Garlic Bread Panzanella Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian, Dairy Free
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Garlic Bread Panzanella Salad! An extremely versatile dish that features bold flavors, and is best when made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. A perfect salad for summer when tomatoes and cucumbers are in abundance and you want to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible! It’s light and filling and can be either a side dish or a main entree when adding simple grilled or sauteed chicken.
Ingredients
  • 1 loaf crusty baguette or italian loaf, cubed
  • 1 whole cucumber, halved and sliced
  • 2 cups on the vine tomatoes or whatever fresh tomatoes you have on hand, sliced into bite sized pieces
  • ¼ cup plus 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • ½-1 cup basil, chiffonade
  • 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and kept whole
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cut bread into 1 in cubes and arrange in one layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread cubes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes, turning halfway through, or until crisp and slightly toasted.
  4. Pull the bread out of the oven and let cool slightly for ~5 minutes. Once the bread cubes are cool enough to handle, grab the garlic clove and lightly rub each cube with the garlic clove.
  5. Then, slice cucumber into ½ inch slices, and slice the tomatoes into bite sized pieces. If using different tomatoes (e.g. cherry, grape, etc.), slice in half.
  6. Combine sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and toasted bread cubes.
  7. Make your dressing: whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, 2 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade your basil; ½-1 cup, add more/less depending on taste.
  8. Then, pour salad dressing over ingredients and toss gently. Add basil and toss once more. Let sit at room temp for 15 min - 30 mins to let the flavors meld.
  9. Enjoy!
Notes
*If you want to make this a full meal, simply grill or pan saute 1-2 chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook on each side for ~5 minutes, or until done, and let rest for 2-5 minutes. Slice into ½ inch strips and lay over the salad!
Recipe by Peach and the Cobbler - REAL food + Holistic Health + Self Love at https://www.peachandthecobbler.com/garlic-bread-panzanella-salad/