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Home » Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato and Basil

Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato and Basil

August 3, 2011 34 Comments


 

Ah, the dog days of summer and what better way to enjoy it than with a Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato and Basil !  Currently, I’m lounging around in a cabin in the cool temps of the mountains with Mr. M. and P. (meat and potatoes).  A short drive to a mountain lake is a wonderful way to escape the 100 degrees where we live (it’s 75 degrees up here!).  Going to the beach is an extremely popular activity in the Carolina’s . . . insanely popular, in fact.  So many people bee-line to the ocean, that my husband and I avoid the beach and the traffic that goes along with it from June through August!

This month it’s time for many of us to prepare some tasty dishes to pack up in our baskets and into the backs of our cars and head for either the beach of a beautiful lake.

For me, a picnic dish needs to be super easy and portable.  So I selected a recipe that gets better by the minute through the marinating of it’s ingredients.  A salad of August-ripe, ruby-red, juicy tomatoes, onion, and basil provide the foundation for Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato, and Basil.  Even without the bread, this salad is a super winner in my salad book!

The addition of pancetta was new to me for panzanella, but I assume there are many panzanella creations that include pancetta (Italian bacon).  This recipe also differs from traditional panzanella by including lettuce as well.

It’s a really nice addition!

This recipe is just the type of salad in which you can add this or that and make it your own creation!

 

 

Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato and Basil

Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato and Basil

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped vine-ripe, red tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup sliced red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 6 pancetta slices (cut about 1/8th" thick), cooked and crumbled
  • 1 (8-ounce) loaf day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 cups torn romaine lettuce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, add tomato, onion, basil, and pancetta; toss well. Set aside.
  4. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  5. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until toasted; cool.
  6. Add bread and lettuce to tomato mixture; toss gently to combine.
  7. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • **For this salad, I chose to present the salad in a 'layered' manner. The torn romaine lettuce leaves are under the tomato mixture. Then I placed a layer of bread cubes on top of the lettuce. The tomato-basil-garlic-vinaigrette mixture is placed on top of the bread cubes and the pancetta is crumbled on top to finish the salad off.

© Roz

 

Enjoy this Panzanella Salad with Pancetta, Tomato and Basil!

.

.


Previous Post: « Caprese Salad – Insalata Caprese
Next Post: Fresh Basil Pesto »

Reader Interactions

 

I read each and every comment and respond to questions asap, so ask away!  As I always say, “If you’ve made a recipe, please take a photo and I’ll be happy to share your experience and photo of the recipe with all of us in this blog community!”

The kindness of giving a thumbs up 5-star rating is greatly appreciated!

~ Roz

Comments

  1. MM says

    August 3, 2011 at 3:16 PM

    For years I have wanted to make panzanella. Ever since I watched Michael Chiarello on FoodNetwork. Then I entertained the idea again when IHCC was cooking with Giada. So what’s holding me back? No idea! But I think maybe it’s time!

    Reply
  2. Galexi Cupcakes says

    August 3, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    I’m printing this recipe and I’m going to make it over the weekend. I’ve never had a panzanella salad and this one looks too good to pass up. Anything with bacon is delicious!! Jackie

    Reply
  3. Mary at Deep South Dish says

    August 3, 2011 at 3:39 PM

    I certainly make panzanella my way too – this one is my kind of salad! Very pretty photos too Roz – nice job showing off this gorgeous and cool salad.

    Reply
  4. Rebecca from Chow and Chatter says

    August 3, 2011 at 4:11 PM

    wow what a wonderful salad and I want to sit and eat next to the water!!

    Reply
  5. Pam says

    August 3, 2011 at 4:19 PM

    I would pay you a million bucks to come here right now and make this for me. Seriously.

    Reply
  6. Lisa @ Flour Me With Love says

    August 3, 2011 at 4:36 PM

    Oh my does that look delicious! Are you coming over and cooking dinner tonight? Your pictures are beautiful as always 🙂

    Reply
  7. Mary Ann says

    August 3, 2011 at 5:31 PM

    Panzanella is one of my favorite things to eat. This one looks great with wonderful flavors. Great addition to the menu!

    Reply
  8. Pegasuslegend says

    August 3, 2011 at 7:19 PM

    Fresh Healthy delicous I love it !!

    Reply
  9. Jamie says

    August 3, 2011 at 7:22 PM

    Oh yum! This is my kind of salad. I would love to be in the mountains right now.

    Reply
  10. Gloria says

    August 3, 2011 at 7:31 PM

    Look wonderful Roz! gloria

    Reply
  11. Anne says

    August 3, 2011 at 8:02 PM

    That looks so good Roz. I’m in summer clothes today and with only 3 more weeks of winter left, I’ll be tucking into that sooner than I think.

