This easy Peach Panzanella Salad is made with 10 simple ingredients and takes just 30 minutes to make. With sweet & savory flavors, this vegan Panzanella salad truly tastes like Summer!
What is Panzanella?
Panzanella is a Tuscan bread salad that consists of soaked & softened stale bread along with tomatoes and onions. It often includes basil, sometimes includes cucumbers, and is usually dressed with olive oil and vinegar.
While it doesn't typically contain peaches, they add such an amazing sweet twist to this traditional Tuscan dish. Believe me, there is a reason this bread salad is SO popular in the Summer!
Ingredients:
Ingredient & substitution notes:
- Heirloom tomatoes: Can be substituted 1:1 for any tomato. Just keep in mind, Heirloom will have the most variety in flavor! Campari tomatoes can be a good substitute.
- Peaches: Ripe but still firm peaches work best in this salad. You can substitute 1:1 for nectarines or omit it completely and substitute for more tomatoes.
- Red wine vinegar: Really adds a tangy flavor to this salad! However, it can also be substituted for white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or fresh lemon juice.
- Olive oil: High-quality olive oil is essential here as the flavor really comes through in the bread and the salad dressing!
- Sourdough bread: Can be substituted 1:1 for any other bread. Sourdough adds a unique flavor to this dish, but French or ciabatta are also great substitutes.
- Shallot: Can be substituted 1:1 for ½ of a small red onion, finely diced.
How to make a tomato & peach Panzanella salad
Salt the tomatoes & let them rest
Cut the tomatoes into thick slices. Then, add them to a colander and place the colander over a small bowl. Salt the tomatoes and toss them gently.
Let the salted tomatoes rest to release their juices into the bowl for about 15-20 minutes while you prep the rest of the salad.
P.S.- don't throw out the juices since we do use them in the dressing! This step really concentrates the flavors of the tomatoes so they are extra delicious and sweet.
Toast the sourdough bread cubes
Traditionally, Panzanella is actually made from stale bread, however, I prefer to toast fresh bread in the oven to give it the best flavor and texture!
To do this, start by cutting the bread into 1-inch cubes. Then, add to a baking tray with the olive oil, dried parsley, salt, & garlic powder. Toss to coat and bake at 350F for about 15 minutes.
The edges of the cubes should be browned and crisp but the centers should still have some chewiness to them. It's important not to overbake the bread to the point it is completely crispy throughout.
Chop the veggies & make the marinade
While the bread is toasting, pit & slice the peaches, roughly chop the basil, and dice the shallot.
Then, make the dressing by mixing together the diced shallot, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and tomato juices in a bowl.
Put it all together!
Add the salted tomatoes, sliced peaches, toasted bread, shallot vinaigrette, and basil to a serving platter and toss together until coated. If you feel the salad needs more salt, add it at this time.
I also like to add a bit of freshly cracked pepper on top, but this is completely optional!
You can eat the salad right away or let it rest for 30 minutes before serving to really soak up all the flavors.
FAQ & Tips:
Can I add additional veggies to this salad?
Definitely! As mentioned before, cucumber is commonly added to a traditional Panzanella salad and would be a great addition to this peach tomato salad!
You can also add in capers, sliced red peppers, or even serve the salad over a bed of arugula. Just keep in mind, if you add a lot of extra veggies you may want to increase the amount of dressing you use.
How do I store this vegan Panzanella?
Once combined and dressed, this peach panzanella salad is truly best enjoyed within 1-3 hours.
However, if you have leftovers it still tastes great stored in a closed container in the fridge for up to 24 hours after making. After this time, the bread can get too soggy.
You can also prep the salad dressing up to 3 days in advance (and store covered in the fridge) and toast the bread 1-2 days in advance (and store it in a closed container at room temperature) to cut down on day-of prep time!
I can't wait for you to try this easy & delicious Peach Panzanella Salad! With just 10 ingredients, it is bound to become a staple all Summer long. Enjoy!
-TSG
More Summer salads you will love:
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Peach Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
Tomatoes:
- 16 ounces heirloom tomatoes cut into slices/wedges
- ¼ teaspoon salt for salting tomatoes
Toasted Sourdough:
- 12 ounces sourdough bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Salad & Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 2 large peaches pitted & cut into slices
- 1 shallot thinly diced
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic finely minced, or ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- salt & pepper add more as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Prep the tomatoes by cutting them into slices/wedges, adding to a colander, salting with ¼ teaspoon salt, and placing the colander over a bowl to collect the tomato juices. Let the tomatoes sit for at least 15-20 minutes.
Toast the bread:
- While the tomatoes are resting, cut the sourdough into 1-inch cubes and add to a baking tray.
- Top with the olive oil, dried parsley, salt, and garlic powder and toss to combine until the bread is coated.
- Add the tray of bread to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. The outside of the bread should be browned and crisp but the insides should still have a chewy texture.
Prep the salad & vinaigrette
- While the bread is toasting pit & slice the peaches, finely dice the shallot, and roughly chop the basil.
- Next, make the vinaigrette. Add the diced shallot, olive oil, red wine vinegar, the juices from the strained & salted tomatoes, and garlic to a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
Assemble the salad:
- Add the sliced peaches, tomatoes, toasted sourdough bread, shallot vinaigrette, and chopped basil to a large serving dish or bowl. Then, toss them together until combined.
- If desired, add additional salt or freshly cracked pepper at this time to season the salad to your liking. Then, serve immediately or let sit 30 minutes before serving for an even better panzanella salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- Once combined and dressed, this peach panzanella salad is truly best enjoyed within 1-3 hours.
- If you have leftovers it still tastes great stored in a closed container in the fridge for up to 24 hours after making. After this time, the bread can get too soggy.
- You can also prep the salad dressing up to 3 days in advance and store covered in the fridge.
- You can toast the bread 1-2 days in advance and store it in a closed container at room temperature.
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