open to creating variations for every season. Maybe I’ll expand this into a seasonal Panzanella series. Panzanella year-round!
This salad has become a staple in our home, especially since we often have an abundance of extra bread. From neighbors dropping off baguettes and Greek holiday loaves, to our regular bread purchases, we always have more than we can eat fresh. So for any extra bread we have, into the freezer it goes, and while some gets made into homemade croutons, breadcrumbs, or used for various whipped ricotta toasts or sardine toasts, one of the best (and most delicious) ways to use it up is in a classic panzanella salad. So, if you have any stale or day-old bread, I highly encourage you to try this. I promise you’ll be making panzanella all summer long.
I would say it’s a top-tier salad, up there with a Caesar. And you know I love a Caesar Salad.
Panzanella Salad: A Classic Italian Bread Salad Perfect for Summer
What is panzanella salad?
Panzanella is an Italian bread salad. It’s most common in central Italy, and famous for being from the region of Tuscany. It’s a classic dish from the cucina povera or “poor kitchen” in Italian, that’s known for using modest, humble ingredients and letting nothing go to waste. And panzanella was one way that leftover, stale bread was used and made into something super delicious.
Panzanella is traditionally made by combing stale bread, that gets rehydrated with some cold water and the juices from the various other ingredients in the salad. The dressing is sharp and pungent and the bread absorbs all the flavors of the salad ingredients. It’s a refreshing and super satisfying salad.
Essentially it’s a “salad with bread cubes”.
Ingredients for a Classic Panzanella Salad
For The Salad Base:
- Bread – This is a recipe that calls for stale bread. Day old bread or any leftover bread is a god bet. You can also toast up some fresh bread if it’s all you have. For this salad you want something that has texture to it like a classic Tuscan bread, ciabatta, Italian loaf, even a baguette would work in a pinch. I wouldn’t really recommend sour dough here, but you could use it if you really wanted to. The sour notes of the bread may be a bit much with all the other flavors going on so just keep that in mind. What you most certainly don’t want to use is a basic sliced white loaf, a brioche, etc. You need something that won’t turn into complete mush when it gets mixed with the rest of the salad.
- Tomatoes – Any ripe delicious tomato works for this. Here I used a combination of some larger purple cocktail tomatoes and small sungold cherry tomatoes. Both are super flavorful and sweet. But use whatever is available and ripe.
- Cucumbers – Persian or baby cucumbers are my go-to—they’re crisp, seedless, and have tender skins. English cucumbers also work well. If using larger cucumbers with thick skins or lots of seeds, just peel and deseed them.
- Onions (optional) – Something mild like a shallot or a yellow onion would be my recommendation here, but you could also use a red onion if you want. And, if the raw onion is a bit too much for you, rinse it under cold water to remove some of that sharp onion flavor. Or, just omit it. That’s what I did here, I kinda forgot, so no onion in this version but it’s still very good.
- Basil – Lots of fresh basil leaves add so much flavor to this salad. You could also use some fresh parsley or a little fresh oregano.
For the panzanella salad dressing:
This dressing is based on Marcella Hazan’s Panzanella Salad Recipe from “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” The quantities are not the same but the general list of ingredients with those bold and bright flavors is very much in-line with her version.
- Anchovies – I used some anchovies packed in oil. If you’re using the salt packed ones, you may need to quickly rise them in water to remove some of the salt. You only need 2 or 3 for this dressing so you’ll have some leftover. I would suggest using those to make a batch of Caesar dressing.
- Capers – They’re a pretty major component of the dressing so get the best ones you can. I used capers in brine here, but feel free to use salt packed ones. Rinse them off before adding them to your dressing or it’s going to be way, way too salty.
- Garlic – Just your basic garlic here. Adjust the amount to whatever you like. The original recipe I looked at from Marcella Hazan used only 1/2 a clove. I used a full clove and went for it. Use as much as you like.
- Red Wine Vinegar – You want a classic red wine vinegar here. Nothing too strong or overly acidic. Get a good one, it’ll last you a while and you’ll use it in so many other salads.
- Olive Oil – Use your best extra virgin olive oil here.
- Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
How to make this Panzanella Salad Recipe
- Make the Dressing
Mince the anchovies into a paste. Mix with minced garlic, chopped capers, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Set aside. - Toast the Bread
Tear bread into bite-sized chunks. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 300°F for about 10 minutes—just until dried out, not browned. - Prep the Veggies
Dice the tomatoes and cucumbers. Thinly slice onion if using. - Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, combine toasted bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. Pour over the dressing and toss well. - Let It Sit
Let the salad rest for 10–20 minutes so the bread can soak up all the juices. Toss again, taste for seasoning, then add the basil and serve.
