My motto this month: all stone fruit, all the time. I'm going to go full throttle on the cherries, peaches and nectarines until I can't possibly consume any more, so let me introduce you to this Cherry and Peach Panzanella!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Let's break this Cherry and Peach Panzanella down shall we? Peaches. Cherries. Freshly made croutons. Burrata cheese. Basil. Lemon Champagne vinaigrette. Done and done.
It's quite simple but that's the beauty of this Cherry and Peach Panzanella! When you're dealing with the freshest seasonal produce available, you don't need much to really make a statement. Just let the ingredients shine on their own and toss it all together with a vinaigrette. I used ciabatta bread for the croutons, but you could use any french bread, sourdough, or anything else along those lines and the result will be equally as fantastic!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Burrata Cheese
- Nectarines
- Plums
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Maldon Sea Salt + Freshly cracked black pepper
- Basil
- Ciabatta bread, preferably a day old!
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Champagne vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Honey
How to Make
Croutons: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Tear the ciabatta bread into bite sized pieces. Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place the baking sheet into the oven and toast until the bread it crisp. Remove and use on the salad as needed.
Champagne Vinaigrette: Combine everything in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Assemble: In a large bowl, arrange the fruit, torn croutons and pieces of burrata cheese. Season the Cherry and Peach Panzanella with salt and pepper and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with basil.
Tips & Tricks
- Use Stale Bread: Stale or day-old bread is best because it absorbs the dressing without becoming too mushy.
- Crusty Bread: Opt for a crusty, rustic bread like ciabatta or sourdough for the best texture.
- Fresh and Ripe: Use the freshest and ripest fruits / vegetables you can find. They are the star of the dish.
- Variety: Mix different types and colors of stone fruit for a more visually appealing salad.
- Basil: Fresh basil is essential. Tear the leaves by hand to avoid bruising.
- Salt and Pepper: Season generously with salt and pepper to enhance the flavors of the vegetables and bread.
- Cheese: Add mozzarella, burrata, feta, or Parmesan for extra richness.
- Room Temperature: Panzanella is best served at room temperature, allowing the flavors to be at their peak.
FAQ's
What is Panzanella?
Panzanella is a traditional Italian bread salad that originates from Tuscany. It typically consists of stale bread, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and basil, all dressed with olive oil and vinegar. You can jazz it up depending on the time of the year - obviously summer stone fruit is a great addition to make it a Cherry and Peach Panzanella.
What kind of bread should I use for Panzanella?
Stale or day-old rustic bread is ideal for Panzanella. The bread should be crusty and firm to absorb the dressing without becoming too soggy. I love a ciabatta.
Can Panzanella be made ahead of time?
Yes, Panzanella can be made ahead of time. In fact, allowing it to sit for a while helps the flavors to meld together. However, it's best to add the bread closer to serving time to maintain some texture.
Is Panzanella served hot or cold?
Panzanella is typically served at room temperature or chilled.
Can I add protein to Panzanella?
Yes, you can add protein such as grilled chicken, tuna, or mozzarella cheese to make the salad more filling.
Similar Recipes
Cherry and Peach Panzanella
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Burrata
- 2 Nectarines cut into wedges
- 2 Plums cut into wedges
- 2 Peaches cut into wedges
- 1 cups red cherries pitted and halved
- 1 cups Rainier cherries pitted and halved
- Maldon Sea Salt + Freshly cracked black pepper
- Basil for garnish
For the torn croutons
- ¼ loaf ciabatta bread
- olive oil
For the Champagne Vinaigrette
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
To make the croutons:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Tear the ciabatta bread into bite sized pieces. Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place the baking sheet into the oven and toast until the bread it crisp. Remove and use on the salad as needed.
To make the Champagne Vinaigrette
- Combine everything in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
To assemble
- In a large bowl, arrange the fruit, torn croutons and pieces of burrata cheese. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with basil.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
Made this for a party and it was a huge hit. We make the dressing now to have it on hand
Good lordy this is hands down one of the BEST summer salads you will ever make. I bought a cherry pit tool just for this recipe; I've made it about 10 times already...yes, there is an obsession. There are so many textures and flavors that compliment each other so incredibly well and it's perfect for a hot summer. Save some of your toasted bread so you can sprinkle them in for a second round for lunch the next day.
I made Cherry and Peach Panzanella to go with our dinner tonight, and it was scrumptious and beautiful.
This was a big hit with the family. We added a bed of arugula underneath and will definitely make it again. A fantastic way to get that fruit into your diet and you can make some Sangria at the same time! You can never have too much bursts and that Ciabatta crouton. We had some grilled chicken and corn alongside for the carnivores too.
Made this for my in-laws and it got rave reviews! It’s the perfect summer side dish!
Just wanted to say thank you so much for this recipe! I made this for a backyard BBQ and it was the biggest hit. 10/10 easily. While pitting all of that fruit was tedious, it was so worth it and I will be making this again and again! Also, I managed to stumble upon a white balsamic vinegar infused with peaches last year, so I used that for my vinaigrette - if you ever happen to see a white balsamic vinegar like that, I highly recommend snagging immediately!
Hands down the best summer salad I’ve ever had! I subbed red wine vinegar because I couldn’t find champagne and it was amazing!!
Hey Gaby! I want to serve this for a dinner party, maybe some cheesy grits too. Any advice for what my protein can be? Or maybe just a couple other sides would be perfect!
Grilled Chicken, steak or fish would all be amazing!!
I made this recipe with lamb and it was stupid good!
Delicious! A friend made this for a dinner party last week & I knew I had to try my hand at it, so I made it this evening with the last of the season’s good cherries. Modified it slightly - grilled the bread and served this bruschetta style. That dressing is something special.
This is a great recipe, but the basil isn’t in the ingredients list!
Absolutely delicious
What an awesome stone fruit salad. Perfect for summer. I’m definitely going to make this.
By putting the basil under the ingredients list with the croutons, it makes it seem like basil will be used. But in the directions, it is not used. The picture of the completed salad appears to have basil as a garnish.
Confusing.