Tuscan Panzanella Salad (Best Italian Bread and Tomato Recipe)
Mediterranean flavors are showcased in this easy and fresh Tuscan Style Panzanella Salad. It's one of my personal favorites because it's when I can enjoy bread which I hopelessly love with fresh juicy tomatoes. Toasted crusty bread and it's summer so we don't use the oven but you can if you want to. These bread pieces in the air fryer are quick and crunchy, holding up really well to the fresh and juicy tomatoes.
Servings :4 servings
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups ripe tomatoes cherry, vine or any ripe tomatoes, sliced and quartered
- 4-6 slices Italian bread ciabatta or any rustic bread
- 1/2 fresh cucumber peeled, deseeded and sliced
- 3 fresh garlic cloves thinly sliced
- Fresh basil leaves folded and sliced, a bunch
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon capers
- Anchovies
- Olives
Instructions
- Salt the tomatoes: Slice the tomatoes and place them in a strainer over a bowl to catch the juices. With clean hands, give the tomatoes a gentle squeeze to start the juicing process. Salt them and let them sit while you do the rest of the prep.
- Toast the bread: Slice the bread into about 4-5 thick slices and cut the slices into 1-inch cubes. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and place the bread pieces in. Drizzle a little olive oil, shake the basket to mix and air fry on 200 for 5 minutes. Or place the bread pieces on a baking tray, bake in the oven 200°C/400°F for 10 minutes. In both methods, check halfway through, if you’re happy with the color, take them out.
- Prep the vegetables: Thinly slice the red onion, peel and seed the cucumber, then slice it. Thinly slice or chop the garlic and anchovies.
- Fresh basil: Roll the large basil leaves together, slice them, and keep the baby leaves for garnish.
- Combine: Add the cucumber, onion, squeezed tomatoes (from earlier), sliced fresh basil leaves, anchovies, sliced garlic, and capers all into a large salad bowl.
- Bread Pieces: Add the toasted bread pieces, little of the tomato dressing and toss together.
- Serve: Taste and serve with the remaining tomato vinaigrette and a drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with tender basil leaves.
Notes
My Tips: You can make this salad without toasting the bread if you don't mind it getting a little soggy. Toasting not only adds crunch but it also holds up well to the dressing without making it too soft. Add the dressing only when you are ready to serve.
Tomatoes: Is one of the key ingredients like bread in this recipe. Be sure to use ripe tomatoes and it doesnt have to be cherry tomatoes as long as they are good enough to juice. The softer the more tomato juice which will make the dressing.
Dressing: If you don't want to make the tomato vinaigrette from juicing the tomatoes and would rather miss out on a special dressing :) then feel free to use extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar but, it won't taste the same.
Variation: To add a little mustard into the dressing and lettuce which make it no longer a panzanella you can try my Easy Leafy Greens Salad With Air Fryer Croutons
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