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Panzanella toscane

Name: Panzanella toscane
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: IT
Ingredients: 400 g stale rustic bread (such as Tuscan or ciabatta), a day or two old, crust on; 500 ml cold water, for soaking; 600 g very ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks (juices reserved); 1 (about 250 g) cucumber, peeled and sliced; 1 small (about 100 g) red onion, thinly sliced; 1 tsp salt, for the onion; 15 leaves fresh basil, torn, plus extra to finish; 80 ml extra virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

60m

Prépa

Cuisson

Portions

Facile

Difficulté

Salade rustique de pain rassis, tomates mûres, concombre et oignon rouge, à l'huile d'olive.

#italian#tuscan#salad#bread#tomato#no-cook#summer

Portions

6portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories290

protein6g

carbs34g

fat15g

fiber4g

Par portion

Étapes

Soak the bread

Tear the bread into rough chunks and place in a bowl. Cover with the cold water and let sit for 5–10 minutes until softened all through, then squeeze handfuls firmly to press out the excess water, crumbling the bread back into pieces as you go.

400 g stale bread
500 ml cold water

✅ C'est prêt quand : the bread is soft and moist throughout but not mushy, and holds its shape when squeezed

⏱7:00

Mellow the onion

Toss the sliced onion with the 1 tsp salt and cover with cold water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to lose its raw sharpness, then drain well and pat dry.

1 small red onion
1 tsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the onion tastes mild and sweet rather than sharp

⏱10:00

Cut the vegetables

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Combine everything

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Dress the salad

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Rest, then serve

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Soak the bread

400 g stale bread
500 ml cold water

✅ C'est prêt quand : the bread is soft and moist throughout but not mushy, and holds its shape when squeezed

⏱7:00

Mellow the onion

Toss the sliced onion with the 1 tsp salt and cover with cold water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to lose its raw sharpness, then drain well and pat dry.

1 small red onion
1 tsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the onion tastes mild and sweet rather than sharp

⏱10:00

Cut the vegetables

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Combine everything

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Dress the salad

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Rest, then serve

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History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Tuscany, central Italy📅 Peasant cuisine, Renaissance onward🍅 IT

Panzanella was born from frugality: Tuscan farming families never threw away bread, so stale loaves were soaked and revived with whatever ripe vegetables were on hand, dressed in olive oil and vinegar. In the days before tomatoes arrived from the Americas, early versions likely leaned more on onion, cucumber and herbs.

Once tomatoes became common in Italian kitchens, they became the heart of the dish, and panzanella settled into the version loved today — a summer staple on Tuscan tables when tomatoes are at their sweetest.

⭐ Why It's Famous

It shows the Italian genius for turning humble, leftover ingredients into something vivid and satisfying, and it captures the taste of a Tuscan summer in one bowl.

💡 Fun Fact

The name 'panzanella' is thought to come from pane (bread) and zanella, an old word for a soup bowl or deep dish, a nod to how the bread soaks up liquid until it turns soft and almost mushy.

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