    Anne xx

    Reply
  12. helen tilston says

    August 3, 2011 at 8:40 PM

    I am starting vacation tomorrow and will definitely include this in on the menu
    Helenxx

    Reply
  13. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

    August 3, 2011 at 8:43 PM

    Hi Roz, I love your recipe. Your have taken my favorite summer sandwich, bacon and tomato, and turned it into an Italian salad. Now all I need is for my tomatoes to start ripening. Being lakeside is nice. Even is it’s warm in the day you usually need a quilt at night. Hope you have a wonderful time.

    Reply
  14. bellini says

    August 3, 2011 at 9:23 PM

    This salad is so perfect for this time of the year when trips to the farmers market are a weekly pleasure.Great job Roz!

    Reply
  15. Dzoli says

    August 4, 2011 at 12:51 AM

    Bacon looks so crispy and the whole salat would almost serve as a lunch for me;)

    Reply
  16. Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:45 AM

    Just when I though you couldn’t make panzanella salad any better, you added bacon. You’ve turned the best sandwich in the world to a fabulous crunchy salad Roz. Great job. Enjoy the cool weather.
    Sam

    Reply
  17. JDeQ says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:54 AM

    YUM! We love panzanella but don’t make it very often because the tomatoes around here are generally flavourless. Now that the fresh tomatoes from local farmers are hitting the market it just might be time to try this out.

    Reply
  18. Lizzy says

    August 4, 2011 at 7:53 AM

    Oh, this is the epitome of summer, Roz! I’m going to make a string of tomato recipes when we get home…this yummy salad is so inspirational~

    Reply
  19. Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe says

    August 4, 2011 at 9:48 AM

    It is not a very tradidional panzanella ~ but fabulous none the less!
    Perfect for our beach picnic.

    Reply
  20. Claire says

    August 4, 2011 at 10:13 AM

    looks delicious, i love panzanella salad. especially in the summer

    Reply
  21. The Slow Roasted Italian says

    August 4, 2011 at 10:32 AM

    I love this, it looks amazing!

    Reply
  22. Cathy at Wives with Knives says

    August 4, 2011 at 12:01 PM

    Wow, I would say that this is the perfect summer salad, Roz. I just happen to have all the ingredients so this will be on our table tonight. Great photos.

    Reply
  23. From the Kitchen says

    August 4, 2011 at 2:00 PM

    Bacon in panzanella salad? Genius! Alas, here in the midwest, we are still waiting for tomatoes. Our unusual weather has slowed them down and it may be September before they arrive in the farm markets. I am so anxious!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

    Reply
  24. Claudia says

    August 4, 2011 at 7:10 PM

    Lately, I don’t cook. I throw fresh produce together and call it a day. However, I have some mighty fine bacon in the fridge and I know it’s itching to jump into that salad! scrumptious!

    Reply
  25. Kitchen Belleicious says

    August 5, 2011 at 8:22 AM

    I must have stopped by before you posted this because I know i would have been in heaven with this salad. Love Love Love it! A combo of my favorite things

    Reply
  26. Catherine says

    August 5, 2011 at 10:35 PM

    What an absolutely beautiful salad. The colors are gorgeous! blessings, Catherine

    Reply
  27. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    August 11, 2011 at 8:54 AM

    Beautiful! That is a mouthwatering salad. So fresh and appetizing looking.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  28. [email protected] says

    August 29, 2011 at 5:52 AM

    That salad looks like a nice change of pace from the average fare.

    Reply
  29. Suzanne @ Stainlesssteelfrypan says

    August 29, 2011 at 5:53 AM

    This is so pretty and colorful!

    Reply
  30. Lisa @ Flour Me With Love says

    September 2, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    I had to come back and tell you that I made this wonderful recipe this past week. I finally got around to it and I could kick myself in the butt for waiting so long. Our entire family LOVED it! It will be on our menu regularly now…thank you 🙂

    Reply
  31. vanillalemonade.com says

    October 4, 2011 at 9:17 PM

    Panzanella…one of my favorites! It looks lovely…Just before the tomatoea are gone!

    Reply
    • Roz says

      August 10, 2016 at 6:37 PM

      Hi Vanilla Ale Monade!

      I agree with you that panzanella is a favorite summer salad! With fresh tomatoes for sure! Thanks for stopping by!

      Ciao,
      Roz

      Reply
  32. Holly Thomas says

    July 15, 2016 at 3:24 PM

    This looks so refreshing, perfect for a Florida meal.

    Reply
    • Roz says

      July 25, 2016 at 5:31 PM

      Thank you so much for your kind compliment Holly! Best wishes on the giveaway! Enjoy your sunny days in Florida too!
      Ciao,
      Roz
      La Bella Vita Cucina

      Reply

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Welcome!

Welcome!

Ciao, I'm Roz!
From my family's kitchens and restaurants in the U.S. and Italy, I share classic, delicious recipes . . . and always served with 'amore'! I'll help you master the art of cooking with easy to follow instructions and cooking tips. Get ready for the compliments! Buon Appetito!

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