A summer heatwave has been hitting us here in VA (and all over the country) pretty hard. It’s the time of year for no-cook, just throw-together dinner options, which quite often means a salad. Keeping salads interesting can be a challenge, so I’m always looking at how to put a new twist on an old favorite.
Since I love bread, Panzanella salad has always been in my recipe rotation. It’s great for lunch or dinner at home, but it is also is a perfect make-ahead, portable potluck or picnic offering. This salad tastes better after it sits for a few hours to allow the ingredients to marinate and the flavors to blend well.
In this particular salad, I used fresh shrimp from my favorite market that was already steamed. You could also add store-bought rotisserie chicken, leftover steak from dinner the night before, or leave out a meat protein altogether.
Panzenela Salad With Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp, chilled (I used 16 - 20 count)
- 1/2 loaf of bread, a crusty or day-old loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes (sourdough, French, Italian - your choice)
- 1 large yellow pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 1 large orange or red pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 4 - 6 tomatoes, very ripe and cut into 4 - 6 slices
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1/4+ of red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
- Parmesan cheese to taste
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
- 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive or avocado oil
- Dressing
- 3 parts olive oil
- 1 part red wine vinegar
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the bread:
- - cut into 1 inch cubes
- - place a few teaspoons of olive or avocado oil in a pan over medium heat
- - add the bread cubes and toss so they get coated with oil
- - top with Italian seasoning and a dash of salt.
- - turn the bread cubes so they get brown on each side. This will keep them from getting soggy in the salad
- - when all sides have some color, remove bread from the pan and let it cool
- Prepare the salad:
- - slice tomatoes, onion, sweet peppers and cucumber
- - place them in a large bowl with enough room to toss
- - add basil, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste
- Prepare the dressing:
- - in a small jar add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper
- - shake until the dressing becomes one color
- - taste and adjust seasoning if needed
- Putting it all together:
- - add bread to the salad ingredients and toss to incorporate
- - add the 3/4 of the dressing and toss to ensure all ingredients are coated
- - cover and place in the refridgerator or 30 minutes to allow all of the flavors to merge
- Plating:
- - place the salad on a plate
- - add the shrimp on top
- - top with remaining dressing and fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon
