Spring Panzanella Salad
- Marissa Shahani
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Panzanella is one of my favorite salad varieties- authentically it is a bread salad. You heard me right, not a salad with bread but a salad based around a delicious torn sourdough.
This version highlight a variety of spring produce including asparagus, radish, and radicchio. Radicchio season is coming to a close, because as the weather heats up it starts becoming quite bitter, so my goal is to use it as much as possible until then! The radishes and cucumbers provide a nice crunch while the asparagus brings in not only a delicious flavor but all the nutrients that spring produce is known for. Lastly, the pine nuts and pecorino, along with the vinaigrette add in a good dose of healthy fats, making this a filling and balanced meal!
The full recipe is featured on our website and linked here. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
-3 slices sourdough, torn into 1" pieces
-2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
-2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
-1 bundle asparagus, raw sliced or roasted with salt & pepper, cooled
-1 head lettuce of choice
-1 head radicchio, thinly sliced
-1 persian cucumber, sliced thinly
-3-4 radishes, assorted, sliced thinly
-1 small bunch parsley, torn
-pecorino romano to top
-salt and pepper to taste
SALAD DRESSING:
-juice 1 lemon
-1 tsp dijon mustard
-1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
-salt and pepper
-pinch chili flakes, optional
DIRECTIONS:
Make "croutons". Preheat oven to 400, tear bread into bite size pieces, season with salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Mix well- lay out on oven sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until desired texture. I like mine on the less well-done side so that they are not fully crispy like a classic crouton, but still have a crisper outside. If you are choosing to roast the asparagus, throw them on the oven sheet as well, tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let roast until desired done-ness (I leave these in longer than the croutons!)
While bread and asparagus are baking, wash and slice lettuce, radicchio, cucumber, and radish. Set aside.
In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, add pine nuts and lightly toast until fragrant (only about 2 minutes). These burn quickly so keep an eye on them!
To make vinaigrette, add lemon juice, dijon, salt, pepper, chili flakes to a bowl and whisk. Then slowly stream in olive oil and continue mixing until creamy.
Assemble! Toss all ingredients together with dressing, top with a generous amount of pecorino romano.