Best 6 Tuscan Bread Salad Recipes

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Tuscany's vibrant flavors and rustic charm converge in the Tuscan bread salad, a delightful symphony of textures and tastes. This quintessential Italian dish, also known as Panzanella, embodies the region's culinary ethos, transforming humble ingredients into a symphony of flavors. With its origins dating back to ancient times, Tuscan bread salad finds a place of honor on tables across the region, especially during the warm summer months when ripe tomatoes, fragrant basil, and luscious cucumbers are at their peak. Variations abound, but the core elements remain: substantial stale bread soaked in water or broth, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onions, and a herbaceous dressing alive with olive oil, vinegar, and fresh basil. Some renditions incorporate mozzarella or feta cheese, olives, capers, or even grilled vegetables, adding further depth and complexity. Whether enjoyed as a refreshing starter, a light lunch, or a substantial side, Tuscan bread salad is a vibrant celebration of Tuscany's culinary heritage.

Let's cook with our recipes!

TUSCAN TOMATO & BREAD SALAD



Tuscan Tomato & Bread Salad image

Provided by Ina Garten

Time 30m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved through the stem
1 pound fresh mozzarella, 3/4-inch diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 teaspoon good Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup good olive oil
1/2 pound sourdough bread, crusts removed and 3/4-inch diced
20 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Steps:

  • Place the tomatoes and mozzarella in a large bowl. Put the garlic, mustard, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 1-cup glass measuring cup and slowly whisk in the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Set aside.
  • Heat the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan until hot but not smoking. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Saute over medium to medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the bread is evenly browned and crisp. Add the warm bread to the tomatoes and mozzarella. Add enough of the vinaigrette to moisten all the ingredients. Add the basil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss carefully, adding more vinaigrette if necessary. Serve at room temperature.

TUSCAN BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD WITH PARMESAN CHEESE



Tuscan Bread and Tomato Salad With Parmesan Cheese image

This is a delicious salad from Tavolo, a web site for cooks. I like to make it with sourdough bread. It goes well with any kind of pasta.

Provided by CookinCowgirl

Categories     Vegetable

Time 15m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 minced garlic clove
salt & fresh ground pepper
2 cups sourdough bread, diced in 1/2 inch pieces
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
2 ounces shaved parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, slivers
Italian parsley

Steps:

  • Make a vinaigrette of the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.
  • Mix the other ingredients together in a bowl with the vinaigrette and garnish with parsley. Let sit 15 minutes before serving, so the bread absorbs the dressing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 534.8, Fat 19.9, SaturatedFat 4.9, Cholesterol 12.5, Sodium 805, Carbohydrate 70.4, Fiber 3.9, Sugar 5.9, Protein 19.9

TUSCAN BREAD SALAD



Tuscan Bread Salad image

This is a great salad that's easy to prepare, and it's a great way to use up any day old bread you might have leftover. Please don't be restricted to the dressing listed here. Feel free to toss salad with any Italian, or oil and vinegar based dressing of your choice. A balsamic vinaigrette works great with this too.

Provided by Kozmic Blues

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 15m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 slices crusty Italian bread (day old preferred) or 4 slices sourdough bread, cut about 1/2 inch thick (day old preferred)
1 garlic clove, halved
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
1 (15 ounce) can white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, roasted and cut into strips
1/4 chopped fresh basil
4 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons vegetable broth
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps:

  • Toast bread slices under broiler for about 4 minutes on each side.
  • Remove slices and rub with garlic cloves.
  • Prepare dressing by whisking ingredients together in a small bowl, and seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Cut bread slices into small cubes and add them to a serving bowl.
  • Next add the tomatoes, beans, roasted pepper and basil.
  • Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
  • Let salad rest about 5-10 minutes before serving.

