Tuscan Bread Salad

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Put day-old bread to good use by making our take on panzanella.

An iteration of panzanella, our Tuscan bread salad is the ultimate summer side dish. Much to the delight of your family (or dinner party guests), you'll want to make it regularly from Memorial Day to Labor Day—and for every party in between.

Our recipe starts with cubed day-old country bread, which should be gently toasted in the oven. After the bread has cooled, combine it in a bowl with legumes and a myriad of fresh produce, including cooked cannellini beans, heirloom tomatoes (make the most of this summer delicacy while you can!), cucumbers, bell peppers, scallions, torn fresh basil leaves, and marjoram; red wine vinegar and glugs of olive oil ensure all of their flavors meld together.

Our secret ingredient? Anchovy fillets, which you should rinse and chop before you add them to the mix. They bring the salty, briny flavor that transports you to the Mediterranean—and are the reason why the only seasoning this dish needs is a crank of cracked pepper.

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Ingredients

  • 10 ounces day-old country bread, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

  • ½ pound cooked cannellini beans (5 ½ ounces dried beans)

  • 20 fresh basil leaves, torn

  • 8 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped (optional)

  • 4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thinly on the bias

  • 3 medium heirloom tomatoes, seeded and sliced

  • 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced crosswise

  • 1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

  • ½ cup red-wine vinegar

  • cup olive oil, plus more to taste

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

tuscan bread salad

David E. Steele

  1. Preheat oven and toast the bread:

    Preheat an oven to 325°F. Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast until the bread is completely dry but not browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

  2. Combine ingredients, toss, and let stand at room temperature:

    In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and gently toss until thoroughly combined. Let stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

More Bread Salads You Should Try:

Updated by
Sarah Schreiber
Sarah Schreiber, Associate Editorial Director for MarthaStewart.com
Sarah Schreiber has been writing, editing, and producing lifestyle and weddings content for over seven years. In that time, she has interviewed and worked with hundreds of leading experts to become an authority on all things homekeeping, flower arranging, home design, and wedding planning.

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