This Italian bread salad is prefect for a summer day! A loaf of bread is cubed and toasted in the oven. Then tomatoes are seasoned and roasted in the oven before being combined with the toasted bread. Next shrimp is seasoned and broiled. The shrimp is added to the tomatoes and bread with cucumbers, onions, mozzarella cheese, vinegar and oil. The finished panzanella can be served cold or room temperature.
Course
Entree
Prep Time15minutes
Cook Time30minutes
Servings4people
Ingredients
12ozloaf country sourdough breadcut into ¾ inch cubes (6 cups)
2pintscherry tomatoesassorted colors, halved
5tbspolive oildivided
1tspsalt
½tspblack pepper
1 ½lbspeeled and deveined shrimp16/20 per lb
1English cucumberpeeled, halved lengthwise, cut across into ½ inch slices
1small red onionhalved through root, thinly sliced (½ cup)
⅓cupfresh basil leavescoarsely chopped
½cupfresh parsley leavescoarsely chopped
4ozmozzarella cheesecut into ½ inch chunks
2tspred wine vinegar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake until lightly browned and crisp, 9 to 10 minutes, transfer to a large bowl.
Combine the tomatoes, 1 tbsp oil, ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper in a large bowl. Coat the sheet pan with cooking spray and spread the tomatoes in an even layer. Roast until the tomatoes just start to wilt, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes and any juice to the bowl with the bread.
Position oven rack 4-5 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler.
Combine shrimp with 1 tbsp oil in a bowl. Toss with ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper and arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan. Broil the shrimp for 2 minutes, turn and broil until just cooked through, another 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp to the bowl the bread along with the cucumber, onion, basil, parsley, mozzarella, vinegar and remaining 3 tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Toss well and serve.
Recipe Notes
I add Italian seasoning and garlic powder to the tomatoes and the shrimp before baking.