Local peaches are available, making it the perfect time for peach panzanella! Toasted chunks of bread, juicy peaches, and creamy mozzarella tossed with a tangy vinaigrette join together for a one-dish summer meal.
I’m always on the lookout for new panzanella ingredients. It turns out that peaches are perfect for this delicious bread salad.
You’ll need some leftover bread to make this dish, so the next time you purchase a crusty loaf of bread, save some for peach panzanella the following day.
Tips
- You don’t need to peel the peaches unless they are very fuzzy or you dislike peach skin. The skin isn’t noticeable in the salad.
- White balsamic vinegar provides a delicious acidity to balance the other flavors and I recommend using it. If you don’t have it, use champagne or white wine vinegar.
Ingredients
You need the following ingredients to make peach panzanella.
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 6 tablespoons (separated from the 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for cooking onions and bread
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large red onion
- 3 1-inch-thick slices of crusty bread (such as sourdough)
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Scallion greens (about 1/4 cup chopped)
- 8 ounces mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
- 4 medium-size ripe peaches
- Handful fresh parsley (about 1/4 cup chopped)
- Large handful basil leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Slice the red onion from top to root end in 1/4-inch slices. Toss the slices with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, a little salt, and pepper. Spread the onions out on a baking sheet and bake them until soft and lightly browned on the edges (about 15 – 20 minutes). Check them about halfway through the cooking and sitr them to keep the slices on the edge from burning.
While the onions are cooking, grill the bread slices. Add three tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet large enough to fit the slices of bread in a single layer. Turn on the heat to medium. Add the bread slices and cook them until the bottom sides are golden brown and crisp (about 5 minutes). Turn the bread over and lightly grill the other side (about 2 minutes). Move the bread to a plate and lightly salt both sides. Let it cool.
Make the vinaigrette. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a little pepper.
Add the chopped scallion greens and mozzarella to the vinaigrette and gently stir them.
When you are ready to assemble the salad, add the onions, with their oil, to a large serving bowl.
Tear the grilled bread into bite-size pieces (1 inch to 1 1/2 inches) and add them to the serving bowl. Add the chopped parsley.
Cut the peaches into bite-size chunks. Add them to the bowl. Add the vinaigrette and mozzarella. Tear the basil leaves into small pieces and add them. Toss everything together, taste, and adjust the pepper and salt if needed.
Let the salad rest for a few minutes before serving, so that the bread soaks up the vinaigrette.
Related Posts
You might enjoy these panzanella recipes.
- Roasted Tomato Panzanella
- Butternut Squash Apple Panzanella
- Spring Panzanella
- Roasted Pumpkin Panzanella