Spring and summer are the best times of year to make a Tuscan bread salad, otherwise known as a panzanella. Cubes of toasted, day-old bread coated in a touch of olive oil are tossed together with the season’s freshest veggies, and can be flavored with a light vinaigrette and cheese if you so desire.
For this healthy version of a panzanella, I tossed the cubes of bread together with pieces of raw Lacinato kale, feta cheese, ripe cherry tomatoes, roasted sweet peppers and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette—studded with sliced garlic for an added Italian touch. Wonderful also when made with cucumbers, wedges of heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, roasted summer squash….the list goes on-and-on. But you get the idea, why not save that day-old loaf of bread and turn your next side dish into a colorful Italian bread salad?
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Balsamic Kale & Cherry Tomato Panzanella
Ingredients:
- 3 cups cubed, day-old bread
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 head of Lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves cut into bite-sized pieces (washed and dried of course)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 jar of roasted red peppers, sliced OR 1 cup sliced baby sweet peppers (which can be added to the pan when you toast the bread to soften them up*)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- For the vinaigrette:
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the bread cubes (and sliced sweet peppers if using*) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bread is browned and toasty.
- Toss the bread together with the cut kale, cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, and cheese.
- Combine the vinaigrette ingredients together in a mason jar, secure the lid. Shake until emulsified; season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad.
Tagged: balsamic vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, bread salad, cherry tomatoes, croutons, feta cheese, Italian, Italy, kale, kale and cherry tomato panzanella, Lacinato kale, panzanella, roasted peppers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, Tuscan bread salad, Tuscan kale
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