Hi Warriors! I’ve got a tasty summer side dish recipe for you. This one is dairy free, vegetarian, and can be gluten free, Oh, and it uses minimal heat, which makes it especially awesome for really hot days when you can’t even with the oven.

Panzanella is an Italian soaked bread salad. Yes, this recipe requires the use of bread. But before you freak out remember that carbohydrates are your body’s preferred fuel source. And of course, I dialed up with a ton of summer fresh veggies.

Panzanella usually calls for stale or grilled bread that is soaked in an oil and vinegar mixture with onions and tomatoes. Cucumbers and basil also play pretty prominently. My recipe is an adaptation of Ina Garten’s, which you can see here.  I am not a huge fan of onions or garlic, especially raw, so I omitted them. But if you like them, by all means, keep them. Ms. Garten’s recipe has a decidedly French influence and I don’t keep all the fancy vinegars (or capers) in stock. But that’s the beauty of Panzanella being Italian in its roots: the recipe is much more a method with substitutions freely allowed.

This recipe is one of those that gets better as it sits and the flavors mix, so plan ahead if you can. If you are looking for a bit of a protein boost, you could also throw in some natural mozzarella pieces to create a sort of hybrid caprese salad.

Panzanella

Olive oil

1 loaf ciabatta, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 yellow pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

20 basil leaves torn or julienned

Small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan over medium heat, swirl about 3 tablespoons of olive oil to coat the bottom and warm. Place bread cubes in pan and toss to coat with oil. Toast until golden brown, stirring frequently and adding oil if necessary. Remove to a large 9 x 13 casserole to cool. Return pan to stove, add a bit more oil and tomatoes. Cook tomatoes until skin blisters. Place tomatoes, diced veggies, and fresh herbs in the casserole dish with the bread. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients (starting with ½ cup olive oil) to make a vinaigrette. Pour vinaigrette over the bread and veggies and stir to evenly coat. Cover the dish and allow to sit in the refrigerator at least 4 hours. Serve chilled or at room temp.

Enjoy and be well friends!

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