Panzanella Toscana (Italian Bread Salad)

Panzanella toscana is a classic Italian salad – a summer stunner that gives day-old bread a new life.

If you take a macro look at Italian cooking, you’ll find a lot of scenarios where bread and tomatoes are paired up. Bruschetta on crostini, pappa al pomodoro soup, and panzanella, to name a few.

Panzanella is a traditional bread salad hailing from Tuscany. A classic panzanella toscana consists of only stale bread, tomatoes, onions, and basil, with a simple dressing. While many other vegetables often make their way into this summer dish, nothing beats the original, if you ask me.

What Is Panzanella Toscana

Panzanella is a classic bread and tomato salad from Tuscany (a region in central Italy). It’s a summertime “peasant” staple designed to give stale bread a new life. It’s important to note that panzanella is a bread salad with tomatoes – not a tomato salad with croutons. (You can almost think of it as bruschetta salad.)

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Bread: Panzanella calls for crusty white bread, like ciabatta, a baguette, or even a chewy sourdough miche. Avoid fluffy sweet breads like brioche, challah, or anything resembling Wonderbread.
• Tomatoes: Use whatever tomatoes look ripest and most delicious at the market that day, be it vine tomatoes, heirloom, or cherry.
• Red Onion: Rounds out the other ingredients with a fiery pungency. Don’t skip it!
• Basil: More is more, if you ask me.
• Vinegar: Choose a mild vinegar here. White or red wine is classic, but apple cider also works.
• Olive Oil: Use the best quality you can here, as its flavor will come through in the salad.
• Optional Additions… If you feel like bulking up the salad, toss in some cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, and/or white beans for protein.

How to Make Panzanella Toscana

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Dry Out the Bread

The easiest way to do this is in the oven: dice up the bread, place on a baking sheet, and dehydrate it in a preheated 375ºF oven for about 10 minutes. 

Don’t wanna use the oven in the summer? Toast on the stovetop instead: place the bread in a big skillet set over medium-low heat and toast for about 10 minutes, tossing frequently. Alternatively, grill the bread for an extra layer of smoky flavor. (Not traditional, but very delicious!)

Step 2: Soak the Onion

Thinly slice the onion and place it in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes. This tones down its pungency and prevents it from overpowering the salad.

Step 3: Dress the Tomatoes

In the largest bowl you have, combine the tomatoes, basil, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and the drained onions. Toss to combine. 

Step 4: Finish the Salad

Add the bread and toss again to incorporate. Set the salad aside for 10 minutes before serving to allow the bread to absorb some of the tomato juice.

How to Serve Panzanella Toscana

On hot summer nights, panzanella makes a delicious light dinner all on its own. If you wanna turn it into a full Italian feast, add this warm lentil salad, lemony sautéed cauliflower, and/or vegan eggplant lasagna.

About the Leftovers

Panzanella is best eaten the same day it’s made, although leftovers are still delicious on the following day. I wouldn’t hold it for longer than that since the bread gets too soggy (for my personal taste, anyway).

More Summer Salads…

• Charred Corn Salad
• Warm Potato Salad with Olives
• Pearl Couscous Salad
• Vegan Niçoise Salad

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.