This Tomato Feta Panzanella is loaded with summers best tomatoes, homemade garlicky croutons, salty chunks of feta and everyones favorite basil vinaigrette!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Summer produce is in full swing. We've got cherries, stone fruit, tomatoes, melons... you name it. I've been stocking up by the pound of all of the above so I can make simple almost-no-cook recipes for dinner on the daily. This Tomato Feta Panzanella fits the bill perfectly.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Heirloom Tomatoes / Cherry Tomatoes
- Feta Cheese - get the kind that comes in the brine for the best flavor
- Basil
- Ciabatta Bread – or any crusty French bread
- Olive Oil
- Maldon Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- Basil Vinaigrette – you could also do the cilantro vinaigrette if that's more your jam. Both are delicious as I speak from experience with this Tomato Feta Panzanella.
*For the full recipe and list of ingredients please see recipe card below
How to Make Tomato Feta Panzanella
Start by making the homemade croutons which are ESSENTIAL. If you need a step by step on how to make them - I've laid it all out here in my basic crouton recipe. Trust me once you make them this way, you'll never buy pre-made croutons ever again. So simple, almost no prep time and insanely delish.
Then make the Basil Vinaigrette by combining everything in a blender and blending until smooth.
All that's left is to assemble the salad. On a large platter, arrange the tomatoes, torn croutons and chunks of feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with a few leaves of fresh basil and serve.
Tips & Tricks
This Tomato Feta Panzanella is loaded with the freshest summer tomatoes, so here is a hot tip on how to pick the best ones. If you walk by a stand of tomatoes and they SMELL like tomatoes, they are good. If you don't smell anything, keep on walking, they won't have as much flavor. You also want them to not be too soft - just FYI.
On top of the tomatoes there's a salty briny addition of feta. We've talked about this before, but it's worth repeating... don't buy the pre-crumbled feta. Buy the stuff that comes in the brine and crumble it yourself. It will be so much more delicious and you'll never go back to the other stuff.
FAQs
What does panzanella mean in Italian?
The name is believed to originate from two words "pane" which means bread in Italian and "zanella" which means a deep bowl similar to the one it's traditionally served in.
What can you eat with panzanella?
I would serve it with any protein like grilled chicken, steak, or salmon.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Tomato Feta Panzanella
Ingredients
- 3-4 large heirloom tomatoes
- 1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 1-2 sheets feta cheese, drained from the brine
- Maldon Sea Salt + Freshly cracked black pepper
- Basil for garnish
For the Torn Croutons
- ¼ loaf ciabatta bread
- olive oil
For the Basil Vinaigrette
- 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 cups tightly packed basil
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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 is crisp. Remove and use on the salad as needed.
To Make the Basil Vinaigrette
- Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
To Assemble
- On a large platter, arrange the tomatoes, torn croutons and chunks of feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with basil
So good!
Doe led this keep well refrigerated?
tomatoes never keep well when they are refrigerated - they loose their flavor when put into the fridge. I'd say it needs to be made and eaten pretty quickly
Love this salad so much! Sometimes I half the vinaigrette recipe and it makes just enough. Perfect for summer.
lovvvvvvve this! It’s on heavy rotation at our house rn!
The sub title says garlicky croutons, but I didn’t see garlic as a component of the croutons. What’s your favorite way to make those croutons garlicky?
What is a sheet of feta cheese? How many ozs?
1 sheet is about 1/4 cup once it's crumbled!
Mmmmmm. My different tomatoes are beginning to ripen, so this will be the perfect addition to the summer table.