Make Panzanella Salad with Inked Bread

A Fresh Ink Select. Originally published 08/27/2022

What is Panzanella Salad?

Panzanella salad is a perfect end-of-summer, non-sandwich, delicious meal option. What exactly is panzanella salad, you ask? Well, at its most essential parts it’s fresh juicy tomatoes, chopped and toasted bread cubes, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  From these simple beginnings, any number of beautiful elements can be added. Everything from fresh herbs and mozzarella to crunchy cucumber and red onion. A splash of balsamic vinegar? Yes! A dash of garlic? Obviously. The sky’s the limit here, once you get your panzanella foundation laid. Grab a loaf of our iconic Rosie’s San Francisco Bay Sourdough and give this salad a try.

Panzanella Salad: The Original No-Waste Salad

Originating in Tuscany, panzanella salad seems to have come together as a no-waste solution to a loaf of stale bread and an excess of tomatoes. Yes, please. The juice from the chopped tomatoes mingled beautifully with the less-than-fresh bread to make something zesty and new. These days, it’s as important as ever to reduce kitchen waste and apply ingenuity in our use of bruised or imperfect produce. The panzanella salad is delicious made with fresh bread, but it’s also a great option for using up a loaf that you let sit a bit too long. It’s so flexible!  

Make Ahead Panzanella Salad for a picnic or cookout

Panzanella salad is best after the ingredients have had up to 6 hours to mix and mingle, so you can make this salad early in the day and it will be perfect for an afternoon cookout or picnic. Your picnic-mates or fellow tailgaters will appreciate this fresh, tasty salad, too! Try this classic Panzanella with Mozzarella and Herbs recipe for your next tailgate party. 

Can you make Panzanella Salad Keto-friendly?

The great thing about panzanella salad is that it can absolutely be made keto-friendly. Swap out the bread for a keto loaf like our  Inked Keto white bread, then double check your other ingredients for hidden sugars, etc, but overall a keto-friendly panzanella salad should be very easy to make and so tasty. For a couple of recipes to get you started, try the Low-Carb Panzanella Salad and the Sweet Potato + Kale Panzanella Salad. 

Panzanella Salad for all Seasons

If you fall in love with panzanella salad this summer, never fear, it can be adapted for any season! Swap your juicy tomatoes for roasted butternut in the fall and winter for cold weather panzanella. In this Winter Panzanella Salad recipe, crisp apples add a delightful crunch. Then, when Spring arrives, mix up a Spring Panzanella Salad with early harvesting vegetables like fennel, broccoli, and leeks. 

Whatever the time of year, grab some seasonal vegetables and a loaf of your favorite Inked Bread and put together a delicious panzanella salad! And, as always, if you make something extra yum with our bread, and want to show the world, tag us with #thatsmybread.