This Panzanella salad recipe is the perfect dish to eat during summer. It is fresh, rich, tasty, and quick to make. The melon and the apple balsamic vinegar give a sweet aroma and make the salad even more mouth-watering.
This is a winner dish, why?
- A complete meal, has fruit, vegetables, and protein.
- Is refreshing and mouth-watering.
- Is super quick to make, no need to turn your stove on.
- Make the perfect dish for summer party.
I love to eat salads for lunch during the hot weather, it makes me happy to watch all those colourful seasonal vegetables. As we said, “you need to eat with your eyes first”. Isn't it?
You might wonder, what is Panzanella?
For those who don’t know, Panzanella is a simple and humble Italian dish. It is made especially during the summer season. It was originally created for the purpose to don’t waste bread that was becoming hard. In order to use the stale bread is essential to soak it in water, until becomes soft. Then it is served cut into chunks, with a mix of cucumber, tomatoes, basil, and marinade red onions. On the other hand, it can be served with the vegetables laying on it, a sort of open sandwich. For this bread salad, I use friselle, which is none other than stale bread from Apulia. So tasty!
What makes this summer salad recipe so delicious?
This summer salad is totally worth a try. It has a balanced savoury and sweet aroma that will make your guest asking for more. Seriously, try it to believe it!!!
It is important to always choose fresh and good quality ingredients. In my experience, the use of good quality ingredients can make a simple dish taste amazing.
- Melon- you might say, how awkward it is to use fruit on the salad? On the contrary, the melon is the game changer, it makes the salad slightly sweet. It is important to choice a sweet melon, there is nothing worst in eating a melon that taste of nothing.
- Friselle*- is a round stale bread with a small hole in the centre, similar to bagel, in this recipe this is soak with tomato juice. I used wholemeal friselle.
- Tomato juice- the tomato is blend with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, water, and ground black paper.
- Vinaigrette- a mix of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and apple balsamic vinegar. The apple balsamic vinegar gives a delicate honeyed aroma.
- Burrata- creamy and rich cheese, similar to mozzarella.
- Rocket- it is not just beautiful to look at, but it gives a nice spicy taste to it.
- Tomatoes- my choice is “Cuore di bue“. A bigger tomato, rich in pulp and less watery. Makes it ideal to use in salads. If you don’t find it, use San Marzano tomatoes instead.
*Note: if you don’t find wholemeal or plain friselle, try using any stale bread instead.
Tip: To choose a sweet melon look for this sing:
- skin must be firm, without any bruise and with a nice-looking skin.
- scent the bottom of the melon opposite to the footstalk. By pressing gently with a finger, it should release the sweet scent.
Step by step introduction
Let’s see in few simple steps how to make this Panzanella bread salad recipe. It'll turn your summer into a holiday mood.
Prepare the vegetables
- Create a nice ribbon with the melon by using a peeler or an knife. Cut the tomato into round slice of 0.5 cm thick and set aside. Wash trough the rocket and drain it properly.
Make the tomato juice
- Add tomato cut it into chunks, the extra virgin olive oil, ground black paper, salt, water and the garlic in a tall jar. Blend for few second, until you will have a juice.
Soak the friselle
- Pour the tomato juice in a small bowl and soak the friselle for 5 minutes. Remove the friselle from the juice, make sure they are still a bit crunchy and set it aside.
Prepare the vinaigrette
- Add the extra virgin olive oil, the apple balsamic vinegar, and the salt in a small jar, close the lid and shake few seconds until well combined.
Assembling
- Add the rocket, the tomato, the ribbon of melon, the burrata in a serving plate. Place the fiselle, previoulsy cut into cunks, over the salad and drizzle the vinaigrette before to serve.
Frequently asking questions
Can I make it in advance?
I suggest you make in advance, the tomatoes juice, the melon, and the vinaigrette without season it up to one day before and store it in the airtight container, in the fridge. So, the next day you are ready to soak the friselle, prepare the tomato, the rocket, the burrata and assemble, and you are all set.
What can I use instead of burrata?
You could use slices or pearls mozzarella or some ricotta cheese. To make more interesting this recipe, combine in the Panzanella salad, just before serving, some ricotta quenelle by using two spoons.
I don’t find the wholemeal friselle, do you have any substitute?
Yes, of course. You can use regular friselle or any stale bread that will do fine.
What to do with the juice left from the tomato?
Use it to make a tomato sauce for the pasta. Cook the tomato juice in a frying pan on medium heat for 10 minutes and cook the pasta according to the box instructions. Serve it with a nice handful of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
How to store the leftover of this bread salad?
Store the leftover in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 2 days.
📖 Recipe
Arugula burrata salad
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Peller
- Blender
- Small bowl
- Spoon
- Serving plate
- Small jar
Ingredients
Tomato juice
- 121 gr Cuore di bue tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ garlic clove
- 5 tsp water
Friselle
- 45 gr friselle
Salad
- 255 gr cuore di bue tomatoes
- 2 slice melon
- 150 gr burrata cheese drained
- 50 gr rocket salad
Vinaigrette
- 2 teaspoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon apple balsamic vinegar
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Prepare the vegetable
- Create a nice ribbon with the melon by using a peeler, cut the tomato into A round slice of 0.5 cm thick and set aside. Wash through the rocket and drain it properly.
Tomato juice
- Add tomato cut it into chunks, the extra virgin olive oil, ground black paper, salt, water and the garlic in a tall jar. Blend for a few seconds, until you will have a juice.
Soak the friselle
- Pour the tomato juice into a small bowl and soak the friselle for 5 minutes. Remove the friselle from the juice, make sure they are still a bit crunchy and set it aside.
Prepare the vinaigrette
- Add the extra virgin olive oil, the apple balsamic vinegar, and the salt in a small jar, close the lid and shake few seconds until well combined.
Serve the salad
- Add the rocket, the tomato, the ribbon of melon, the burrata cheese to a serving plate. Place the friselle, previously cut into chunks, over the salad and drizzle the vinaigrette before serving.
Tried this recipe?
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Jenniffer N says
This sounds extremely yummy and simple. Thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes!
Federica says
You welcome Jenniffer, I am glad you liked it. Thank you for your comment.