Tuscan Bread Salad (Panzanella) with White Beans

With Memorial Day in the rear view mirror, we are officially entering the summer season. Soon we will be picking ripe tomatoes, fresh corn and juicy melons from our local road-side stands, farmers’ markets and back yard gardens. It’s a foodie’s paradise!

There’s nothing like simple and fresh meals, especially during warm, summer days. And one good example is a Panzanella salad.  This Italian inspired dish relies on fresh tomatoes and grilled bread as its base along with other vegetables like cucumbers and onions – and then you will find variations.  Here I’ve added cannelini beans (more of the Italian influence) finished with torn pieces of basil and a basic vinaigrette.

Just as important as the fresh vegetables is that crusty bread! It’s so simple.  You can dry out the bread in the oven but I chose to use my grill pan with some sprays of olive oil. Instead of buying a loaf of bread, you can use rolls from your grocery store. Two ciabatta rolls found in the individual bins in the bakery area were perfect. Or if you have some leftover bread feel free to fire up your outdoor grill!

This salad is great on its own or paired with grilled fish or chicken – a light summer meal.

Recipe – Serves 2 to 3

2 to 3 cups of roughly cubed bread (French, Italian, Ciabatta)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

3/4 can of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed (I used Goya)

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 of a large English Cucumber, seeded and diced

1/2 of a small yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

2 to 3 large Basil leaves

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Dash salt and pepper

Add oil to a grill pan and heat over medium heat.* Add bread cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss in grill pan and heat until crispy brown. Let cool.

In a large bowl combine tomatoes, onion, cucumber and beans.  Add grilled bread cubes.

In a small bowl whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.  Pour dressing over salad.  Tear basil leaves and add to bowl. Mix well. Let sit for about an hour for the flavors to combine.

*TIP: Rather than putting the oil directly in the pan, you can use an oil mister and spray the cubes directly to use less oil and coat the bread evenly.