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A vibrant peach panzanella salad bowl with toasted croutons, fresh peaches, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and basil.
Layla

Peach Panzanella Salad

This vibrant summer salad features sweet, juicy peaches, crispy toasted bread, and fresh basil, all tossed in a zesty vinaigrette for a refreshing and satisfying dish.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 595

Ingredients
  

For the Toasted Bread
  • 12 oz crusty bread about half a loaf, day-old sourdough or ciabatta
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Salad
  • 3 large ripe peaches firm but yielding, about 1.5 lbs
  • 0.5 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves roughly torn
  • 0.5 cup feta cheese crumbled (optional)
For the Vinaigrette
  • 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
  • 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper freshly ground

Equipment

  • Large Baking Sheet
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk

Method
 

Prepare the Bread Croutons
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Tear the crusty bread into 1-inch pieces and spread them evenly on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway through. Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the Salad Components
  1. While the bread is toasting, slice the ripe peaches into wedges or 1/2-inch thick slices. Thinly slice the red onion. Roughly tear the fresh basil leaves.
Make the Vinaigrette
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, 0.25 teaspoon salt, and 0.125 teaspoon black pepper until emulsified.
Assemble and Serve
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled toasted bread pieces, sliced peaches, thinly sliced red onion, and torn basil. If using, add the crumbled feta cheese.
  2. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients. Toss everything gently to ensure all components are evenly coated with the dressing.
  3. Let the panzanella salad sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the bread to soak up some of the dressing and the flavors to meld. Enjoy!

Notes

For the best texture, use day-old or slightly stale bread for your croutons. It absorbs the dressing beautifully without getting soggy too quickly. Choose peaches that are ripe but still a bit firm; overly soft peaches might become mushy in the salad. Feel free to customize! A sprinkle of toasted pecans, some grilled corn, or even a few cherry tomatoes would be delicious additions to this summer salad.