I’m not sure there is a better summer salad than this gorgeous and light panzanella. You can use any tomato and you can even Sandra Lee it up and use croutons from the store. I had a loaf of cheddar & garlic bread to use… but my friends ate most of the croutons before I assembled the salad. So I mixed in the store bought ones. Just as good.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 English cucumber, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Sea salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 8 basil leaves, chopped roughly
- 3 cups of baby herb salad blend or arugula
- Croutons, recipe follows (or use store bought)
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Croutons
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 cups crustless cubed day-old bread (1/2-inch cubes)
- Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
DIRECTIONS
For the croutons: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and preheat a cookie sheet in it.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until it foams. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with the cheese and toss again while warm to melt the cheese.
Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 8 or 9 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 8 or 9 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
For the salad: Lightly salt the tomatoes & cucumbers and drain in a sieve to remove excess liquid while you prepare the croutons & dressing (or let sit 15 minutes).
For the dressing, whisk together vinegars, salt, pepper, garlic & olive oil. Set aside.
In a bowl combine the tomatoes, arugula, onion, basil, salt, and pepper and dressing. Add the croutons and toss well. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
Serve immediately.