Panzanella (Tuscan Bread Salad)

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With juicy heirloom tomatoes, crisp cubes of grilled bread, cucumber, and fresh basil, this panzanella recipe is a dish you’ll find yourself making all summer long. Serve it as a side or as a light meal.

Overhead view of basil, tomatoes, red onions, and cucumbers in bowl for panzanella — Let the veggies marinate.

Stirring bread into bowl of panzanella — Fold in the bread.

Grill the bread. Spray the bread with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt. Grill over medium heat until it’s toasted, then cut it into cubes.
Start assembling the salad. Toss the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and basil with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let the salad sit for 30 minutes.
Finish. Add the cubes of bread and toss again, then serve.

Overhead view of panzanella salad in serving bowl with fork and spoon and two smaller bowls

Tips and Variations

Here are a few additional pointers and some ways you can put your own spin on this panzanella recipe.

Use day old bread. If you do this, you can skip grilling the bread.
Scoop out the seeds of garden cucumbers. Have cucumbers from your garden? You can use those in panzanella too! Just slice them lengthwise and then scoop out the seeds before chopping them.
Add other ingredients. Sliced black olives, balls of fresh mozzarella, shaved Parmesan, white beans, cooked and cooled Grilled Eggplant—there are so many options for this recipe. You can also add a drizzle of balsamic glaze just before serving, like I do with this Bruschetta Pasta Salad.
Plan on eating it right away. The bread will get soggy as the salad sits, so this is best eaten immediately. If you want to make panzanella for a party, I recommend storing the bread separately and then adding it just before serving.

What to Serve With Panzanella

While I love panzanella as a light lunch or dinner, it’s also great as a side dish. Here’s some inspiration.

Homemade Pizza

If you like pairing your pizza with a salad, the flavors of panzanella make it a great choice.

Grilled Pizza

20 mins

Margherita Pizza

45 mins

Lavash Flatbread Pizzas

20 mins

I've been taking advantage of the tomatoes and basil overflowing from my garden with these simple French bread pizzas. Only 5 ingredients, less than 10 minutes to make! Have them for lunch or dinner paired with a side salad.

French Bread Pizza Caprese

10 mins

Grilled Proteins

Because panzanella is so summery, it’s great for serving alongside grilled main dishes.

Grilled Chicken Caprese

25 mins

Grilled Pesto Chicken and Tomato Kebabs

1 hr 20 mins

Grilled Shrimp with Garlic Butter

20 mins

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

15 mins

Italian Dishes

Panzanella complements so many other Italian-inspired main dishes.

Close up of pasta with zucchini sauce in a bowl with a fork.

Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce

35 mins

Assemble this super easy chicken and vegetable dinner on a sheet pan and pop it into your oven for a delicious, fuss-free meal. For easy clean-up, line your sheet pan with foil or parchment.

Sheet Pan Italian Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs and Veggies

1 hr

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

1 hr 5 mins

Angel hair pasta tossed with summer zucchini and tomatoes fresh from the garden. The perfect meatless meal you'll be craving again and again. Serve this with plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano!

Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes

15 mins

Proper Storage

If you know you’re not going to eat the whole salad in one sitting, only add the bread to the portion you’ll be eating right away. Then, keep the toasted bread in an airtight container for 1-2 days and store the veggie component of the panzanella in the refrigerator in a separate airtight container.

Once you’ve added the bread, the salad will last a day in the fridge, but the bread will get soft.

More Summer Salad Ideas

Summer Tomato Salad
Cucumber Melon Salad
Watermelon Caprese Salad
Peach Arugula Salad
Watermelon Feta Salad