Grilled Panzanella Salad

Panzanella??? Most of the time when I mention this dish to people and they have no idea what it is. It is a bread salad. That’s right, a salad where bread croutons are the main star. The vegetables are the side characters but usually, there isn’t lettuce in the mix. This grilled panzanella salad adds a fun twist by grilling the bread and vegetables to add a flavorful char and crispiness.

I think Ina Garten was the first person to popularize this recipe but it is actually a common Italian dish. It uses up day old bread and tomatoes and turns them into a hearty salad that can be a side dish as well as a meal. But the real magic of this salad is that there are no rules to it. You can add any vegetables (or fruit for that matter) you have hanging around. Here, I use zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and onions. However, you can add in corn, asparagus, mushrooms, peaches– whatever you have! And don’t stop with produce, try adding cheese or grilled chicken to make it a dinnertime dish.

To make this salad, I start by preparing the vegetables and bread. I cut the veggies into large pieces for grilling. I don’t have a grill pan so this prevents losing them to the grill gods (i.e. down in the grates). The bread also works best if it is untoasted and sliced in half. I didn’t grill the tomatoes because they would fall apart during the process. I just halved the cherry tomatoes and set them aside.

Then it is grill time! Lightly brush the vegetables and bread with oil and grill until you see a bit of char. Once the vegetables are done, remove them and let them cool. I have been tempted to cut them right away but they are way too hot.

Now it is time to assemble your grilled panzanella salad and you are good to go! This red wine vinaigrette is fantastic and adds wonderful brightness to the vegetables. Don’t forget to add some fresh basil from the garden!

Let me know what you guys think!