Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 250 g ciabatta bread, day-old, torn or cut into bite-sized pieces
- 400 g ripe mixed tomatoes, cored and chopped into rough chunks
- 200 g cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 50 g red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml red wine vinegar
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 325 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 702 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 426 mg
- Calcium
- 46 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 20 mg
- Phosphorus
- 41 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 66 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Arrange the torn ciabatta pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Toast the bread in the oven until dry, firm to the touch, and lightly golden on the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
While the bread toasts, place the chopped tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt and toss gently. Let sit for 15 minutes to extract the tomato water.
Whisk the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and black pepper directly into the bowl with the tomatoes and their juices until slightly emulsified.
Add the cooled toasted ciabatta, chopped cucumber, and sliced red onion to the bowl. Toss thoroughly, pressing down slightly so the bread begins to soak up the liquid.
Let the salad rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Toss once more right before serving to distribute any settled dressing.
Chef's Notes
- Salting the tomatoes in advance is the foundational secret to an exceptional panzanella. The extracted tomato water mixes with the oil and vinegar to create a rich, self-made dressing.
- Tearing the ciabatta by hand rather than cutting it with a knife creates craggy, irregular edges that absorb the dressing beautifully while helping the bread retain its structural integrity.
- For the absolute best flavor and texture, never refrigerate your tomatoes. The cold dramatically dulls their natural sweetness and turns the flesh mealy.
- If the red onion is too sharp or pungent for your taste, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes before draining and adding them to the salad.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Store in an airtight container. Bread will lose its structure and become very soft after 24 hours.
Troubleshooting
Bread turns into a mushy paste
Cause: The bread was too fresh or was soaked for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed, though you can fold in extra freshly toasted croutons immediately before serving to restore some crunch.
Prevention: Ensure you are using very stale bread, or fully toast it in the oven to dry it out completely before adding it to the salad.
Salad lacks depth of flavor
Cause: Tomatoes were under-ripe or cold from the refrigerator
Fix: Add a pinch more salt and an extra splash of red wine vinegar to boost the acidity and brightness.
Prevention: Always use room-temperature, peak-season tomatoes and allow them time to macerate with salt.
Cultural Context
Panzanella is a classic rustic Tuscan dish born from the agricultural necessity of peasant cooking, where stale bread was creatively revitalized rather than wasted. Historically, onions, purslane, and cucumbers were the primary vegetables; it was only after the widespread cultivation of tomatoes in the 20th century that the dish transformed into the vibrant, red-jeweled summer salad celebrated worldwide today.