What are some variations on a panzanella salad?
- Winter Panzanella Salad – Any combination on seasonal winter produce like squash, pears, shaved Brussel’s sprouts and pomegranate seeds. You could even try making it with a pumpernickel or seeded, whole grain bread.
- Panzanella Salad with Chicken – If you want to bulk up the salad a bit, and make it more or a full meal. Grill up a thin chicken cutlet, then pile plenty of that panzanella right on top. Similar to the grilled chicken paillard I love to make. Perfect easy summer dinner.
- Grilled Panzanella – Get creative with this one. Grill up the bread and some seasonal veggies like zucchini or summer squash for this panzanella salad. The charr flavor from the grill is a nice extra touch to the salad.
- Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad – Add in a few grilled peaches, maybe even a little fresh mint. I’m definitely making this one!
- Panzanella Salad with Shrimp – Top the salad with some grilled or poached shrimp. So simple and so good!
- Panzanella with Burrata – This is kinda a must. While panzanella doesn’t classically have cheese in it, this would certainly be an instance where a ball, or two, of burrata would be perfect.
- Panzanella Salad with Tuna – One of my favorites! A panzanella with tuna. I like a tinned or jarred tuna in oil for this. Crack it open and layer the tuna right on top of the salad, a little extra dressing on the fish and dig in.
More Delicious Salads to Try:
Stone Fruit Caprese Salad – This stone fruit caprese salad is a delicious twist on the classic! Juicy peaches, plums, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella get topped with fresh mint and oregano.
Tomato Tonnato – The classic Italian tuna sauce served with tomatoes, fried capers and crispy breadcrumbs.
Cantaloupe Salad With Cucumber and Feta – This refreshing cantaloupe salad with cucumber and feta is the perfect sweet and salty summer side. Quick to prep, topped with crunchy pistachios, fresh basil, and a bright lime dressing.
Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad – This Sicilian fennel and orange salad is a classic Italian citrus salad featuring fresh fennel, blood orange, olives, and walnuts. A simple, delicious fennel and orange salad that you will be making again and again!
Radicchio Salad With Pear and Blue Cheese – This Italian radicchio salad has sweet pears, blue cheese, olives, and a delicious honey walnut dressing. The perfect light lunch or side dish.
Arugula Salad With Parmesan, Pine Nuts and Pomelo – Peppery arugula, tangy pomelo, nutty pine nuts, and salty parmesan make the perfect Italian-inspired salad.
Orzo Pasta Salad – A mediterranean style orzo pasta salad with feta, olives, dried oregano, dill and parsley.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad – This easy cucumber and tomato salad is the summer side you’ll make on repeat. Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, fresh basil, and red onion tossed in olive oil and vinegar. Perfect with grilled chicken, fish, or just crusty bread.
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Panzanella Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For The Dressing
- 2 anchovies
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp capers drained and/or rinsed
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1/4 c red wine vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
For The Salad
- 3 Persian cucumbers or 1/2 large seedless cucumber, diced
- 1 c cherry tomatoes - halved and quartered, or 1 large tomato diced
- 1/4 onion finely sliced, *optional
- 4 slices bread
- 1 handful basil leaves
Instructions
- To make dressing, finely chop anchovies until they become a paste. Add to a bowl with finely minced garlic, capers, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well. Taste for seasoning.
- Pre-heat oven to 300°F. Tear bread into bite sized chunks, drizzle with olive oil and toast bread in oven for approximately 10 minutes or until bread is toasted but hasn’t taken on any color.
- Get your tomatoes and cucumber diced. Slice onion. (The onion is optional, I didn’t any here, but occasionally I do.)
- To make salad, combine toasted bread, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions (if using) in a large bowl. Add in your dressing and toss well. Let salad sit for at least 10 minutes, 20 would be better. You want the cucumbers and tomatoes to release their juices and soften and season the bread. Toss again and check for seasoning. Add in you basil and serve.
Video
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment with your thoughts or share your version on Instagram by tagging @TheMostHungry. I’d love to see how you made it your own!
FAQs
What is panzanella salad?
It’s a traditional Italian bread salad made with day-old bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a vinegar-based dressing.
What kind of bread works best?
Crusty, rustic breads like ciabatta, Italian loaf, or a Tuscan-style boule work best. Avoid soft sandwich breads.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep the ingredients ahead, but it’s best to toss everything together 10–20 minutes before serving.
How long does panzanella last in the fridge?
It’s best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored for up to 1 day. The bread will get softer, but still tasty.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes! Use a gluten-free loaf that has some structure and toast it well.
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
One thought on Panzanella Salad
I just happen to have all the right ingredients to make this salad. Sounds like the perfect dinner for today.