grilled panzanella salad

Grilled Panzanella Salad

red onion (sliced in to 1/2 inch slices)

yellow bell pepper (cut in half, seeds removed)

orange bell pepper (cut in half, seeds removed)

ciabatta bread (cut in half lengthwise)

cucumber

grape tomatoes (cut in half)

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

red wine vinegar

garlic (minced)

tsp dijon mustard

tsp honey

salt

tsp black pepper

Preheat grill to 400 degrees or until coals start to turn white.

Place red onion, bell peppers and bread on a baking sheet and brush surfaces with olive oil.

Place onions and bell peppers on the hottest area of the grill. Place bread on the outer area of the grill so it will toast. Keep an eye on the bread so it doesn&#039;t burn.

Grill onion and bell peppers until charred on both sides. Remove from the grill.

While the bread and veg are cooling, make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes. Cut the grilled veg into 1 inch pieces and place both in a large bowl. Add cucumbers and tomatoes to the bowl. Drizzle salad with vinaigrette and stir to combine.

This grilled panzanella salad incorporates a bounty of summer vegetables into one of the BEST SALADS EVER. With creamy mozzarella, grilled bread and a garlicky red wine vinaigrette, it’s a healthy meal or side dish that’s packed with flavor and texture. Feel free to use other vegetables according to what you have or like (such as eggplant, mushrooms, corn or asparagus). Also, you can swap out the mozzarella for other sources of protein, such as grilled chicken, canned white beans, feta cheese or good quality jarred tuna. I often add grated parmesan as well (simply because I love it). The anchovy in the dressing adds depth and complexity to the vinaigrette, but you won’t taste it. However, you can omit it for a vegetarian version.

Healthy Grilled Panzanella Salad (gluten-free friendly!)

garlic,

shallot (about 1/2 small shallot)

oregano

anchovy, rinsed and finely chopped (optional)

Salt and pepper

extra virgin olive oil

zucchini, trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slabs

yellow bell peppers,

red onion,

Italian bread

tomatoes,

basil

mozzarella,

In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, grated garlic, shallot, oregano and anchovy (if using).  Season with salt and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil. Do Ahead: The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 1 week

Make the vinaigrette

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Put the zucchini, peppers and red onion slices on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle with the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.  Toss gently to coat.  Grill the vegetables, flipping once, until they’re crisp-tender with grill marks on both sides, about 2 minutes per side for the zucchini and 3-4 minutes per side for the onion and peppers.  Transfer the vegetables back to the baking sheet, and let cool. Do Ahead: The grilled vegetables can refrigerated for up 4 days before using.

Grill the slices of bread until toasted with grill marks on both sides, about 1-3 minutes total.

Cut the vegetables and bread into 1-inch pieces, and place them in a large bowl.  Add the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.  Before serving, toss the salad and taste it again—add more salt and pepper if needed, and if the salad tastes a bit flat, drizzle in a bit more red wine vinegar (the flavors will mute as it rests). Enjoy!

Grill the veggies and assemble the salad

I first fell in love with panzanella, the iconic Italian bread salad, back when I worked as a server in a fine dining Italian restaurant. The version we served had the most mind-bending balance of hearty texture &amp; fresh, vibrant flavor – I've been hooked ever since! 
This particular grilled panzanella salad recipe was born out of desperation a few years back. Since I don't aways keep bread in my pantry, the dried-out bread signature to the dish isn't something that I typically have on hand when a panzanella craving strikes. Instead, I learned to turn to my grill to help speed up the process. 
By slicing it into hearty pieces &amp; cooking them on the grill, the bread dries out to the perfect crusty texture for a killer panzanella salad, all while taking on incredibly smoky, charred flavor from the grill. It's so good! While the grill preheats, marinate some tomatoes with EVOO &amp; red wine vinegar to create a built-in panzanella dressing, &amp; from there, toss in whatever you like! I love crunchy-crisp bell peppers &amp; cucumbers, but you can really have fun with this recipe &amp; add whatever you like. 
Be sure to check out the Recipe Notes, below, for some make ahead &amp; meal prep guidance &amp; the blog post, above, for serving suggestions &amp; easy variations. 

cherry tomatoes

olive oil, divided

red onion, very thinly sliced

medium bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

cucumber,

asiago

salt black pepper, to season

Marinate the tomatoes

Add the tomatoes to a large bowl with 1/4 cup of olive oil, the red wine vinegar, red onion, &amp; garlic. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt &amp; ground black pepper, as desired. Toss well to combine. Set aside to marinate &amp; meld for 20-25 minutes. This is a great time to preheat the grill (Step 2, below) &amp; prep the remaining panzanella salad ingredients: slice the bread, chop the veggies &amp; herbs, etc.

Grill prep

Preheat the grill for medium-high direct heat grilling, about 450-500 degrees F. Once preheated, clean the cooking surface by firmly brushing a wire brush over the grates.

Grill the bread

Place the sliced bread on a small baking sheet or large plate. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl, &amp; use a pastry brush or silicone brush to brush each slice generously with oil. Season the bread with a good pinch of kosher salt. Place the bread on the preheated grill grates, directly over the heat. Grill 4-6 minutes, flipping the bread halfway through, until crusty &amp; charred as desired. Transfer the grilled bread to the same baking sheet or plate. Once it&#8217;s cool enough to handle, dice the bread into 1-inch cubes.

Panzanella salad assembly

Add the grilled bread, bell pepper, cucumber, fresh herbs (if using), &amp; shaved asiago (if using) to the large bowl with the marinated tomatoes from Step 1. Toss to combine well. Taste &amp; season with additional kosher salt &amp; ground black pepper as needed. It&#8217;s best to let the panzanella sit for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld &amp; the bread to soak in some of the dressing. Serve topped with additional shaved cheese or fresh herbs as desired. Enjoy!

Made this for our family of 5 tonight and everyone loved it! Fresh flavors, summery and with lots of good crunch.

Will shout from the rooftops that everyone should make this. I've made it many many times since you first posted it and is a go-to once it's tomato season. I'm upset it took me so long to give it a review in hopes it gets more attention!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/mAdPjyis.mp4

This Grilled Panzanella Salad recipe gives the traditional Italian bread salad a delicious grilling season twist! Rather than using dried-out bread, grill hearty slices of your favorite loaf for crispy char & smoky flavor. From there, toss in a marinated summer tomato vinaigrette with fresh veggies like bell pepper & cucumber. The perfect hearty summer side dish! Naturally meatless. Easily vegetarian, vegan, & dairy-free. 

Grilled Panzanella Salad Recipe

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