BLT PANZANELLA😍

Basically taking one of my favorite sammies and converting it into Panzanella - something about eating it with a fork and having lettuce in there somewhere makes it a salad right? Anyways, the bread cubes get all toasty in a little bacon fat, the juicy tomatoes get soaked in a perfectly zingy vinaigrette, and it’s basically what I want to be eating all summer long. You’re gonna love this one!

Panzanella is a Tuscan salad popular throughout Italy, and consists of toasted bread, tomatoes, onions, and fresh basil. This version gets a twist to get the flavors of a BLT Sandwich and it is a stunner you will love!

NOTE: Panzanella does not save very well once the dressing is tossed, so I recommend either reducing the recipe if you’re only cooking for 2-3, or only tossing the dressing in with what you think you will eat. That way it won’t get too soggy!

Serves 4-5.

Ingredients:

For the BLT Panzanella:

• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters

• ¼ red onion, sliced thinly

• 6 oz bread, cubed

• 8 slices thick cut bacon

• 1 cup arugula

• 5 basil leaves, sliced thinly

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• 3 tbsps red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• 1 clove grated garlic 

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Shaved parmesan for topping

Directions:

For the BLT Panzanella:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the bacon on a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Drain the bacon grease into a bowl and return to the oven to finish cooking the bacon, about 5-7 minutes more. Drain on paper towels and then chop into 1” pieces.

• Cube the bread into 1” cubes and add to a bowl with 2 tbsps of the bacon grease. Toss to combine, then add to a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 9-11 minutes or until crisp on the outside, but still chewy on the inside (you don’t want croutons).

• In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper until emulsified.

• Add the tomatoes and onion to the bowl with the dressing to marinate while the bread toasts.

• Let the bread cool for 2-3 minutes, then add to the bowl with the tomatoes and toss. Let sit for 10 minutes, then add the arugula, bacon, and basil and toss again.

• Serve with shaved parmesan and enjoy!