Panzanella Salad with Peaches

Panzanella with peaches is a fresh take on traditional Panzanella salad. The addition of sliced fresh peaches gives the salad a burst of sweetness that blends perfectly with the savory elements of this classic salad.

One of my all-time favorite classic Italian salad recipes is Panzanella. A traditional Tuscan salad consisting of soaked stale bread cubes, ripe tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and vinegar. In other parts of the world, this salad might be known as a poor man’s salad, but here it is dressed up further with the addition of peach slices.

Surprisingly the juicy slices of peach offer a sweetness that plays well with the savory flavors within the salad. Red onion, juicy tomatoes, seasoned bread, and crunchy cucumbers create one of the best summer salads to date. 

In the height of summer when the peaches are to be harvested on my parent’s farm, we find ourselves with an abundance of them. We use them for peach recipes like this Fresh Peach Tart or Creamy Peach Chicken. However, this easy recipe makes the perfect salad that I look forward to most during these warmer months. When its just too hot to think about cooking let alone turning the oven on. 

This recipe might have been born out of the need to use up what the season offers. But it makes its way back onto our table the moment the summer peaches are ready. 

What Is Panzanella Salad?

Panzanella or panmolle salad is a traditional Tuscan bread salad that consists of soaked stale bread cubes, onions, tomatoes, oil, and vinegar. It is often also made with basil and cucumbers. Today we are throwing in a completely different flavor component with sliced peaches and toasted bread over-soaked.

Panzanella with Peaches Is…

• Perfect when served alongside savory meats like ribs, steak, grilled chicken, or lamb.
• A combination of golden bread cubes and summer produce.
• A great summer salad made with simple ingredients.
• The epitome of summer in a salad and a great way to reduce food waste.
• A combination of juicy peaches, fresh tomatoes, and day-old bread. 

Ingredients

Peaches- sweet ripe peaches add a nice twist to this traditional salad. Use fresh peaches not canned. White or yellow work fine. You can also substitute nectarines with very similar results.

Tomatoes- cherry tomatoes have a nice sweet flavor as do heirloom varieties which are perfect for the flavors in this salad.

Onion- thin slivers of red onion provide a nice contrast to the sweet peaches and tomatoes.

Oil and Vinegar- the salad is dressed in a blend of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a simple vinaigrette. You can use red wine vinegar in place of balsamic. Keep in mind red wine is much more sour tasting and balsamic on the sweeter side so it will have a slight taste difference. But both are tasty.

Herbs- fresh herbs brighten up this salad. I use lots of fresh basil for this recipe.

Cucumber- I like to use English or Armenian cucumbers for this. However, you can use a regular cucumber but be sure to seed and peel it.

Bread- this salad consists of cubes of stale bread that works as a base. I use sourdough bread, but any crusty bread will work well for this.  

Seasoning- fresh ground cracked black pepper and sea salt are the perfect seasoning for this salad.

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Tools

Baking sheet

Directions

Heat the oven to 400℉.

Chop the bread into one-inch cubes and place them on a sheet pan. Drizzle 3 tbsp. of olive oil over along with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the cubes around to make sure they are coated with salt, pepper, and oil. Bake them until they are toasty, about 10 minutes.

Slice or chop the peaches into bite-sized chunks. (I like to leave them in slices for presentation). Dice the cucumber, and remove seeds if necessary. Slice the onions into thin strips. Cut the cherry tomatoes in halves or if using heirloom tomatoes, cut them into bite-sized chunks.

Place the peaches into a large bowl with the bread, cucumber, onion slices, and tomatoes. Whisk 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper the contents of the bowl. Add the basil. Then pour the dressing in and give it all a good stir.

Garnish with a few extra basil leaves for a nice touch.

Notes

• You can opt to cut the peaches in slices of bite-sized pieces. I like to slice them as the peaches look beautiful in the salad but bite-sized chunks are more practical.
• The salad is good for up to 3 days in the fridge, stored in an air-tight container. Note: the bread will lose its crispiness and absorb the juices in the salad which gives it more of an authentic panzanella salad texture.

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