Peach Panzanella
Peach Panzanella is a delicious summer bread salad filled with summer produce! This panzanella is made with fresh peaches, ripe tomatoes, red onion, fresh mozzarella balls, basil, and a simple vinaigrette. It can be served with grilled fish, chicken, or steak, or on its own for a vegetarian main dish!
One of my favorite summer dishes to make is a panzanella salad. Especially when they are filled with fresh produce that is in season, these salads really let the natural flavors shine! This Peach Panzanella is filled with summers shining stars: peaches and tomatoes, along with fresh basil. Oh my, it is so good!
Panzanella can be served as a side dish or a main dish, depending on your appetite and preferences. We love serving it along with grilled salmon or grilled Italian hicken, Smoked Brats, or also op top of a bed of arugula for a lighter vegetarian dinner.
What is Panzanella?
Panzanella is an Italian bread salad made of vegetables and stale bread. A classic panzanella recipe has tomatoes and cucumbers, but there are many adaptations on the traditional ingredients.
This panzanella recipe is made with simple fresh ingredients that you can find at peak quality in the summer time. That makes this the perfect summer salad recipe to enjoy on the patio with a cold glass of rosé or lemonade!
Ingredients in Peach Panzanella Recipe
- Baguette - I like to use a French baguette or Italian baguette, as they are easy to cut into cubes. Any kind of fresh crusty bread like sourdough bread, or ciabatta would also work.
- Butter
- Peaches - fresh, ripe summer peaches are absolutely crucial in this Panzanella! They add so much delicious flavor.
- Tomatoes - fresh summer juicy tomatoes are also important in this recipe because they are so much more flavorful when they are in season!
- Red Onion
- Fresh Mozzarella Balls - I like to use the tiny mozzarella balls but you can also dice up a log of fresh mozzarella.
- Fresh Basil - fresh basil leaves add so much flavor! Fresh herbs are such a delicious way to add flavor to dishes in the summer!
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Garlic
- Dijon Mustard
- Salt and Black Pepper
How to Make Peach Panzanella
To start, cut the baguette into bite-sized cubes and then melt butter in a large skillet. Brown the cubes in butter until they're golden brown. I do this in 2-3 batches so each cube can soak up some butter and get nice and golden. This part is a little putsy, but I prefer this method over baking them - they end up super buttery and flavorful!
Next, prep the produce. Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. I used large heirloom tomatoes but you can really use any fresh tomatoes that you have! Next, cut the peaches into slices and thinly slice red onion. Make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, fresh minced garlic, and salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the golden bread cubes, peaches, tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella balls, and then some fresh basil and drizzle with the dressing. Toss lightly to combine and then top with a little more fresh basil. Enjoy!
Peach Panzanella Salad Tips and Variations
Grill the Peaches. Grilled peaches would be absolutely delicious in this panzanella salad recipe. Simply brush fresh peach slices with some extra virgin olive oil and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Use day old bread. Using stale bread cubes will allow them to soak up the butter even more.
Use ripe peaches. You want sweet peaches for this recipe that are full of flavor! You could also use another stone fruit like nectarines.
Add some greens. If you want a little more lettuce in this "salad" you could add a couple handfuls of fresh arugula, butter lettuce, or mixed greens!
This is such a pretty dish that and is a perfect salad for a summer BBQ! This is a great summer salad that is hearty enough to be the main dish but also perfect as an easy side dish.
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Peach Panzanella
Ingredients
- 1 baguette cut into cubes
- 6 tablespoon butter
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 peaches sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 4 ounces mozzarella pearls
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped basil plus more for topping
Dressing
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add half of the bread cubes to the skillet and cook until they are golden brown, stirring often.
- Repeat with remaining butter and bread cubes.
- In a large bowl, add the bread cubes, peaches, tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella, and basil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Pour over the salad and toss lightly to combine.
- Top with additional fresh basil and some sea salt.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Wait until immediately before serving to add the dressing to this panzanella salad. You don't want the bread cubes to get soggy.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
