Sourdough Panzanella Salad

There's something about late afternoon sunlight hitting a bowl of tomatoes that makes you want to stop whatever you're doing and turn them into something. My neighbor handed me a bag of heirloom tomatoes last summer, colors like a painter's palette, and I had stale sourdough sitting on the counter. That combination sparked this salad, and it became the thing I made whenever I needed to feed people without fussing.

I made this for my book club one sweltering evening when nobody wanted to turn on the stove, and three people asked for the recipe before they'd finished eating. What surprised me most was how the bread absorbed the vinaigrette and tomato juices without falling apart, creating this unexpectedly tender texture that balanced the crispy croutons perfectly.

Ingredients

• Day-old sourdough bread, 250 g, cut into 2 cm cubes: Using stale bread is intentional here, not wasteful, because it holds its shape when tossed and doesn't turn mushy too quickly.
• Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp for bread: This is what transforms bread cubes into croutons without deep frying, coating them evenly before toasting.
• Sea salt, ½ tsp: Coarse salt seasons the bread while it toasts and brings out the grain's nutty flavor.
• Heirloom tomatoes, 500 g, assorted colors: Different varieties ripened at different times means varied flavors, from sweet to tangy, all in one bite.
• Cucumber, 1 small: The coolness and crunch contrast with warm bread and juicy tomatoes, keeping the salad refreshing.
• Red onion, ½ small, thinly sliced: Raw onion adds a sharp bite that cuts through the richness of the vinaigrette and cheese.
• Garlic clove, 1 small, minced: This goes into the vinaigrette where it blooms with the basil and oil, building depth.
• Fresh basil leaves, 30 g: Don't use old basil or it'll taste like hay; fresh, tender leaves make the vinaigrette bright and almost alive.
• Extra-virgin olive oil, 60 ml for vinaigrette: Quality matters here because olive oil is half the dressing's personality.
• Red wine vinegar, 1½ tbsp: This provides tang without the harshness of white vinegar, balancing the oil's richness.
• Dijon mustard, 1 tsp: A teaspoon emulsifies the dressing and adds subtle warmth that brings everything together.
• Honey, ½ tsp: Just enough to round out the sharp edges of vinegar without making the salad sweet.
• Fresh mozzarella or burrata, 50 g, torn (optional): If you add cheese, tear it by hand right before serving so it stays creamy and hasn't oxidized.

Instructions

Toast the bread until it smells amazing:

Preheat your oven to 180°C, toss the sourdough cubes with olive oil and salt, spread them on a baking sheet, and toast for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. You're looking for golden edges with a slight crunch, not dark or hard.

Make the vinaigrette while bread cools:

In a blender or food processor, combine basil, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust the seasoning because dressings are forgiving and personal.

Assemble the salad base:

In a large bowl, combine the cooled sourdough cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion, which gives you a colorful mix ready for dressing.

Let everything meld together:

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently so nothing breaks apart. Let it sit for 10 minutes, which allows the bread to absorb the dressing and flavors to get to know each other.

Finish and serve:

Transfer the salad to a serving platter, top with torn cheese and extra basil leaves if you're using them, and bring it to the table while it's still slightly warm from the bread.

Save to Pinterest

One evening, a friend came over stressed about a work presentation and just wanted to eat something uncomplicated. While we talked, I made this salad, and by the time we sat down, she was already feeling lighter. There's quiet power in food that doesn't demand your attention, that just shows up and does its job well.

The Magic of Stale Bread

Most recipes treat stale bread like a problem, but panzanella treats it like the solution. Stale sourdough has a structure and texture that fresh bread can't match, absorbing liquid without collapsing into mush. The slight dryness actually helps it hold onto the crouton's crispy edges even as the interior softens from the vinaigrette.

Building Flavor in the Vinaigrette

The basil vinaigrette is where this salad becomes more than the sum of its parts, and it works because basil gets blended into the oil rather than just scattered on top. When you blend the herbs into the dressing, you're breaking down the basil's cell walls and releasing oils that distribute throughout, flavoring every element rather than appearing in occasional bright bursts. The mustard acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar stay together instead of separating, which keeps the dressing clingy enough to coat the bread and vegetables.

Timing and Temperature Considerations

This salad lives in a beautiful window where the bread is still slightly warm when the cool tomatoes and cucumber meet it, creating a temperature contrast that makes it taste more alive. The acid in the vinegar softens the bread gradually, and the 10-minute rest is when this transformation happens most dramatically. If you make it too far ahead, the bread becomes completely soft and the crunch disappears, but if you eat it immediately, the flavors haven't melded yet and it tastes like separate ingredients thrown together.

• Toast the bread close to serving time so it's still warm when the salad comes together.
• If you're making this for a potluck, transport the components separately and assemble just before eating.
• In hot weather, chill the vegetables first so the salad doesn't turn into warm mush.

Save to Pinterest

This salad taught me that sometimes the best meals aren't complicated, they're just assembled with attention to what's good right now. Make it when the tomatoes are perfect and the bread is stale, and it becomes something worth making again and again.

Recipe FAQ

→ What type of bread works best for this salad?

Day-old sourdough bread is ideal due to its rustic texture and ability to hold dressing without becoming soggy.

→ Can I use other tomatoes besides heirloom?

Yes, any ripe, juicy tomatoes can be used, but heirloom varieties add vibrant colors and depth of flavor.

→ How do I make the basil vinaigrette?

Blend fresh basil leaves with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.

→ Is it necessary to let the salad rest before serving?

Allowing it to stand for about 10 minutes helps the bread soak up the dressing and melds flavors beautifully.

→ What are good alternatives to mozzarella in this salad?

Fresh burrata offers a creamy texture, while plant-based cheese alternatives can suit vegan preferences.