This grilled panzanella salad incorporates a bounty of summer vegetables into one of the BEST SALADS EVER. With creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, grilled bread and a garlicky red wine vinaigrette, it’s a healthy meal or side dish that will satisfy even the biggest meat eaters.
I don’t play favorites when it comes to salads, but this grilled panzanella salad has my heart. It’s a damn fine one-bowl meal in its own right, or a stunning side dish to just about anything.
What is panzanella?
Panzanella is a bread salad that's traditionally made with day-old bread, ripe tomatoes and a simple vinaigrette. The bread soaks up the juices from the tomatoes and the dressing, turning soft and succulent in the middle while staying crunchy around the edges.
In this version, a slew of grilled vegetables and fresh mozzarella turn the salad into a main course or hearty side dish. A zippy Italian vinaigrette brightens everything up. It’s crunchy, soft, creamy and vibrant.
How to make grilled panzanella salad:
- Instead of using day-old bread (as is traditional), the bread is grilled instead. Place slices of baguette or country-style bread (I use gluten free bread) directly on the grill grates and cook until lightly toasted on both sides.
- The vegetables for the salad are also grilled (meaning no heating up your kitchen!). You can do this several days in advance. Here's how to grill the vegetables:
- Peppers: Cut bell peppers into 2-3-inch pieces so that they can lay flat on the grill (and not fall through the grates!). Start the peppers skin-side down to blister the skin. Cook them about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Zucchini: Cut zucchini lengthwise into ½-inch thick slabs (zucchini cooks rather quickly and turns mushy when overcooked, so thicker is better; also, the longer slabs mean no zucchini coins lost to the grill!). Cook about 2 minutes per side.
- Onion: Slice a peeled onion crosswise into ¼-inch thick rings. Grill 3-4 minutes per side.
- Chop the grilled vegetables and toasted bread, then toss them in a large bowl with diced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and the vinaigrette.
Red wine vinaigrette
The dressing for this panzanella salad recipe is a bracing Italian vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar, garlic, shallot, dried oregano and an anchovy. The anchovy adds depth and complexity but you won’t taste it (you can omit it for a vegetarian version). I use equal parts vinegar and olive oil so that the dressing has a bit of an edge, allowing it to cut through the richness of the bread and vegetables.
Recipe variations
You can tailor this recipe according to what you have on hand or what you like. Feel free to use other grilled vegetables, such as eggplant, mushrooms, corn or asparagus. You can also swap out the mozzarella for other forms of protein, such as grilled chicken, canned white beans, feta cheese or good quality jarred tuna.
Serving suggestions
This panzanella salad is delicious on its own as a healthy main course, but it’s also a fabulous side dish to grilled fish, chicken or steak. I love to spoon it over grilled sea bass or halibut, or to pile it on top of pounded grilled chicken breasts. The salad is also perfect for potlucks, especially since it can be made ahead of time (pair it with this Avocado Chicken Salad for the ultimate picnic!).
Recipe tips:
- If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can use an indoor grill pan. Or you can roast the vegetables instead! Chop the vegetables into 1-inch pieces, toss them on a large baking sheet with the a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and roast them at 400 degrees until tender, about 20 minutes.
- I use one small Udi’s Gluten-Free French Baguette (half a package) for this recipe, but you can half a loaf of Italian bread or half of a regular baguette instead. Instead of grilling the bread, you can toast it in a 400 degree F oven until crisp, about 5-10 minutes.
- If you like this salad, try these Panzanella Stuffed Tomatoes!
*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you or supporting From Scratch Fast!
FAQs
Yes! Panzanella is an Italian bread salad traditionally made with day-old bread and tomatoes.
Zucchini, bell peppers and onions work well in a grilled panzanella salad, but you can use any other grilled vegetables you like or have. Other good options include: grilled eggplant, asparagus and/or summer squash.
Whatever is ripest! In the height of summer go for a mix of juicy heirloom tomatoes. If vine tomatoes aren't in season, mixed sweet cherry tomatoes are a good bet.
Other healthy one-bowl meals to try:
- Healthy Taco Salad
- Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls
- Pan-Fried Falafel Bowls
- Slow Cooker Dal
- The Best Steak Burrito Bowls
- Grilled Mojo Marinated Steak & Vegetables
Stay connected
I'd love to answer any of your questions and see what you're cooking!! Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Pinterest, and be sure to tag @fromscratchfast so that I can share your creations!
Get the recipe!
Healthy Grilled Panzanella Salad (gluten-free friendly!)
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 large clove garlic, grated on a microplane
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot (about ½ small shallot)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 anchovy, rinsed and finely chopped (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salad
- 2 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slabs
- 2 medium yellow bell peppers, cored and seeded, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium red onion, cut into ¼-inch thick rings
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ loaf Italian bread or 1 small gluten-free baguette* (see notes), cut into 1-inch thick slices
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
- ½ pound fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch pieces
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette
- In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, grated garlic, shallot, oregano and anchovy (if using). Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Do Ahead: The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 1 week
Grill the veggies and assemble the salad
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Put the zucchini, peppers and red onion slices on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat. Grill the vegetables, flipping once, until they’re crisp-tender with grill marks on both sides, about 2 minutes per side for the zucchini and 3-4 minutes per side for the onion and peppers. Transfer the vegetables back to the baking sheet, and let cool. Do Ahead: The grilled vegetables can refrigerated for up 4 days before using.
- Grill the slices of bread until toasted with grill marks on both sides, about 1-3 minutes total.
- Cut the vegetables and bread into 1-inch pieces, and place them in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, toss the salad and taste it again—add more salt and pepper if needed, and if the salad tastes a bit flat, drizzle in a bit more red wine vinegar (the flavors will mute as it rests). Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can use a grill pan like this. Or, you can roast the vegetables instead. Chop the vegetables into 1-inch pieces, toss them on a large baking sheet with the a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and roast them at 400 degrees until tender, about 20 minutes.
- I use one small Udi’s Gluten-Free French Baguette (half a package) for this recipe, but you can half a loaf of Italian bread or half of a regular baguette instead. Instead of grilling the bread, you can toast it in a 400 degree F oven until crisp, about 5-10 minutes.
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