panzanella

Panzanella is an Italian bread salad that's traditionally made in the Summer with day old bread, tomatoes, and basil. However, I love this salad and I make it year-round. So does Michael Chiarello, apparently, because he's got recipes for Spring and Winter panzanellas that incorporate seasonal ingredients.

Over the weekend I was invited to a picnic and decided it was the ideal time to experiment with his Spring version. It combines fresh peas, asparagus, basil, and green beans with croutons, radicchio, spinach, and ricotta cheese. This salad is spectacular!

It's full of interesting textures, from the crunch of the croutons to the crumble of the cheese. It's packed with tons of different flavors: earthy asparagus, aromatic basil, salty cheese. Spring panzanella is not only awesome at a picnic, but it's a welcome addition to a Memorial Day barbecue menu. Check out the method now.

Don't call panettone fruitcake: The fruit-studded Italian dessert bread is also a hallmark of the Christmas season, but it's much fluffier and less cloying than its dense and ridiculed American counterpart. Panettone is wonderful alone or with butter, but it can also be incorporated into a weeknight meal. This creative recipe calls for the eggy, voluptuous bread in lieu of sourdough in a late-Fall panzanella. This bread salad's packed with nutrient-dense butternut squash, spinach, and apple cider.

To add a holiday touch to a healthy meal, read more.

Ditch the carb-free diet philosophy and sample a Mediterranean diet-friendly salad instead. This Italian bread salad, or panzanella, showcases just-right Summer tomatoes, flavored simply with basil, red onion, and garlic. Arugula adds a slight spiciness, as well as potassium and folate.

Adding healthy fats to tomatoes brings out the antioxidants lycopene and beta carotene, so this light olive oil dressing makes the tomatoes even healthier. Try using a multigrain country bread, too. To get the recipe, read more

Just because it's the middle of the week doesn't mean you can't enjoy a leisurely meal on the patio. On your way home from work, pick up some chicken pieces, tomatoes, and fresh bread. While the chicken marinates, prep the ingredients for the salad and pour yourself a glass of wine. Then when the grill is hot, toss the chicken on the grill and read a book, watch TV, or catch up with family as the chicken cooks. It really is that simple! To see exactly how to do it, get the recipe now.

Nothing is more perfect on a picnic-friendly day than a giant bowl of panzanella, or Italian bread salad. Traditionally, the resourceful Tuscans stretched day-old bread by using torn pieces to soak up the liquid in a tomato, cucumber, onion, and basil salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar.

But Italian chef Chris Cosentino takes panzanella in a different direction by putting a dessert spin on it with Summer stone fruits and a luscious zabaglione flavored by Moscato d'Asti. The result is a lighter, fresher version of bread pudding. Can't decide between a sweet and savory bread salad? Then make both. For the recipes, read more.

When it comes to panzanella — the classic Italian bread salad with tomatoes — I love every variation. While I've made it with heirloom tomatoes and arugula, I've never had the filling warm-weather dish with tuna and white beans.

But thanks to this recipe, I plan on doing so tonight! What's not to love about chunky tuna, crispy oil-saturated bread, and tangy pickles? The cannellini beans ensure that this salad is hearty enough to stand alone.

Check out the recipe when you read more

Panzanella is an Italian salad that typically consists of the following basic elements: day-old bread, diced onions, and ripe tomatoes. Many other ingredients can be added, but I prefer variations that highlight the pure fresh flavor of in-season tomatoes. This recipe is Top Chef Masters runner up Michael Chiarello's version. Although he says one should peel, seed, and drain the tomatoes, I skip this step all together. With its burst in your mouth tomatoes, crunchy cheesy croutons, and peppery crisp arugula, this is my favorite Summer panzanella. I've made it countless times over the years and my guests are always impressed. To introduce your friends and family to this scrumptious salad, get the recipe.