| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup drained capers
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 12 ounces ciabatta or other country-style white bread, 2 to3 days old
- 2 tablespoons plus 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 9 ripe tomatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds total), cored and scored on the bottom
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup drained roasted red bell pepper strips
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
- Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the capers in 2 tablespoons of vinegar in a small bowl for 10 minutes. Drain.
- Cut the crust off of the bread. Cut into 2-inch slices and grill, drizzling about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on both sides of the bread. Once grilled, cut or tear bread into 1 inch cubes and set aside.
- Submerge the tomatoes into a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl of ice water to cool slightly. Using a small sharp paring knife, peel off the tomato skins. Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2/3 cup of the olive oil, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the bread cubes, tomatoes, and basil; toss to combine.
- Transfer half of the bread mixture to a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish.
- Arrange half of the roasted peppers, drained capers, and olives over the bread mixture. Repeat layering with the remaining bread mixture, then the remaining roasted peppers, capers, and olives. Cover the salad and let stand at room temperature for flavors to blend, at least 1 hour.
- Garnish with the basil sprigs and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 459 |
| Total Fat | 31 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 755 mg |
Reviews
Love this dish! I didn’t blanch the tomatoes but that’s no big deal. I grilled a flank steak, sliced it thin and added it to the salad-a meal in one dish-doesn’t get better than that!
This is worth the time to peel the tomatoes.
This recipe is EXCELLENT! I have never had panzanella before this, but it sounded a lot like bruschetta which I LOVE… and who doesn’t love grilled bread? So I had to try it.
The only changes I made were 1) I used regular french bread instead of ciabatta because it was cheaper at the store 2) I put 4 cloves of garlic instead of 1 because there is no way 1 clove can be enough for 6 servings! That is ridiculous.
Blanching, skinning, and seeding the tomatoes took a lot longer than expected, and made a huge mess in my kitchen – so the prep time was closer to 40 minutes rather than the 15 mins that the recipe says.
Overall, DELICIOUS – highly recommend!
This is just WONDERFUL! Since I made it the first time, following the recipe, I’ve since added the small fresh mozzarella balls, English cucumber, and also used Asiago or homemade garlic cheese bread for the cubed bread. I sometimes wake up thinking of this salad and have to fix it for lunch!
I loved this dish but I only give it 4 stars because the prep time was MUCH LONGER than 15 minutes. I’m no chef, but it took me at least an hour to get everything prepped and ready to sit. Maybe next time I’ll work faster, but it threw off my timing in serving it because I couldn’t let it sit long enough.
Just FANTASTIC!!! Flavorful, rustic, great textures. Its a go-to recipe that is guaranteed to impress. when i go on vacation with a bunch of people, this is one of the many things i will make for everyone. Wonderful
Excellent salad, but I did make a few slight adjustments. I added mini fresh mozzarella balls, substituted the kalamata olives for sliced black olives, and used the crusty end of a four-cheese sourdough. It was a hit, everyone wanted the recipe, thanks Giada.
This is so delicious and refreshingly different! Entire family loved it! Including my two boys aged, 11 and 9! We enjoyed with steaks and fresh spinach.
A great side dish in place of green salad! I served with grilled steaks and plain ole baked potatoes. Absolutely will make again. A big hit with my guests.
I made this for company and it turned out wonderful! I am making it again for family next week and keeping this one handy for the rest of the summer!