Ingredients:
- 8 cups day-old crusty bread, cut into small cubes
-1 can of drained chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
** Fresh mozzarella cheese ( optional)
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the bread cubes with olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
3. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Set aside to cool.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to make the dressing. Set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, chickpeas, cheese,fresh basil, and parsley.
6. Add the cooled bread cubes to the bowl and pour the dressing over the vegetables and bread. Toss everything together gently until well combined.
7. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes, allowing the bread to soak up the dressing and the flavors to meld together.
8. Serve the panzanella salad immediately and enjoy!
Tips:
- For a more flavorful salad, use homemade croutons instead of store-bought bread cubes.
- You can use any type of crusty bread for this recipe, such as French bread, sourdough, or ciabatta.
- If you don't have day-old bread, you can toast the bread cubes in a pan with some olive oil instead of baking them in the oven.
- You can add other vegetables to the salad, such as grilled zucchini or eggplant.
- Make this salad ahead of time and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving for even more flavor. Just make sure to add the bread cubes right before serving so they don't become soggy.