Panzanella Salad Recipe with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read My Disclosure
This Panzanella with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette is a delicious way to use late-summer tomatoes, especially those on the verge of becoming overripe. Briny Castelvetrano olives, capers, red onion, fresh herbs, and lightly toasted bread join juicy tomatoes, all tossed with a bright preserved lemon vinaigrette. Finished with creamy burrata, it’s a fresh, vibrant twist on the classic Italian bread salad!
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Recipe inspiration can come from anywhere, and one delicious idea often leads to another. This Panzanella with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette was inspired by a recipe from two fellow food bloggers.
The first, Pinch of Yum, offered up Smashed Olives with Burrata. As I read through her post, I learned she was inspired by a recipe from Cheesegal. The combination of briny olives, creamy burrata, and crisp bread immediately caught my attention and made me think of panzanella.
Panzanella is a rustic Italian bread salad traditionally made with stale bread, ripe tomatoes, and a simple vinaigrette. I turned up the volume here by using preserved lemon for a bright, briny punch that plays beautifully off the sweet tomatoes and creamy burrata.
This panzanella salad recipe is:
- Easy yet impressive! It’s simple enough for a casual meal but beautiful enough to serve to guests.
- Made for extra-ripe tomatoes! Their sweet, flavorful juices soak into the bread, bringing the whole salad together.
- Bright, briny, and aromatic! Fresh parsley and oregano add a fragrant, garden-fresh finish.
I love when one delicious idea sparks another, and this panzanella salad recipe is exactly the kind of recipe that makes the most of what’s wonderful about late summer.
How to Make this Panzanella Salad:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this panzanella salad recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Tomatoes: Use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you have or can find. Their juices mingle with the vinaigrette and soak into the bread, so this is one recipe where tomatoes verging on overripe are ideal. I used heirloom tomatoes, but plum (Roma) tomatoes, Campari, or cherry tomatoes also work well.
- Burrata: Burrata is a fresh Italian cow’s milk cheese with a fresh mozzarella exterior and a creamy center of cheese curds and cream. It has become pretty trendy, but has actually been around a long time. It’s sold packed in water and has a short shelf life. Because it can be pricey, fresh mozzarella is a good substitute.
- Capers: These small, pickled flower buds add a salty, tangy pop that complements the olives and preserved lemon. Drain them well before adding to the salad.
- Castelvetrano Olives: These trendy olives from Sicily’s Valle del Belice region have a mild, buttery flavor that complements all the flavors in the panzanella salad recipe. They have a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) seal, so they are a little more expensive than regular green olives.
- Preserved Lemon: These are small lemons cured in salt until the peel softens. They add a distinctive bright, salty, citrusy flavor to the panzanella salad. They’re typically sold jarred in the international or specialty foods section. A little goes a long way, and only one is required in this panzanella recipe, so if you prefer not to buy them, substitute a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest and a generous pinch of salt.
- Ciabatta: Italian ciabatta has an open, airy crumb with a hard crust, so it holds up well in a bread salad without becoming soggy too quickly. Day-old ciabatta is especially good for a panzanella salad recipe. Other breads that work well in panzanella include rustic sourdough and baguette.
- Fresh Herbs: Use your fresh, summer herbs. Use parsley and either fresh oregano or fresh basil. The Pinch of Yum recipe uses fresh oregano; Cheese Gal used fresh basil.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, preserved lemon, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Place the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly crispy. Let cool.
- Combine the tomatoes, red onion, olives, capers, parsley, and oregano in a mixing bowl.
- Add the dressing and toss to coat.
- Fold in the bread cubes. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb some of the vinaigrette and tomato juices.
- Transfer to a serving platter.
- Tear the burrata into pieces and scatter over the salad. Serve immediately.
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Panzanella is the perfect way to use tomatoes that are verging on overripe. Their abundant juices combine with the vinaigrette and soak into the bread.
- Use sturdy bread like ciabatta and don’t overtoast it; you want it crisp, not hard like a crouton, and lightly golden without the flavor of toast. It needs to soften as it absorbs the tomato juice and vinaigrette.
- Give it a rest, but not too long. The 10 to 15-minute rest allows the bread to absorb the juices while retaining some texture. Any longer, and it can become too soft.
- Add the burrata last, and keep it cold to the very end so the creamy center isn’t runny. Arrange it over the salad last, being careful not to overhandle it so the creamy center stays intact. The creamy texture should remain intact rather than disappearing into your panzanella.
Recipe FAQs:
Certain parts can be made ahead of time. Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate it. Let it come to room temperature before adding it to the salad. The bread can be toasted 1 day in advance. Keep it in an airtight container until ready to make the salad.
I highly recommend using ciabatta for the crust and its open, airy crumb if possible. Other breads that work well in panzanella include rustic sourdough and baguette. Avoid anything overly soft, such as sandwich bread, brioche, or challah.
It will if it sits too long. Panzanella needs a 10-15 minute rest, just long enough for the bread to absorb some of the dressing and tomato juices. Anything longer or preparing too far in advance will result in soggy bread.
Substitute a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest and a generous pinch of salt.
It won’t be ideal or as enjoyable as freshly made because the bread will be soggy. But, being a 2-person household, we ended up with more than we could eat, and I hate wasting food if possible. So I removed the soggy bread, splashed it with red wine vinegar to freshen it up, and nothing went to waste.
Serve with:
More great Tomato Salad recipes!
- Tomato and Onion Salad
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Burrata Salad
- Marinated Tomatoes
- Tuscan Cherry Tomato and White Bean Salad
Get all my side salad recipes at Side Salad Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Panzanella with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
VINAIGRETTE
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small preserved lemon, seeds removed, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
SALAD
- 5-6 cups cubed crusty white bread, such as ciabatta, rustic sourdough, or French bread
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large ripe round tomatoes, (3 pounds)
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into rings
- 1 cup pitted and halved Castelvetrano olives
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 8 ounces burrata cheese, drained and patted dry
Instructions
VINAIGRETTE
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, preserved lemon, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
SALAD
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly crispy. Let cool.
- Combine the tomatoes, red onion, olives, capers, parsley, and oregano in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat.
- Fold in the bread cubes. Let stand for 10-15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb some of the vinaigrette and tomato juices.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Tear the burrata into pieces and scatter over the salad. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Plum (Roma) tomatoes, Campari, or cherry tomatoes also work well.
- Fresh mozzarella is a good substitute for burrata.
- For preserved lemon, substitute a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest and a generous pinch of salt.
- Panzanella is perfect for tomatoes verging on overripe.
- Use sturdy bread like ciabatta, and don’t overtoast it. It should be lightly crisp, not hard or take on a toast flavor, so it can absorb the tomato juices and vinaigrette.
- Let the panzanella rest for 10-15 minutes—just long enough for the bread to absorb the juices while retaining some texture.
- Keep the burrata cold until serving and add it last. Handle it gently so the creamy center stays intact rather than disappearing into the salad.
- Make the vinaigrette and refrigerate it. Let it come to room temperature before adding it to the salad.
- The bread can be toasted 1 day in advance. Keep it in an airtight container until ready to make the salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
