This Peach Panzanella Salad pays homage to the classic while leaning into everything I love about summer produce. Ripe heirloom tomatoes and sweet peaches are tossed with chunky pieces of bread, fresh basil and thinly sliced shallot, then dressed simply with extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar.
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Why My Recipe Works
- Easy to make. There isn’t much cooking involved here. A little chopping, a quick vinaigrette and a toss are all you need to make this easy summer salad.
- Celebrates summer produce. Peaches and tomatoes come into season around the same time, and this recipe lets both shine. Use the ripest, most flavorful fruit you can find.
- Perfect for summer menus. This Peach Panzanella Salad is right at home alongside grilled chicken, steak, fish or other barbecue favorites. Pair it with one of my Grilling Recipes.
Ingredients
Celebrate summer with these simple ingredients.
- Tomatoes: Ripe, juicy heirloom tomatoes are ideal here, but use any flavorful in-season tomato you have.
- Peaches: Choose ripe but still firm peaches so the wedges hold their shape. Nectarines or apricots are excellent substitutes.
- Bread: Stale, sturdy bread works best for panzanella because it can soak up the dressing and tomato juices without immediately falling apart. Sourdough, ciabatta or another rustic loaf will work.
- Basil: Fresh basil brings that unmistakable summer flavor. I like tearing the leaves by hand rather than chopping them.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Expert Tips
- Use peak-season peaches and tomatoes. With a simple salad like this, the produce does most of the heavy lifting.
- Don’t skip salting the tomatoes. Salting tomatoes ahead of assembly seasons them and draws out moisture.
- Use stale or dried bread. Panzanella is a bread salad, so texture matters. Day-old rustic bread has enough structure to absorb the vinaigrette and juices without instantly turning to mush. If your bread is very fresh, cube it and dry or toast it first.
- Don’t cut the bread too small. I prefer chunky cubes, about 1 inch (2cm). Bigger pieces give you that wonderful contrast between a flavorful, dressing-soaked exterior and a little chew in the middle.
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Peach Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
- 5 Medium tomatoes (cut into wedges)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 Peaches (cut into wedges)
- 2 Thick slices of bread, cut into 1" cubes – about 3 cups worth of bread cubes
- 1 Shallot (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup Basil leaves (torn or roughly chopped)
Dressing
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoon Sherry vinegar
- 1 Garlic clove (minced)
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine sliced tomatoes and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside for 15 minutes. This will draw out the water and make the tomatoes more flavorful. Discard liquid.
- To the same bowl, add sliced peaches, bread, torn basil, and sliced shallots or onions. Combine.
- In a mason jar or small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Start with just ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Add dressing to salad and toss.
- Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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