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5 from 11 votes

Summer Panzanella

This colorful Summer Panzanella recipe is ultra-quick and easy to prepare, made with delicious buttery crusty bread, and perfect for potlucks or picnics or easy weeknight dinners!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: vegetarian
Servings: 4 small servings (or 2 large servings)

Ingredients

Panzanella Ingredients:

  • 1 small (7-ounce) loaf of ciabatta or sourdough bread cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 tablespoons butter (I used Land O Lakes® Salted Butter in Half Sticks) melted
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • half a small red onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
  • 1 batch Easy Italian vinaigrette (see below)

Easy Italian Vinaigrette Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic pressed or finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

To Make The Panzanella:

  • Heat oven to 350°F.
  • Spread the bread out on a large baking sheet (
  • Meanwhile, as the bread is baking, prep your other ingredients and the vinaigrette.
  • Once the bread is ready to go, transfer it to a large serving bowl, along with the chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, Parmesan and basil.  Drizzle evenly with the Italian vinaigrette, and toss to combine.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.  Or, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let the flavors meld together more, stirring only once.

To Make The Vinaigrette:

  • Whisk all ingredients together until combined.