Summer Panzanella

Nothing screams summer like a classic panzanella. It’s one of those recipes that truly tastes like summer, especially made in peak season. When the tomatoes are extra juicy, the squash is slightly sweet, and the basil is extra cheap—you know it’s time to make this staple dish. To give this classic recipe more flavor, we grill the bread, zucchini, and onion until charred, then toss those with the remaining ingredients. The result is a super fresh, extra-flavorful dish that will be the star of all your summer potlucks. Here’s how to make it:

Traditional panzanella.
A classic Tuscan dish, panzanella is all about the bread. Traditionally, panzanella is made from dry, stale bread, flavored with tomatoes (and their juices), vinegar, olive oil, and a variety of vegetables. There are countless variations of panzanella today, from winter varieties to spring recipes to this grilled summer version. 

Top tips for making panzanella:
— How should I prepare the bread? In this summer-worthy recipe, we chose to grill our bread (along with our zucchini and onion) to achieve that toasty, grilled flavor and texture. But, if you’d prefer not to turn on the grill, we suggest using extra-stale bread or toasting in the oven instead.
— Do I need to use the grill? Nope! We love the charred flavor it gives our bread and veggies, but you can skip if desired, or use a stove-top grill pan. One of the best things about panzanella is how versatile it is. If you’d prefer more of a no-cook version, swap out the zucchini for cucumber and use a raw red onion or shallot.
— How long should I let it marinate? To allow the bread to soak in all of the delicious tomato juice, we recommend letting your dish sit for at least 30 minutes (but up to a few hours) before serving. 

Serving ideas.
This dish is a light and delicious summer lunch all on its own, but can also be a perfect easy side to any summer dinners, from bruschetta chicken to cherry tomato pasta. That being said, since you’ve got the grill out, why not whip up one of our weeknight dinners on the grill, like our peach balsamic grilled chicken or grilled tofu.

Have you tried this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!