Bread salad is a dish that basically sells itself—you have two of the most delicious words in the English language right there in the name. (If we are being fancy and Italian, we ought to call it panzanella, and I have to say, that sounds pretty tasty, too.) And even if you’re feeling lukewarm on either the bread or the salad part, you’ll be sold once I tell you that it can also include cheese, is endlessly customizable, and tastes even better if you let it sit around for a few hours or even a day.
Get the original recipe here.
Traditional panzanella is more of a summer dish and features tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion. It’s absolutely delicious, but because we’re only just starting the spring thaw here in the Hudson Valley, I’m still in roasted vegetable mode. Plus this version, which I made with a mix of roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, is actually a double make-ahead because you can roast the vegetables on the weekend (my favorite lazy cook make-ahead kitchen strategy), mix up the vinaigrette whenever you have a minute, and toss it all together into a salad before you leave for work in the morning. Dinner will be ready and waiting when you get home! It also tastes good warm, room temperature, or cold from the fridge. Plus it works as well as a side dish for any protein as it does as the main event. You could toss in some white beans or even oil-packed tuna fish if you want to step up the protein factor.
So here’s how I did it.
First, I chopped my sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts to be roughly the same size and tossed them with a bunch of chopped garlic, crushed red pepper, olive oil, and sea salt. (You can always go back and add a little more salt.) I roasted them at 450° for 30 minutes, until everything was crispy and the sweet potatoes still had a little chew. (One risk of panzanella is everything turning to mush, so don’t be afraid to err on the side of al dente.)
While the vegetables were roasting, I mixed up my vinaigrette; more chopped garlic, crushed red pepper, and sea salt, plus olive oil and red wine vinegar. I like to simply shake it up together in a small mason jar so that if you have any left over (I didn’t!), you can easily stash it in the fridge.
I sliced my bread and cheese (I used burrata, but mozzarella, feta, provolone, or goat are all great options) into rough cubes. Then once the vegetables were out and still hot, I mixed it all together with the dressing and added generous handfuls of fresh parsley. It tasted great right away but even better after I let it sit for a few hours.
We ate this for dinner alongside two poached eggs each, and it was a hit with my husband and my 18-month-old (who picked out the bread, cheese, and sweet potato chunks and left the crunchier Brussels sprouts)—so much so that we all ate it again for lunch the next day.
Roasted Vegetable Bread Salad
Serves: 4
3 cups day-old Italian bread, torn into bite-size pieces or cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound vegetables of your choice (I used sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts), chopped into 1-inch cubes
4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 ounces fresh cheese (burrata, mozzarella, feta, or goat cheese)
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley (or any fresh herb you like)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Combine 1 pound of prepared vegetables with 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Toss to coat thoroughly.
- Arrange the vegetables in a single layer without crowding on a large parchment- or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven until soft on the inside (test with the tip of a knife or a wooden skewer) and browned on the outside (check the bottoms), 18 to 22 minutes. If you like, flip the vegetables halfway through cooking. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl combine bread, cheese, roasted vegetables, and parsley.
- Put garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper together in a small jar; shake to mix. Spoon the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat. Let stand (for at least 15 minutes and as long as overnight) to allow the flavors to blend. Optional: Serve over torn greens, or alongside two poached eggs.
[Photo credit: Sarina Cass, Red Anchor Photo]