TUSCAN BREAD SALAD



Tuscan Bread Salad image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Seafood Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 12

10 ounces day-old country bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound cooked cannellini beans (5 1/2 ounces dried beans)
20 fresh basil leaves, torn
8 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped (optional)
4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thinly on the bias
3 medium heirloom tomatoes, seeded and sliced
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil, plus more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat an oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast until the bread is completely dry but not browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  • In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and gently toss until thoroughly combined. Let stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

QUICK TUSCAN BREAD SALAD



Quick Tuscan Bread Salad image

This hearty salad combines thick cubes of whole grain bread with tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers, and fontina cheese.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Salad Recipes

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt
Ground pepper
2 thick slices whole-grain bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium tomato, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 medium cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 ounces fontina cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons halved and pitted Kalamata olives.
Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
  • Add bread, tomato, cucumber, fontina cheese, and Kalamata olives.
  • Toss well to combine. Transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to overnight. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

TUSCAN BREAD SALAD WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA AND BASIL



TUSCAN BREAD SALAD WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA AND BASIL image

Categories     Salad     Lettuce

Yield 4 People

Number Of Ingredients 27

For the mustard vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced shallots
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
4 slices rustic bread, 1 inch thick
Extra virgin olive oil
24 good black olives, preferably oil-cured
½ pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half, or 5 ripe Roma tomatoes cut into eighths
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
4 cups loosely packed flavorful salad greens, washed, dried, stems trimmed, and torn into pieces if large
1 tablespoon pesto or ½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup pine nuts toasted
4 lemon wedges
Freshly ground black pepper
Pesto
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil, washed and dried
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
½ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Steps:

  • 1. To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, mustard, shallots, thyme, and garlic in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil in a steady stream until the dressing emulsifies. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 2. Fire up the grill. Liberally brush both sides of the bread with oil. Grill the bread on both sides until golden and nicely marked by the grill. Remove the bread from the heat and use a serrated knife to cut the bread into bit-size cubes. Put the bread in a serving bowl with the olives, tomatoes, mozzarella, and greens. Whisk the pesto or basil leaves into the vinaigrette. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. There should be enough vinaigrette to soak into the bread, but the salad greens should not be drenched - use a little more or less vinaigrette as needed. On the plate Divide the salad among 4 plates. Scatter the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts over the top of each salad and garnish each salad with a lemon wedge. Pass a pepper grinder at the table. A step ahead The vinaigrette can be prepared and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator up to a week ahead. Whisk well before using. Process the basil, pine nuts, garlic and lemon juice together in a food processor until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil though the feed tube and process until well combined. Season with salt to taste. Use the pesto the same day or freeze for the best color. Notes There's no Parmesan in this pesto because there's already freshly grated cheese in the Tuscan bread salad. You can add a few tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan to the pesto if using it in another dish. Since the bread salad calls for only a tablespoon of pesto, make a batch anytime, divide it up into small portions, and freeze them, thawing only what you need. A handy way to do this is to spoon the pesto into a plastic ice cube tray, freeze, and then store the cubes in a plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use.

Tips:

  • Use stale bread: Stale bread is the best choice for panzanella because it absorbs the dressing better and holds its shape. If you don't have stale bread, you can dry fresh bread in a low oven for a few minutes.
  • Cut the bread into thick cubes: This will help the bread to hold its shape and prevent it from becoming soggy.
  • Soak the bread in water: This will help to soften the bread and make it more absorbent.
  • Use a flavorful dressing: The dressing is what makes panzanella so delicious, so be sure to use a dressing that you enjoy. A classic vinaigrette is a good choice, but you can also use a pesto or a creamy dressing.
  • Add plenty of vegetables: Vegetables add color, flavor, and nutrition to panzanella. Some good choices include tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, and zucchini.
  • Serve immediately: Panzanella is best served immediately after it is made. However, it can be stored in the refrigerator for a few hours if necessary.

Conclusion:

Panzanella is a delicious and refreshing salad that is perfect for a summer meal. It is easy to make and can be customized to your own taste. So next time you have some stale bread on hand, don't throw it away! Make panzanella instead.

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