Best 8 Easy Italian Bread Salad Recipes

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Italian bread salad is a delightful dish that combines the flavors of fresh vegetables, herbs, and tangy dressing. It's an excellent side dish to grilled meats, fish, or chicken, and can also be enjoyed as a light lunch or dinner. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a delicious dish to serve at your next gathering, this versatile salad is sure to impress.

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

MID-SUMMER ITALIAN BREAD SALAD



Mid-Summer Italian Bread Salad image

Everything in this salad is fresh, except the bread! Prepare this salad by using a loaf of artisan bread or rosemary bread that is a touch stale. If your bread is too fresh, toast it until it is about half as dried and crunchy as a crouton.

Provided by Tamara

Categories     Salad

Time 10m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 clove garlic
1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup cucumber - peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chopped fresh basil
⅛ cup chopped fresh thyme
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Steps:

  • Rub a peeled clove of garlic around a wooden salad bowl.
  • Pull apart or chop the bread into bite-size pieces.
  • In the prepared salad bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, garlic, basil and thyme. Add enough olive oil and vinegar to lightly coat, toss and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 468.2 calories, Carbohydrate 65.6 g, Fat 17.8 g, Fiber 5.1 g, Protein 11.9 g, SaturatedFat 2.9 g, Sodium 670.7 mg, Sugar 5 g

EASY ITALIAN BREAD SALAD



Easy Italian Bread Salad image

For a fresh-tasting side dish, Kathleen serves Italian Bread Salad. "This pretty blend is a snap to prepare. "For variety add whatever veggies you like, such as green or yellow peppers, zucchini, summer squash or sliced olives," she suggests.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 10

4 slices Italian or French bread (1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
2 to 3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Lettuce leaves
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Steps:

  • Brush both sides of bread with 1 tablespoon oil. Place on a baking sheet. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Cut into 1-in. cubes. , In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, onions and cheese. Divide among four lettuce-lined salad plates. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, garlic, basil and remaining oil. Drizzle over salads. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 176 calories, Fat 9g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 2mg cholesterol, Sodium 222mg sodium, Carbohydrate 20g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 5g protein.

SIMPLE ITALIAN SALAD



Simple Italian Salad image

Homemade croutons star in this easy Italian salad recipe, filled with grape tomatoes, olives and pepperoncinis. I like to serve it with fresh Italian or focaccia bread. —Nancy Granaman, Burlington, Iowa

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 slices Italian bread, cubed
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 bunches romaine, torn
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
8 pepperoncini
1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 450°. For croutons, spritz bread cubes with butter-flavored spray; place in a bowl. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder; toss to coat evenly. , Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cool. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine romaine, tomatoes, olives, Parmesan cheese, onion and pepperoncini. Drizzle with salad dressing; toss to coat. Top with croutons.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 120 calories, Fat 3g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 3mg cholesterol, Sodium 943mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 6g protein.

PANZANELLA (ITALIAN BREAD SALAD)



Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad) image

Why throw away the rest of that good, dense loaf you picked up at the bakery the other day? This is what the Italians do with day-old (or older) bread. Simply delicious!!!

Provided by evelynathens

Categories     Onions

Time 15m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
1 cup fresh basil leaf, torn into small pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 -8 slices thick country bread, torn into bite-size pieces (sourdough is good - dense, bakery bread)

Steps:

  • In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic and basil.
  • Drizzle with the 1/2 cup olive oil and the 3 tblsps vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss well.
  • Place half of the bread in a wide, shallow bowl.
  • Spoon half of the tomato mixture over the bread.
  • Layer the remaining bread on top and then the remaining tomato mixture.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Just before serving, toss the salad and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
  • If the bread seems dry, add a little oil or vinegar.
  • Serve immediately.

