This Tomato Panzanella is loaded with summers best tomatoes, because we grew them at home. I’m not very lucky with growing other summer veggies, but tomatoes Ive kinda got a hang of it. I planted “Early girl “, heirloom, cherry and beefsteak tomatoes. I used a combination of heirloom and beefsteak for this recipe, but I recommend any good summer tomatoes from the farmers market. Panzanella, is believed to originate in Italy, from two words “pane” which means bread in Italian and “zanella” which means a deep bowl similar to the one it’s traditionally served in.Â
Why I Love This Recipe
Late summer produce are the best, basking in the long sun,the produce get intense, flavorful and sweet. We’ve got zucchini, stone fruit, tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, peppers… you name it. We’ve been stocking up and eating them by the pound. We make simple almost-no-cook recipes for dinner and this Tomato Panzanella fits the bill perfectly.
Ingredients
- Heirloom any fresh seasonal tomatoes
- Balsamic Vinegar– Get a good variety for the best flavor
- Arugula-for some peppery goodness
- Bread – Ciabatta or any crusty French bread
- Olive Oil– get your good stuff out
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
How to Make Tomato Panzanella
Start by making the homemade croutons which are the best. Simply cube some day old bread, drizzle with a little olive oil and toast them in the oven.
Prep the tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes, place them in a colander, season with salt and set it to drain on a fitted bowl so the tomato juice drips into the bowl.
Once the bread is toasted, set it aside. Whisk olive oil, balsamic, a bit of basil vinaigrette along with the drained tomato juice. Add the croutons and allow it to soak a little juice. Add the tomatoes, basil and arugula. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Top with a few leaves of fresh basil and serve. Simple and so delicious.
Late Summer Panzanella
Ingredients
The tomatoes
- 3-4 large heirloom or any varitey summer tomatoes about 2 lbs
- 2 tbsp e.v olive oil the good stuff
- 1-2 clove garlic grated optional
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- a large handful of fresh arugula
- 2 tbsp chopped or torn basil leaves
- 1-2 tbsp Basil Vinaigrette optional but recommended
- plenty of black pepper
- ¼ tsp chili flakes optional
Croutons
- 1 loaf French baguette or ciabatta
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
Vinaigrette
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Cut the bread into small cubes. Transfer cubed bread to a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle the bread with the olive oil. Using your hands, gently toss the croutons and make sure they are coated with the oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- While the bread toasts, dice the tomatoes and place them in a colander. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with salt and gently toss.Set the colander over a bowl so the tomato juice drips into the bowl. Let it drain for about 20-30 minutes. Remove the colander and set it on a plate. Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, grated chopped garlic, black pepper along with the tomato juice. You could also add Basil Vinaigrette, if you do cut back on the garlic, basil and oil.
- Transfer the croutons into the tomato dressing and toss. Let the croutons sit in the dressing for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil and arugula. And give everything a good mix. Serve!!!
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