Panzanella is an Italian salad that originated in Tuscany. Panzanella is the perfect side dish to almost any meal but is especially great in the summer when tomatoes are in season.
The fresh basil, capers and toasted bread in this Panzanella recipe provide the salad with a fresh flavor and crunchy texture that will keep you coming back for more.

Ingredients
Salad
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small loaf of French or Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into fine pieces
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 20 basil leaves, coarsely chopped
- 3 tbsp capers
Dressing
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil in a pan and add the bread and salt. Cook the bread over low to medium heat, tossing frequently for about 10 minutes or until evenly browned. Remove bread from the pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow bell peppers, red onion, basil, and capers. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Add the toasted bread to the salad bowl and drizzle the dressing onto the salad and mix well with a pair of tongs
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