I’m trying to bring back the roasted vegetable sandwich with this recipe for grilled panzanella salad. I’ve been a vegetarian for a long time, and I’ve had my share of awful, mushy veggie sandwiches – the default option at most places that don’t cater to vegetarians. A last-minute idea for the dish: sandwich bread with a few slices of grilled veggies, usually with some cheese.
I almost ever order them anymore unless I know they’re great because you and I have already had them. When it’s good, they’re really terrific, and when it’s awful, well, you know. There’s a mile between the two.
But this isn’t one of those. My favorite way to enjoy summer is with this grilled panzanella salad. Along with delicious, crusty bread and the best basil dressing, it’s packed with all of my favorite seasonal foods like eggplant, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes.
It takes back the notion that grilled veggies are drab or mushy. You’ll make this dish over and over again after you try it because every bite is full of vibrant, strong flavor.
What goes with panzanella salad?
My absolute favorite dinner is grilled corn on the cob and this salad. Maybe add another green alternative or some sliced, grilled tofu if I want a heartier supper.
Growing up, my mom’s go-to summer lunch was corn on the cob, tomato salad and toast. We had that at least once or twice a week in the summer and that experience has absolutely solidified my appreciation for corn, toast and tomatoes as an acceptable supper menu.
It’s also the perfect side dish for any grilled protein. My grilled tofu kebabs would be the perfect companion to this dish. For faster prep, you can double the basil dressing to use as a marinade instead of the mint pesto the recipe calls for.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and drizzling
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 medium tomatoes, halved
- 6 scallions
- 2 large bell peppers (any color), quartered
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 1 10-ounce loaf ciabatta or semolina bread, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 cup torn fresh herbs (basil, mint and/or parsley)
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced salami, cut into 2-inch ribbons
Directions
- Preheat a grill to medium high. Make the dressing: Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.
- Brush the grill with olive oil. Put the tomatoes in a large bowl; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill cut-side down until slightly charred, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet.
- Put the scallions, peppers and zucchini in the same bowl; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the bread with olive oil. Grill the bread and vegetables until charred, about 2 minutes per side for the bread and scallions and 4 minutes per side for the peppers and zucchini. Transfer to the baking sheet and let cool slightly.
- Cut the scallions, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and bread into bite-size pieces; transfer to the bowl. Add the herbs, salami, dressing and any juices from the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and toss.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Panzanella Salad
Cooking tips
The greatest results will come from using a crusty bread that is a few days old. We are aiming for the same experience as panzanella, which is traditionally cooked using leftover, stale bread drenched in delicious tomato juices and olive oil.
When the bread is mixed with the dressing, it will become mushy and drenched. For this recipe, I like a crusty ciabatta or sourdough, but any Italian or French bread would do.
Other Panzanella Salad FAQs
1. How to pronounce panzanella?
pan-zuh-nel-lah.
2. What is panzanella made of?
A base of cubed stale bread, fresh cucumbers, luscious summer tomatoes, and summer vegetables is the traditional recipe for panzanella. For a smokey, summertime flavor, we substitute grilled toast in this dish.
3. What to serve with panzanella?
This grilled panzanella salad is a great meatless main all on its own, but it also goes beautifully with just about any grilled protein you can think! Try it with salmon, tuna, chicken, beef, or even grilled halloumi.
Grilled Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for brushing and drizzling
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 medium tomatoes halved
- 6 scallions
- 2 large bell peppers any color, quartered
- 1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise
- 1 10- ounce loaf ciabatta or semolina bread halved lengthwise
- 1/2 cup torn fresh herbs basil, mint and/or parsley
- 1/4 pound thinly sliced salami cut into 2-inch ribbons
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium high. Make the dressing: Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.
- Brush the grill with olive oil. Put the tomatoes in a large bowl; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill cut-side down until slightly charred, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet.
- Put the scallions, peppers and zucchini in the same bowl; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush the bread with olive oil. Grill the bread and vegetables until charred, about 2 minutes per side for the bread and scallions and 4 minutes per side for the peppers and zucchini. Transfer to the baking sheet and let cool slightly.
- Cut the scallions, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and bread into bite-size pieces; transfer to the bowl. Add the herbs, salami, dressing and any juices from the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and toss.
