I love to add fried bread to a salad when I'm looking for a change from my usual mixed greens with vinaigrette or when I want a more filling salad to accompany a light meal. With just bread, olive oil, and a few minutes, you can transform a simple salad into something extra special. If you like this idea, you can also make a more traditional version of panzanella salad by adding tomatoes, basil, and red onion.
Bread like baguette, country, Italian loaf, or brioche (stale bread works very well)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salad greens
Vinaigrette dressing (extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt & pepper)
Cut the bread into 1½-inch cubes — or whatever size you prefer.
Warm a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Add the bread cubes to the pan and toss to coat them evenly in the olive oil. Sauté, turning occasionally, until the cubes are golden brown and crispy on all sides. If the pan looks dry or the bread isn’t well coated, drizzle in a bit more olive oil. After making this once or twice, you’ll get a feel for the right balance of oil to bread.
Toss the crispy bread cubes with mixed greens and your favorite vinaigrette.
Serve as a first course or light lunch.
Store extra bread cubes in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm in the oven and use again during the week.
Arugula, endive, and radicchio panzanella salad with vinaigrette.
One of my favorite pairings with these delicious bread cubes is a salad of mixed greens, radicchio, and a few shavings of fresh Parmesan. The slight bitterness of the radicchio complements the richness of the bread, while Parmesan adds depth and makes the salad feel more substantial.
In this version, I used only radicchio and parsley because that’s what I had on hand. The parsley added flavor and color, and the radicchio’s bitterness contrasted beautifully with the crunchy, golden bread. I included a few shavings of Parmesan cheese and vinaigrette dressing. Followed by some camembert and baguette, it made a delicious lunch.
Mixed greens, vinaigrette and brioche.
You may also be interested in homemade croutons and cooking with croutons.
Italian sausage stew with peppers and croutons.
