Easy Panzanella Italian Bread Salad

Name: Easy Panzanella Italian Bread Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 loaf crusty artisan bread like sourdough or ciabatta; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved; 3 bell peppers, one each of yellow, red, and green, chopped; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for the dressing; 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar; 1 clove garlic, minced

This classic Italian bread salad is the perfect way to enjoy ripe summer vegetables and crusty bread.

By Daily Recipes Book· 🌍 Italian· August 14, 2026

dailyrecipesbook.com

Prep

10 minutes

Cook

7 minutes

Total

25 minutes

Serves

Panzanella is a wonderful Italian bread salad that truly captures the feeling of summer. It uses crusty bread, juicy tomatoes, fresh peppers, and aromatic basil to create a meal that is both satisfying and light. My family loves it because the bread soaks up all the tangy vinaigrette and tomato juices, turning every bite into something special.

Since this salad is so simple, the secret is to use the best ingredients you can find. I prefer using a sturdy artisan bread like sourdough or ciabatta, which holds its texture perfectly. If you are making this for a party, keep the toasted bread and the dressed vegetables separate until you are ready to serve to keep everything tasting fresh.

Ingredients

1 loaf crusty artisan bread like sourdough or ciabatta
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes, halved
3 bell peppers, one each of yellow, red, and green, chopped
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for the dressing
2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2
Cut the bread into bite sized cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the black pepper.
3
Toast the bread in the oven for about 7 minutes until the cubes are golden brown and crisp.
4
In a large bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, and sliced red onion.
5
In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the additional olive oil, vinegar, and minced garlic to make your dressing.
6
Add the toasted bread cubes and the fresh basil to the bowl with the vegetables.
7
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together well.
8
Let the salad stand for 15 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to meld together.

💡 Tips

Panzanella is best enjoyed immediately. If you want to prepare this in advance, you can toast the bread up to two days ahead and keep the vegetables chopped, but wait to combine everything with the dressing until right before you sit down to eat to keep the bread from getting too soft.

#Vegetarian #Vegan #Healthy #Summer Salad #Italian

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