This Caprese Panzanella blends two classic Italian salads, featuring garlic butter toasted bread, tomatoes, basil, and cheese, all tossed in a simple balsamic dressing.
Meet the salad I can't get enough of this summer: Caprese Garlic Butter Panzanella. It’s a delightful mix of garlic butter toasted sourdough bread, combined with juicy tomatoes, salty cheese, and whole basil leaves, all tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. It’s basically summer in a bowl, and my whole family loves it.
Like many of the salads on this website (Cucumber Avocado Salad and Couscous Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Feta come to mind), this dish is a celebration of simple, fresh ingredients. Combining two classic Italian salads, it highlights summer's best duo: ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. The cheese and buttery bread add richness, making the salad satisfying while still feeling light. This vibrant Caprese Panzanella is perfect as a light meal or a standout side dish.
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
Here is a what you need to make it (and the full recipe is listed at the bottom of this article:
- sourdough or Italian bread (My favorite bread to use in this is a semolina sourdough loaf I make at home, but any rustic bread works well—just make sure to buy a whole loaf so you can cut it into 1-½" cubes)
- garlic butter (this here is the magic--I'm obsessed with garlic butter and how it can transform a dinner: I make a large batch of it and freeze it as needed, or you can just as easily purchase it at the store--Kerrygold has a new one I really like)
- whole basil leaves (used generously, almost like lettuce in this salad)
- cherry tomatoes (or any ripe tomato you have on hand, but cherry tomatoes are ideal as they have less moisture, preventing the salad from becoming too watery)
- Oaxaca cheese (this is a white, semi-soft Mexican cheese, similar to mozzarella but slightly firmer with a mild salty flavor and I love love love it for this salad and you can usually find it in the specialty cheese section, but it can just as easily be substituted it with low-moisture part-skim mozzarella or even fresh mozzarella)
- garlic powder (or use a minced fresh clove of garlic)
- balsamic vinegar + olive oil (use the best quality that you have, especially with the balsamic vinegar as it makes a real difference in the final dish)
- coarse kosher salt
How to Make It
Traditional panzanella salads typically use stale or day-old bread that will absorb the flavor of the salad without becoming soggy. For this Caprese Panzanella, we're switching things up a bit by toasting fresh bread in in garlic butter. Essentially it's like little cubes of garlic bread, and it's delightful. Use fresh bread, or day old bread.
This is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. If you are looking for the full recipe, keep scrolling!
Step 1: In a large skillet, melt the garlic butter over medium-low heat. Add the bread cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.
Step 2: In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt until homogenized.
Step 3: Add in the tomatoes and cheese and mix together.
Step 4: Once the bread is cool, add to the salad.
Step 5: Add in the clean and dry basil leaves.
Step 6: Gently toss to coat. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Serving + Storing
This salad can be served immediately or within 15-30 minutes after preparation. It's best consumed within 24 hours to prevent the bread and basil from becoming soggy or wilted.
For advance prep, assemble the salad up to the point of mixing the dressing, cheese, and tomatoes. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day. The garlic bread cubes can also be toasted a day ahead. However, keep the bread and basil separate and toss them with the salad just before serving.
More Salads
You also might like these other light and bright recipes:
Making this Caprese Panzanella Salad recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!
PrintFull Recipe
Caprese Panzanella
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:12
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Salad
Description
This Caprese Panzanella blends two classic Italian salads, featuring garlic butter toasted bread, tomatoes, basil, and cheese, all tossed in a simple balsamic dressing.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup garlic butter
- 4 ounces sourdough bread, cut into bite-sized cubes (about 3 cups)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, more to taste
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, washed, dried, and cut in half
- 8 ounces Oaxaca cheese, diced into ¼-inch pieces (or mozzarella)
- 2 cups basil leaves, washed and dried
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the garlic butter over medium-low. Once melted, add the bread cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bread is lightly toasted, about 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat if needed to prevent the bread from burning. When the garlic bread cubes are golden remove from the heat and let cool in the pan while assembling the rest of the salad.
- In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt until homogenized.
- Add in the tomatoes and cheese and mix together.
- Add in the bread cubes and basil leaves and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Serve immediately or within 30 minutes of preparation.
Notes
Oaxaca cheese is a white, semi-soft cheese from Mexico. It is similar to mozzarella, with a mild salty flavor, but just a bit firmer. If you can’t find Oaxaca in the specialty cheese section, you can replace it with a block of low-moisture part-skim mozzarella.
Buy premade garlic butter, or make your own.
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half.
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