Summer Balsamic Stonefruit Panzanella (Panzanella Toscana)

There’s nothing better than a delicious bread salad, and this Stonefruit Panzanella has this tomato & maple balsamic dressing that makes it incredible. I learned this trick from my friend Brenna, where you salt the tomatoes and take the tomato juices and add it to the vinaigrette. It’s so delicious.

What is Panzanella Toscana?

Panzanella Toscana is a classic italian dish that uses stale bread. You toast the bread, then toss it with vegetables, tomatoes, and a zingy vinaigrette.

I love to add juicy tomatoes and ripe stone fruit (nectarines or peaches) to this salad to make it a summertime treat. The key to this dish is the balsamic vinaigrette, which uses fresh juice from the tomatoes and a little bit of maple syrup (or honey) to bring out all the flavors.

Chef Tips

• Salt your tomatoes with a colander and bowl underneath – this will release the juices of the tomatoes, and we will incorporate this juice into the balsamic vinaigrette which will make the salad extra juicy and delicious.
• Use RIPE peaches or nectarines. You should be able to very strongly smell the aroma of the peaches when you smell them, and they should be relatively soft to the touch. If you do not use ripe fruit in this recipe, it won’t taste the same.
• Burrata is another component that you don’t want to skip. The super creamy, slightly runny texture (the stracciatella) is what also contributes the overall flavor and makes for a super fresh yet decadent dish!

Summer Balsamic Stonefruit Burrata Panzanella

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• Author: Jackie
• Total Time: 30
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

There’s nothing better than a delicious bread salad, and this Stonefruit Panzanella has this tomato & maple balsamic dressing that makes it incredible. 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1/4 cup fresh tomato juice from the salted tomatoes
• black pepper

For the Salad

• 1/2 loaf sourdough bread, cubed
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tomatoes – heirloom or 4 Campari if possible, diced
• 4 Persian cucumbers, cut into slices
• 8 ounces burrata
• 4 peaches or nectarines, diced
• 1/2 bunch basil, finely chopped
• kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• black pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Cube the sourdough bread into 1″ cubes, and lay them on a 1/2 baking sheet. Toss the cubes with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, a big pinch of kosher salt, and black pepper. Thoroughly mix together with your hands. Bake the cubed bread for 15 – 20 minutes at 375F, or until golden brown.
3. As the bread is toasting, cut the tomatoes. Halve the cherry tomatoes and dice the heirloom or Campari tomatoes. Set up a large bowl with a colander sitting inside the bowl. Add all the chopped tomatoes into the colander with a big pinch of kosher salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.
4. As the tomatoes are sitting, prep the remaining vegetables and fruit – cut the cucumbers, dice the peaches, chop the basil, and pick a few small basil leaves for garnish.
5. Next, make the vinaigrette – in a mason jar or small bowl, add the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, kosher salt, black pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, and all the juices from the salted tomatoes. You should be able to get about 1/4 cup of tomato juices from the bottom of the mixing bowl. Whisk or shake well, taste, and adjust seasoning as desired. 
6. To assemble the salad, combine the toasted cubed bread, chopped vegetables, stone fruit, cherries, and basil in a serving bowl. Spoon pieces of burrata into the bowl, then pour in 1/2 the vinaigrette. Toss together, add additional vinaigrette as desired, and serve!

• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 15
• Category: Quick and Easy
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American