What is Panzanella?
If you’ve never had a Grilled Panzanella Salad, get ready to fall in love with the ultimate late-summer dish. Imagine golden, smoky bread with charred edges, juicy cucumbers and tomatoes bursting with flavor, all tossed in a briny anchovy-caper vinaigrette. Topped with creamy burrata or salty ricotta salata, this salad is rustic, refreshing, and exactly what I want to eat when the farmers’ market is overflowing with produce.
What to pair with this Grilled Panzanella Salad?
Panzanella is a traditional Italian bread salad that originated in Tuscany. It was originally a way to use up day-old bread, tossing it with tomatoes, onions, olive oil, and vinegar so the bread could soak up all the juices. Today, it’s often reimagined with seasonal produce and modern twists, but it always stays true to its rustic, refreshing roots.
This salad would be great paired with my Chicken Piadina Wraps, Tomato Confit Pasta, or Pasta alla Norma.
📋 Recipe
Cucumber Grilled Panzanella Salad
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Equipment
- Chef's Knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Grill pan (for bread)
- Whisk
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ loaf Italian bread day old, torn into 1–2 inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large cucumbers cut into 1-inch chunks and lightly smashed
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- handful basil leaves fresh
Dressing
- 2 anchovy fillets or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 1 small garlic clove grated
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Cheese (choose one)
- ½ cup ricotta salata crumbled
- OR 1 ball burrata torn into pieces
Instructions
- Grill the bread: Heat a grill pan over medium-high. Toss bread with olive oil and salt. Grill in batches, turning occasionally, until golden with charred edges but still chewy inside, about 6–8 minutes. (In between batches, you may want to make sure you remove all the crumbs so that they don’t burn.)
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mash anchovies, garlic, and capers into a paste. Whisk in vinegar and mustard. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, toss cucumbers, onion, and grilled bread with dressing. Let sit for 10 minutes so the bread soaks up the flavor.
- Finish & serve: Transfer to a platter, top with either ricotta salata crumbles or torn burrata, and scatter basil leaves. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Ricotta salata → sharp, salty, crumbly (more traditional).
- Burrata → creamy, indulgent, very photogenic.
- Make-ahead → Grill bread up to 1 day ahead; store airtight once cool.
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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