italian tomato salad

Panzanella is a classic tomato and bread salad from Tuscany. Bursting with ripe tomatoes, cucumber and basil, it&#39;s hard to think of a salad that screams &quot;summer&quot; any louder. Chunks of lightly toasted bread meanwhile bring delicious texture and some heft to the salad, making it filling enough for lunch or a light meal.Be warned, this salad demands the very best tomatoes! If you don&#39;t have juicy tomatoes, don&#39;t make this. Make another salad instead!And though some Italians may tell you toasting bread is not the traditional way to make Panzanella, don&#39;t skip it. That is, unless you WANT unidentifiable white mush in your bowl within minutes of making this!

Panzanella (Italian tomato and bread salad)

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

tomatoes ((Note 1))

tsp cooking/kosher salt ((or 3/4 tsp table salt))

Lebanese cucumbers ((or 1 long telegraph/English cucumber), peeled (optional) (Note 3))

basil leaves (, loosely packed)

Dijon mustard

tsp garlic (, finely minced (~1 large or 2 small))

tsp salt

Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F (160°C fan).

Toss bread chunks with 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.

Toast: Spread bread on a a tray and toast for about 15 minutes, until the outside is becoming golden and crunchy but the inside is still a little soft, like toast. Remove and leave to cool.

Toast bread:

Cut tomato into 8 wedges each. Cut some of these wedges into half (I like irregular shapes for this rustic salad).

Sweat tomato with salt: Put tomatoes into a colander over a large bowl. Season with the salt, toss and set aside for 10 minutes to draw out the juices. RESERVE the tomato juice in the bowl for the dressing.

Cut cucumber into any shaped chunks aroun 2.5cm / 1&quot; pieces. Again, I like to do irregular but even-sized shapes.

Toss veg: Place tomato sweating in colander into large bowl. Add cucumber and basil, toss gently.

Tomato Dressing: Add Dressing ingredients into bowl holding the tomato juice, whisk well.

Dress salad: Add bread to salad, pour over dressing. Give it a light toss.

Rest then serve: Leave for 5 minutes to let the juices soak into the bread, tossing once or twice. Toss once more just before serving!

Salad:

This simple but delicious tomato mozzarella salad comes together in minutes and is the perfect salad for summer gatherings!

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

extra virgin olive oil

red wine vinegar

Diamond Crystal Kosher salt

sugar

oregano

cherry tomatoes (halved)

mozzarella balls (halved)

red onion

basil (julienned)

flaky sea salt

Whisk together and taste test.  Adjust salt and pepper if required.

For the vinaigrette

In a large bowl mix the cherry tomatoes, red onion, and fresh mozzarella balls.  Pour the vinaigrette on top and mix well to coat.  Let the tomatoes sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle the basil on top and mix one more time before serving.  Top with a touch of flaky sea salt.  Enjoy!

For the salad

almost identical to how my mom used to make growing up.

This Marinated Tomato Salad recipe is quick and easy to make. Tomatoes are tossed with basil, herb dressing, and fresh mozzarella cheese!

Marinated Tomato Salad with Basil &amp; Mozzarella

tomatoes (such as roma or cherry tomatoes)

olive oil

Tbsp. red wine vinegar

garlic

Italian seasoning

kosher salt

pepper

basil

Dice tomatoes until you have enough for 6 cups (the amount of tomatoes used will vary depending on the variety of tomato used). You can dice the tomatoes as large or small as you like.

Place the diced tomatoes in a large serving bowl.

Mince 2 cloves of garlic.

In a small bowl, combine 4 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, and 1/2 tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined using a small whisk or fork (alternately, you can combine these ingredients in a small mason jar, cover with a lid, and shake until combined).

Pour the dressing over the diced tomatoes and stir until completely combined.

Cut 1 8 oz. package of marinated mozzarella balls (or ball of fresh mozzarella or any type of cheese you like) into pieces and add them to the salad. Stir until completely combined.

Mince 1/3 cup of fresh basil. Add to the salad and stir until combined.

Place the salad in the fridge and marinate for 1-2 hours before serving.

To Serve: Serve with a slotted spoon so that the juices remain in the bowl. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper over the salad before serving.

For The Dressing:

I try to enjoy summer tomatoes as often as possible this time of year and this recipe has been perfect for lunches all week. The dressing taste great, it kept well for a few days and I could just pop in and grab a bowl when I was hungry. Really good, thanks for sharing!

Top 3 italian tomato salad recipes from across the web

The most viewed italian tomato salad recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Panzanella (Italian tomato and brea...

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Marinated Tomato Salad with Basil &...

Top 3 italian tomato salad recipes from across the web

The most viewed italian tomato salad recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Panzanella (Italian tomato and brea...

Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Marinated Tomato Salad with Basil &...

The most viewed italian tomato salad recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine