Fresh Summer Panzanella
Author: 
Recipe type: Salad, Entree
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • Salad:
  • 2-4 slices of crusty bread, cubed into 1 inch pieces
  • 5-6 cups of arugula (Can be more or less depending on your preference)
  • 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into ribbons and grilled
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 large beefsteak tomato, halved and diced
  • 6 oz. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup sugar snap pea pods, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ cup roasted red pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 med. red onion
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives, halves and pits removed
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 4-8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, torn or chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, stems removed and chopped
  • Simple Red Wine Vinaigrette:
  • ¼ Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Dried Basil
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and also put a large pot of water slightly salted on to boil.
  2. Wash and chop all fresh vegetables, herbs, and bread as per ingredients list.
  3. Spread bread pieces in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss bread around a bit to coat. Toast the bread in the preheated oven for 5-10 minutes tossing once or twice to brown evenly.
  4. Grill or cook the zucchini ribbons in lightly oiled pan over medium heat for a few minutes on both sides until they become tender.
  5. Once water is boiling, add the cut asparagus and trimmed pea pods and let boil for 2-3 minutes. Once done drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Blanching these vegetables makes them more tender and easier to chew which will blend nicely with the rest of the textures in the salad.
  6. Make the vinaigrette. Place all the ingredients for the vinaigrette into a small bowl and stir rapidly to combine.
  7. Build your salad. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl tossing to mix. Finish with the fresh herbs. Give the dressing one last stir before adding it to the salad. Toss to incorporate. Enjoy.
Recipe by Meatless Makeovers at https://www.meatlessmakeovers.com/fresh-summer-panzanella/