Panzanella is a rustic, Tuscan style salad made of stale bread, tomatoes and other fresh vegetables, olive oil and vinegar. So colorful and delicious, this version is more of a complete meal with the chickpeas added into it. You also don’t need to use all three colors of bell peppers. I just love the colors and nutrients it adds. You don’t need stale bread, but a good baguette is perfect for this dish. Enjoy!
Directions
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the salt and the bread and sautée over medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the bread cubes are browned. Alternatively, you can add the cubes of bread onto a parchment lined baking sheet, toss with olive oil, and bake at 425F for about 12 minutes until golden. While the bread is cooking, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients together and whisk until well combined. In a large bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, chickpeas, olives, capers and basil. Add in the bread and pour in the vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.