Irresistible Spring Panzanella (Printable Version)

Crispy sourdough cubes tossed with fresh spring vegetables and tangy herb dressing for a satisfying Italian-style salad.

# Ingredient List:

→ Bread

01 - 7 oz crusty sourdough or ciabatta, cut into ¾ in 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 - 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
14 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
15 - ½ tsp Dijon mustard
16 - ½ 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 transforms into these perfect flavor soaked sponges while maintaining just enough crunch to keep things interesting
  • You get all the satisfaction of comfort food but it feels impossibly light and fresh
02 -
  • The bread needs to be completely cool before you toss it with the vegetables or it will steam and get soggy instead of staying crispy
  • Ten minutes of resting time is the sweet spot any longer and you lose that crucial textural contrast
03 -
  • Use a really wide shallow bowl instead of a deep one so you can toss everything gently without making a mess
  • If you're planning to serve this at a party keep some extra toasted bread on the side to refresh leftovers

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