ITALIAN BREAD SALAD



Italian Bread Salad image

Choose a mix of many-colored heirloom tomatoes for this Italian bread salad, also known as panzanella. Italian country bread makes the salad a little heartier than most.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Salad Recipes

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into thick wedges
1 English cucumber, peeled in strips, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 small bulb fennel, stalks removed, bulb halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
4 1/2-inch-thick slices whole-wheat country bread
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
4 ounces ricotta salata cheese, shaved

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, cucumber, fennel, onion, and olives. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
  • Heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a baking sheet, toast bread until light brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes a side. Place the bread on a work surface and rub cut side of garlic against bread. Discard garlic. Cut bread into 2-inch pieces.
  • To serve: Place bread in four shallow bowls. Top with tomato salad and scatter basil and cheese over top.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 395 g, Fat 25 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 13 g

ITALIAN BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD



Italian Bread And Tomato Salad image

Provided by Marian Burros

Categories     easy, quick, salads and dressings, appetizer

Time 10m

Yield 3 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/2 pound coarse white bread like ciabatta
1 1/2 pounds ripe local tomatoes
1 small Kirby cucumber
8 ounces red onion
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Cut bread into 1/2-inch thick slices, then break up or cut up into 1/2-inch cubes. Place into large serving bowl.
  • Wash and trim tomatoes, and cut in quarters. Squeeze juice from tomatoes over the bread; then, dice the tomatoes in 1/2-inch cubes and stir into bread.
  • Scrub and trim cucumber, and slice thinly. Cut slices into match-sticks, and add to bowl.
  • Finely mince onion, and add. Drizzle oil and vinegar over ingredients, and mix well to moisten bread and meld ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 416, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams, Carbohydrate 58 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 675 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams

TUSCAN BREAD SALAD



Tuscan Bread Salad image

This is a great salad that's easy to prepare, and it's a great way to use up any day old bread you might have leftover. Please don't be restricted to the dressing listed here. Feel free to toss salad with any Italian, or oil and vinegar based dressing of your choice. A balsamic vinaigrette works great with this too.

Provided by Kozmic Blues

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 15m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 slices crusty Italian bread (day old preferred) or 4 slices sourdough bread, cut about 1/2 inch thick (day old preferred)
1 garlic clove, halved
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
1 (15 ounce) can white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, roasted and cut into strips
1/4 chopped fresh basil
4 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons vegetable broth
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps:

  • Toast bread slices under broiler for about 4 minutes on each side.
  • Remove slices and rub with garlic cloves.
  • Prepare dressing by whisking ingredients together in a small bowl, and seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Cut bread slices into small cubes and add them to a serving bowl.
  • Next add the tomatoes, beans, roasted pepper and basil.
  • Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
  • Let salad rest about 5-10 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN BREAD SALAD



Italian Bread Salad image

Think of this as "panzanella verde." There's a lightness here and an herby earthiness that make this the kind of salad you really want on the hottest of summer days.

Provided by Lillian Chou

Categories     Salad     Olive     Side     Bake     Quick & Easy     Basil     Cucumber     Summer     Parsley     Capers     Gourmet     Sugar Conscious     Vegan     Vegetarian     Pescatarian     Dairy Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle.
  • Spread out bread in a 4-sided sheet pan and toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely.
  • While bread cools, halve cucumber lengthwise, then core and thinly slice.
  • 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.

Tips:

  • Use stale bread: Stale bread is less likely to absorb too much dressing and become soggy. If you only have fresh bread, you can dry it out in a low oven for a few minutes before using it.
  • Choose a good quality olive oil: The olive oil is one of the main ingredients in this salad, so it's important to use a good quality one. Look for an olive oil that is extra virgin and has a fruity flavor.
  • Don't overdress the salad: A little bit of dressing goes a long way in this salad. If you add too much, the salad will become soggy. Start with a small amount of dressing and add more to taste.
  • Use fresh vegetables: Fresh vegetables will give the salad the best flavor and texture. If you can, try to use vegetables that are in season.
  • Let the salad sit for a while before serving: This will allow the flavors to meld together. For best results, let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Conclusion:

Italian bread salad is a delicious and refreshing salad that is perfect for a summer meal. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. Whether you like it simple or loaded with vegetables, this salad is sure to please everyone at your table.

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