Panzanella

Step 1

Heat oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the bread in the center of the sheet in a pile and drizzle evenly with the olive oil and garlic powder, then toss so that it is more or less evenly coated. Spread the bread out in an even layer, then season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the bread is crispy yet still slightly soft in the middle. (Baking time will totally depend on the type of bread you use, so keep an eye on it!) Remove from the oven.

Step 2

While the croutons are baking, prep the vinaigrette.

Step 3

Combine the croutons, tomatoes, feta, cucumbers, bell pepper, onion and basil leaves in a large serving bowl. Drizzle evenly with the vinaigrette and toss to combine. If you have 30 minutes to spare, this salad really benefits from a brief period of resting so that the ingredients can marinate more fully in the vinaigrette. But if not, no worries…just serve immediately and enjoy!