Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Bread Base
- 300 g ciabatta bread, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 g kosher salt
Produce
- 500 g seedless watermelon, cubed (2.5cm)
- 500 g heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges or large chunks
- 200 g cucumber, sliced into half-moons
- 60 g red onion, very thinly sliced
- 15 g fresh basil leaves, torn
Watermelon Vinaigrette
- 100 g reserved watermelon cubes, from produce list
- 30 ml red wine vinegar
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 5 g dijon mustard
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 56 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 679 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 710 mg
- Calcium
- 75 mg
- Iron
- 2.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
- Phosphorus
- 65 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 54 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 33 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 214 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the ciabatta cubes with 30ml olive oil and 2g salt on a baking sheet.
Bake the bread cubes until golden brown and very crisp, approximately 10-12 minutes. They must be thoroughly dried out to maintain texture later.
While bread toasts, place the tomato wedges and 400g of the watermelon cubes in a colander set over a large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and toss. Let sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess liquid (save this liquid in the bowl).
Make the dressing: In a blender, combine the reserved 100g watermelon, red wine vinegar, minced shallot, Dijon mustard, and any tomato/watermelon juices collected in the bowl from Step 3. Blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large serving bowl, combine the toasted bread (cooled slightly), drained tomatoes, drained watermelon, cucumber slices, and red onion.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Let the salad stand for 15 minutes before serving to allow the bread to absorb some dressing while retaining its crunch. Fold in fresh torn basil right before serving.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a great Panzanella is the 'controlled soak.' The bread should have a crisp exterior and a slightly softened, flavor-saturated interior.
- If your red onions are too pungent, soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes before adding to the salad to tame the bite.
- Heirloom tomatoes are preferred for their superior flavor and lower water content compared to standard beefsteak tomatoes.
- Using the 'pot likker' (the juice drained from the salted fruit) in the vinaigrette acts as a natural flavor amplifier.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten fresh; bread will become soggy if stored longer than 24 hours.
Troubleshooting
Bread turns to mush immediately
Cause: Bread was not toasted thoroughly enough or was tossed too early
Fix: Add fresh toasted bread right before eating for crunch
Prevention: Ensure bread is baked until rock-hard (crouton texture) before dressing
Cultural Context
Panzanella originated in Tuscany as a peasant dish to repurpose stale bread. This variation incorporates Southern American summer staples—watermelon and heirloom tomatoes—creating a sweet-savory bridge between Mediterranean and Southern cuisine.
