Summer Panzanella with Fresh Mint
There's nothing more summery than panzanella, a bread salad full of ripe tomatoes, red onions, and, in this case, fresh mint. A great way to use up stale bread and excess produce without having to spend all evening in the kitchen, panzanella is an easy warm-weather alternative to wintery bread stuffing. Serve as a substantial side dish or a quick and easy main course.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vingar
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1/2 loaf crusty bread, cubed
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. capers
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- salt and black pepper, to taste
For the dressing:
For the croutons:
For the salad:
Instructions
- In a small jar with a lid, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, black pepper, and garlic.
- Shake to combine and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toss bread cubes in a plastic Ziploc bag with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Let sit for minutes.
- Tumble cubes out onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown
- While the croutons are baking, toss thinly sliced onions, capers, tomatoes, cucumber, and mint into a large bowl.
- Cover with the dressing and toss. Let sit for 10 minutes to take the bite off the red onion and enable the flavors to meld.
- When the croutons come out of the oven, toss them into the salad and let sit for 5 minutes so they can absorb the dressing and vegetable juices.
- Add feta, season to taste, and garnish with fresh mint to serve.
Preparing the dressing:
Preparing the croutons:
Preparing the salad:
