Loaded Panzanella Salad
This Italian inspired panzanella is truly loaded. It has garden fresh tomatoes, red onions, crisp romaine and cucumbers and a zippy red wine vinaigrette. The oven baked croutons soak up the dressing and make this a truly satisfying side salad.
Ingredients
For Croutons
- 2 cups ciabatta bread cut in cubes
- 1 tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
- 1 pinch Salt
- ½ tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
For Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin Oilve oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 ea ground black pepper to your taste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
For Salad
- 2 romaine hearts cut in bite sized pieces
- ¼ red onion sliced thin
- 20 cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 baby bell peppers sliced thin
- 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
Instructions
For Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
- Add cubed bread to a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil then season with salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Toss well and then bake until crispy on the edges and still slightly soft in the middle. Around 12-15 minutes.
For Dressing
- Make the dressing by combining olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning and pure maple syrup.
For Salad
- Optional step: For extra flavor, marinate the sliced onions in a half of the dressing while assembling the rest of the salad to give them some time to marinate.
- Add tomatoes, lettuce, bell peppers and cucumbers to a large bowl. Add the croutons, the onions and the dressing and toss well.
- Serve tossed salad within 30 minutes for best flavor and texture.