Peach Panzanella Salad
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Peach Panzanella—A simple, exquisite summer salad filled with crusty bread, sweet peaches and juicy tomatoes. Colorful, fresh and easy, this make-ahead dish works as a starter, a side or a summery light supper.
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 12 ounces sourdough, Italian bread, or crusty bread of choice, cut into 1-inch thick slices
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large ripe peaches, each cut into 8 wedges
- 2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- *Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- flaky salt (optional)
Champagne Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, grated or very finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place the sliced red onions in a small bowl; cover with cold water and leave to soak while preparing the rest.
- Heat an outdoor grill or griddle pan until it’s really hot. Brush the bread with olive oil and grill over high heat until toasted and lightly charred in spots, 1-2 minutes per side. Let cool slightly, then tear into 1-inch chunks.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the toasted bread, peaches, tomatoes and basil. Drain the onions and add them to the bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, dijon, honey, garlic and salt. Slowly whisk in the oil. Pour half of the vinaigrette over the salad; toss very gently to combine and leave it to soak for 10 minutes before serving.
- You can serve the salad in the bowl but I like to transfer it to a large serving platter so each ingredient is more visible.
- Drizzle with a little more dressing to taste then sprinkle your panzanella with a few pinches of flaky salt (if using), freshly cracked pepper to taste, and another scatter of fresh basil.
Notes
Peak-season produce is best. This salad is really only worth making when peaches are at their finest so do your best to find the freshest, juiciest, sweetest peaches possible. Ditto for the tomatoes.
Salt the tomatoes before adding to the salad. Not essential, but sprinkling the sliced tomatoes with a little salt helps draw out their juices. I skip this step if I'm in a hurry but otherwise, it really does make them juicier which in turn makes the salad more delicious.
Rest the panzanella salad before serving. Allowing the salad to rest for at least 20-30 minutes is key to achieving the perfect texture and flavor. If served right away, the bread will not have had time to absorb the juices and vinaigrette and it will remain too crunchy.