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Chicago Dog Panzanella salad with toasted bread cubes, sliced hot dogs, tomatoes, peppers, and celery in a bowl.
Layla

Chicago Dog Panzanella

All the iconic flavors of a Chicago-style hot dog - neon relish, sport peppers, celery salt, and all - reimagined as a crunchy, tangy bread salad that's perfect for summer.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish, Salad
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

For the Bread
  • 8 oz day-old Italian bread or Vienna rolls cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 tsp celery salt divided
For the Salad
  • 4 beef hot dogs sliced into 1/2-inch coins
  • 1.5 lbs vine-ripened tomatoes cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 0.5 cup sweet pickle relish neon green Chicago-style preferred
  • 8 sport peppers stemmed and sliced into rings
  • 4 dill pickle spears cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 0.25 cup yellow onion finely diced, optional
For the Dressing
  • 3 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp white distilled vinegar
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp poppy seeds
To Finish
  • 0.5 tsp celery salt for finishing
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Large Rimmed Baking Sheet
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Small bowl for dressing

Method
 

Toast the Bread
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon celery salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and bake until crisp and golden at the edges, 8-10 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Let cool completely.
Cook the Hot Dogs
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced hot dogs and cook until well-browned and slightly crisp on the edges, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.
Make the Dressing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together yellow mustard, white vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and poppy seeds until emulsified. The dressing should be tangy and slightly thick.
Assemble the Panzanella
  1. In a large bowl, combine toasted bread, tomatoes, sweet relish, sport peppers, pickle pieces, and diced onion if using. Add the warm hot dogs and pour the dressing over everything. Toss gently but thoroughly, letting some of the bread absorb the juices while other pieces stay crisp.
  2. Let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so the bread can soak up the tomato juices and dressing. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining celery salt and garnish with fresh dill. Serve immediately while textures are still varied.

Notes

Day-old bread is essential - fresh bread will turn mushy instead of developing that perfect chewy-crisp texture. If you cannot find sport peppers, pickled serranos or banana peppers with a pinch of extra celery salt make a decent substitute. This salad does not hold well overnight, so plan to eat it within a few hours of assembly for the best texture contrast.