Discover the authentic flavors of Tuscany with our delightful recipe for Tuscan bread salad. This refreshing and vibrant dish combines the rustic charm of Tuscan cuisine with a medley of fresh ingredients, including crispy bread cubes, ripe tomatoes, aromatic basil, creamy mozzarella cheese, and a tangy dressing. Served as a light lunch, a flavorful side dish, or an impressive appetizer, this Tuscan bread salad is perfect for any occasion. With its vibrant colors and tantalizing flavors, it's a culinary journey that will transport you to the heart of Tuscany.
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TUSCAN BREAD SALAD
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
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.
TUSCAN TOMATO & BREAD SALAD
Provided by Ina Garten
Time 30m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Place the tomatoes and mozzarella in a large bowl. Put the garlic, mustard, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 1-cup glass measuring cup and slowly whisk in the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan until hot but not smoking. Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Saute over medium to medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the bread is evenly browned and crisp. Add the warm bread to the tomatoes and mozzarella. Add enough of the vinaigrette to moisten all the ingredients. Add the basil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss carefully, adding more vinaigrette if necessary. Serve at room temperature.
PANZANELLA WITH MOZZARELLA AND HERBS
At the height of tomato season, for every perfectly ripe, taut and juicy specimen, there's an overripe, oozing counterpart not far away. The Tuscan bread salad called panzanella is the perfect place to use those sad, soft tomatoes that are still rich in flavor. Traditional panzanella is made with stale, dried bread that's rehydrated from a dressing of sweet tomato juices, vinegar and plenty of olive oil. This version also includes some mozzarella for richness and cucumber for crunch. It's an ideal make-ahead dish; the longer the mixture sits (up to 6 or so hours), the better it tastes. Just make sure your bread thoroughly dries out in the oven so it won't turn to mush.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, lunch, salads and dressings, appetizer, side dish
Time 45m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Bake until they are dried out and pale golden brown at the edges, about 7 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add mozzarella, onions, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, oregano or thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until the mixture is thickened. Stir in cucumbers, basil and parsley.
- Add bread cubes, cucumber mixture and capers to the tomatoes and toss well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving. Toss with a little more olive oil, vinegar and salt if needed just before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 293, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 21 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 561 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams
TUSCAN BREAD SALAD WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA AND BASIL
Steps:
- 1. To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, mustard, shallots, thyme, and garlic in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil in a steady stream until the dressing emulsifies. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 2. Fire up the grill. Liberally brush both sides of the bread with oil. Grill the bread on both sides until golden and nicely marked by the grill. Remove the bread from the heat and use a serrated knife to cut the bread into bit-size cubes. Put the bread in a serving bowl with the olives, tomatoes, mozzarella, and greens. Whisk the pesto or basil leaves into the vinaigrette. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well. There should be enough vinaigrette to soak into the bread, but the salad greens should not be drenched - use a little more or less vinaigrette as needed. On the plate Divide the salad among 4 plates. Scatter the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts over the top of each salad and garnish each salad with a lemon wedge. Pass a pepper grinder at the table. A step ahead The vinaigrette can be prepared and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator up to a week ahead. Whisk well before using. Process the basil, pine nuts, garlic and lemon juice together in a food processor until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil though the feed tube and process until well combined. Season with salt to taste. Use the pesto the same day or freeze for the best color. Notes There's no Parmesan in this pesto because there's already freshly grated cheese in the Tuscan bread salad. You can add a few tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan to the pesto if using it in another dish. Since the bread salad calls for only a tablespoon of pesto, make a batch anytime, divide it up into small portions, and freeze them, thawing only what you need. A handy way to do this is to spoon the pesto into a plastic ice cube tray, freeze, and then store the cubes in a plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use.
TUSCAN BREAD SALAD
I have made this salad many times over the years and it always receives many compliments. The addition of capers and Greek olives gives it a unique flavor and the bread cubes, a nice crunchy texture. This salad is very easy to prepare and is one of our family's favorites. -Mary Ann Dell, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 35m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place bread cubes on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until dried and toasted, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature. , In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, olives, capers and toasted bread. Drizzle with 1/2 cup vinaigrette; toss to coat. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. , Add romaine and remaining vinaigrette; toss to coat.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 185 calories, Fat 8g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 626mg sodium, Carbohydrate 25g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 4g protein.
QUICK TUSCAN BREAD SALAD
This hearty salad combines thick cubes of whole grain bread with tomatoes, black olives, cucumbers, and fontina cheese.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Salad Recipes
Time 10m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
- Add bread, tomato, cucumber, fontina cheese, and Kalamata olives.
- Toss well to combine. Transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to overnight. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.
MID-SUMMER ITALIAN BREAD SALAD
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
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
PANERA BREAD TOMATO MOZZARELLA SALAD
This was for the Italian category for Zaar World Tour. Haven't made this yet but I have had it many times at Panera and its wonderful. Great when summer tomatoes and basil are bountiful!
Provided by Little Bee
Categories Cheese
Time 15m
Yield 4-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Cut bread into four wedges, place on plate. Gently toss tomatoes, basil and red onion together. Place 1/4 mixture on each wedge of bread, top with 1/4 of cheese cubes. Pour about 2 ounce of dressing over each.
- Serves 4 or it can be divided to serve 8 as a side dish.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 113.2, Fat 6.7, SaturatedFat 3.8, Cholesterol 22.4, Sodium 185.8, Carbohydrate 6.6, Fiber 1.9, Sugar 4.3, Protein 7.7
TUSCAN BREAD SALAD WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA AND BASIL
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Make the vinaigrette, will store in the fridge up to a week. Bring to room temperature and whisk before using.
- For the salad: 4 slices rustic bread, 1 inch thick extra virgin olive oil 24 oil-cured black olives, pits removed 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed 4 cups loosely packed flavorful salad greens, such as mache, radicchio, arugula, spinach, romaine, endive, washed and dried, torn into bite size pieces 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted 4 lemon wedges Freshly ground black pepper
- Liberally, oil the slices of bread then grill on the grill or under the broiler until golden. Remove and use a serrated knife to cut the bread into bite size cubes. In the serving bowl, put the bread in with the olives, tomatoes, mozzarella and greens. Mix the basil into the vinaigrette. Pour it over the salad and mix well. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Scatter with Parmesan and pine nuts and garnish with a lemon wedge. Offer ground pepper at the table.
Tips:
- Use the best quality ingredients you can find. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your salad.
- Make sure the bread is stale. This will help it absorb the dressing and become more flavorful.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when toasting the bread. This will prevent it from getting crispy.
- Let the bread cool completely before assembling the salad. This will help prevent the dressing from getting soggy.
- Use a light hand when dressing the salad. You don't want to overpower the flavors of the bread and vegetables.
Conclusion:
Tuscan bread salad is a refreshing and flavorful salad that is perfect for a summer meal. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. With its combination of fresh vegetables, crispy bread, and tangy dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit at your next gathering.
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