Italian Bread Salad

Name: Italian Bread Salad
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 6 cups cubed (3/4-inch) country bread (about 1/2 pound); ½ whole seedless cucumber; 1 rib celery rib, thinly sliced (1 cup); ½ cup chopped scallion; ½ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives; 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped; ¾ cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves; ¾ cup packed basil leaves, torn; ⅓ cup fine-quality extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup red-wine vinegar

A rustic Italian panzanella salad featuring toasted country bread cubes tossed with fresh vegetables, Kalamata olives, herbs, and a red wine vinaigrette. Perfect as a summer side dish or light meal.

6 servings

1 hr 5 min

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Ingredients

•6 cups cubed (3/4-inch) country bread (about 1/2 pound)
•½ whole seedless cucumber
•1 rib celery rib, thinly sliced (1 cup)
•½ cup chopped scallion
•½ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
•1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
•¾ cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
•¾ cup packed basil leaves, torn
•⅓ cup fine-quality extra-virgin olive oil
•¼ cup red-wine vinegar

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle.
5 min
2.
Spread out bread in a 4-sided sheet pan and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely.
25 min
3.
While bread cools, halve cucumber lengthwise, then core and thinly slice.
5 min
4.
Toss together bread, cucumber, remaining ingredients, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and let stand, tossing occasionally, 30 minutes. Season with additional oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
30 min