Peach panzanella salad is the perfect summery side dish! It's easy to make and perfect with grilled chicken, steak or burgers. Sweet, juicy and packed with flavor - it's sure to become a family favorite.
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Peach and tomato season are here! I love when the grocery store is full of perfectly red, ripened tomatoes and ultra-juicy peaches.
It's the perfect time of year for homemade tomato soup, tomato peach basil salad, cucumber tomato salad, burrata salad and of course - peach cobbler!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Panzanella salad is the BEST for so many reasons. It's quick, easy and crazy delicious. Crunchy toasted bread cubes in tangy dressing along with fresh peaches, tomatoes and crunchy cucumber?! You just can't go wrong. 🍑🍅
What is panzanella salad?
Panzanella is likely a combo of the Italian words "pane" which translates to bread and "zanella" which means soup bowl!
Traditional panzanella was invented as a way to use up stale bread. To speed things up, you can simply toast your bread in the oven rather than waiting for it to become stale. (source: wikipedia)
What kind of bread goes in panzanella salad?
You can use any type of bread! However, I like to use a dense crusty variety like ciabatta or focaccia. These are both Italian breads, perfect since this dish originated in Italy.
A loaf of French bread or sourdough bread would also work well.
Because classic panzanella uses stale, leftover bread - don't shy away from the discount rack of day-old bread!
Your Shopping List
- Fresh Bread: A big loaf of ciabatta from the bakery section, or bread of choice.
- Ripe peaches: I always look for peaches on the smaller side! They're less likely to have a mealy or grainy texture. Though, if you're making this recipe during peak peach season, it's hard to buy a bad peach.
- Ripe tomatoes: Small hot house tomatoes on the vine, or variety of choice. Cherry tomatoes are also great!
- Mozzarella: I like to buy pearls. You could also ues a log of cheese and cut it into cubes.
- Cucumber: English cucumbers are preferable because they usually have fewer seeds, but any type of cucumber will do.
- Red onion: Just a touch of red onion will add loads of flavor to your salad.
- Fresh basil: Adds great aroma and flavor.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin. Avocado oil also works, but I really enjoy the peppery taste of olive oil.
- White wine vinegar: Or red wine vinegar.
- Seasonings: Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Toppings: Balsamic glaze! You can also add some pine nuts or walnuts for extra crunch but that's totally optional.
How To Make It
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview!
Toast bread cubes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cut up two cups worth of bread cubes. I like mine approximately one inch in size. Try to keep them uniform, perfection isn't necessary!
- Bake cubes in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Assemble salad, make dressing:
- Add peaches, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, mozzarella cheese, basil, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl.
- Measure olive oil and vinegar into a separate small bowl or container. Shake or whisk to combine and drizzle over ingredients.
Add bread:
- Add cooled, toasted bread cubes to the bowl and mix well to coat everything in dressing.
Serve:
- Transfer salad to a serving platter or bowl.
- Add balsamic glaze topping and optional pine nuts or walnuts for extra crunch if desired. Enjoy!
Stacey's Top Tips
Glaze: Be sure to purchase balsamic glaze, NOT balsamic vinegar. Glaze comes in a smaller bottle. It's sweeter and stickier and will adhere to salad ingredients better than regular vinegar.
Bread cubes: Let bread cubes cool before adding to the salad so they don't warm other ingredients.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this summery salad alongside:
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Grilled chicken
- Grilled steak
- Hotdogs or burgers
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Peach Panzanella Salad
Equipment
- 1 Cutting board and knife *for produce prep
- 1 Large bowl *to mix salad
- Serving bowl or platter *optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups ciabatta bread cubes *or bread of choice
- 2 small peaches *sliced
- 3 small hot house tomatoes on the vine *or tomatoes of choice *sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls *or a log cut into cubes
- 1 medium English cucumber *sliced into thin half moons
- ¼ small red onion *sliced very thin
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 & ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 & ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar *or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze *see note below
Optional topping:
- Toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts
Recipe notes:
Balsamic glaze: Be sure you purchase balsamic glaze not balsamic vinegar. Glaze is sweeter and much stickier!Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut bread into one inch cubes. Try to keep them somewhat uniform in size, perfection isn't necessary!2 cups ciabatta bread cubes
- Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Once golden, remove and allow to cool fully.
- Add peach slices, tomato slices, cucumber, red onion, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl.2 small peaches, 3 small hot house tomatoes on the vine, 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls, 1 medium English cucumber, ¼ small red onion, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- Measure olive oil and vinegar into a separate small bowl or container. Shake or whisk to combine and pour over ingredients.1 & ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 & ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Add cooled, toasted bread cubes to the bowl and mix well to coat everything in dressing.
- Taste test and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
- Transfer salad to a serving bowl or platter. Add balsamic glaze topping and optional pine nuts or walnuts for extra crunch if desired. Enjoy!2 tablespoons balsamic glaze, Toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts
Storage:
- This salad is best eaten right away to avoid soggy bread. However, you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
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