Panzanella salads are a summer essential. Bringing peaches into the mix adds more summer pazazz. Sweat peaches balance out the acidic tomatoes. Just a dash of heat from chilis along with herby mint and basil. Peach Panzanella salad is a move.
Bread
Finding great uses for stale bread is always a win. Panzanella salads are too perfect for it. The stale bread soaks up the tomatoes and peach juices. I find using bread that’s 3 to 5 days old is best. Depending on the bread, the crust may become too hard after that. Still usable for the salad, just a bit tougher. Fresh bread works as well, it just won’t absorb as much juice from the fruit. You should enjoy freshly baked bread in all its glory and use the rest for Panzanella adventures. Just my hot take.
Balance in the Peach Panzanella
Peaches and tomatoes are a good combo. One has bright acidity and the other a soft sweetness. Finding balance in flavors is one of our biggest goals as cooks. Two in-season ingredients working together is always fantastic. One of my favorite parts of this peach Panzanella salad is that it’s great for the seemingly unattractive ingredients. The leftover wrinkly and bruised fruits are welcome here. The flavors still pop out after everything is mixed. No need to toss those peaches from the market. Save the bread that’s just a little too old as well.
Effortless peach salad
This recipe comes together effortlessly. I mention letting the tomatoes rest with the salt and oil for a few minutes, but that’s optional. The salt pulls more liquid from the tomatoes and marinates them as well. Their flavor will pop just a bit more, but if you don’t have time skip it. I’ve thrown all the ingredients together, given it a toss, and eaten it straight from the bowl plenty of times. It’s a simple concept. Do it up, or keep it rustic.
Peach Panzanella salads are flavorful and save the scraggly produce. It’s a simple salad and comes together in a pinch. Great for a quick lunch or dinner salad. Save that bread that’s starting to stale, and freshen it up with a Panzanella salad.
Peach Panzanella salad
Ingredients
- 2/3C (90g) tomato
- ½ (90g) peach
- 2 tsp (9g) lemon
- 1 tbsp (13) olive oil
- ½ tsp (3g) soy sauce
- to taste salt
- 1 + 3/4C (95g) stale bread
- ¼ tsp chili flake
- 8 mint leaf
- 4 basil leaf
Instructions
- Slice the peach in half and remove the seed. Chop the Peach into bite-sized chunks. Slice tomatoes in half.
- In a bowl mix the peaches, tomato, lemon, salt, soy sauce, and oil. rest for 10 min.
- Cut the bread into bite sized chunks, about 1/4 to 1/2 inches.
- Add the bread, chili flakes, mint, and basil to the bowl. Toss until bread is coated.
- let bread hydrate for 5 min and serve
It’s really good. I added pomegranate and tasted even better.
Glad you liked it and put your own spin on it. Thanks for trying it out!
It’s really good. I added pomegranate and tasted even better.