This roasted tomato panzanella salad is a great way to use up your day-old crusty bread. The chunks of grilled bread soak up the flavorful balsamic dressing and roasted tomato juices.
Roasting tomatoes gives them a rich, slightly charred flavor that makes this salad special. Adding a little balsamic vinegar near the end of the roasting caramelizes the tomato juices.
Ingredients
You’ll need these ingredients to make the roasted tomato panzanella.
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided in half
- 3 1-inch-thick slices of crusty bread (such as sourdough)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 pounds grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 8 ounces mozzarella, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 ounces arugula or another green
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- Handful basil, torn into small pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Add the 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.
Toast the pine nuts. Put the nuts in a dry skillet and cook them over low to medium heat, stirring often, until they begin to turn golden (about 3 minutes). Set them aside to cool.
Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the grape tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and put them on a large baking tray. Roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the tray and stir in two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Return the tray to the oven. Turn the oven to high broil. Broil the tomatoes until they start to burst and lightly char (about 10 minutes).
Tear the grilled bread into bite-size pieces (1 inch to 1 1/2 inches) and add them to a large serving bowl. Add the mozzarella, arugula, parsley, basil, scallions, pine nuts and tomatoes to the bowl. Pour 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss everything together. Add fresh pepper. Taste and adjust pepper and salt. Let the salad rest for a few minutes, so that the bread soaks up the vinaigrette. Taste a piece of bread. Add a little more vinaigrette if it is dry.
Related Topics
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- Spring Panzanella
- Orzo Salad with Spinach and Feta Cheese
- Fattoush Salad
- Garlic Tossed Green Bean and Lemon Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad