Peach & Burrata Panzanella Salad

An overhead shot looking down on a peach & burrata panzanella salad. The food is on a round white plate. The seasonal peaches are sliced and placed in a circle shape that resembles a flower outline. There is a side of green butter lettuce placed on the upper left corner of the plate.
Cooking in the summertime is not always ideal. Being cooped up inside with a hot oven or standing over the stove top doesn’t seem like it’d be on the top of your summer bucket list. I imagine you would rather be socializing outside in the sunshine. There are a few recipes that I have on rotation during the summer because they help beat the heat. No cooking is required, just a bit of slicing and dicing.

One of my favorite summer dishes is a Peach and Burrata Panzanella Salad. You’ll be able to grab all the ingredients from your local supermarket.

 

What is a Panzanella Salad?

You’re probably asking yourself this question and it’s okay because I was too a few years ago. I had never heard of a panzanella salad but after making one from Samrin’s Nostrat’s cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid Heat, I was hooked. The three components that make up a panzanella salad are 1. bread, 2. tomatoes and 3. vegetables. The salad ratios are heavy bread, medium tomatoes and light vegetables. Who wouldn’t love a salad made of bread? Sorry gluten-free crew…. The bread should be stale and medium to large sized croutons. Half will be soaked in a vinaigrette while the other half remains crunchy. That loaf of french bread you have sitting on the counter is perfect for this recipe. 

With those three components, you can make a variety of panzanellas. The best type of panzanellas are those that are made with seasonal ingredients. 

What makes this panzanella salad perfect for summer?   

The peaches and tomatoes. These two ingredients embody some of the best flavors of the season. This recipe only takes 20 minutes to put together and it doesn’t require using any heat from kitchen appliances. It’ll keep you and your kitchen cool.

What does this recipe taste like?

DELICIOUS! It’s a refreshing combination where each bite is a little different. You’ll taste the soaked herb bread with the creamy avocado and sweetness of the peach. The burrata adds additional creaminess with a slightly cool temperature as it’s most likely coming straight out of the fridge. Then there is a nice subtle crunch from the butter lettuce. Definitely worth a try as the ingredients are simple and does not take long to make.

  

Servings: 2 salads

Time: 20 minutes 

See Tips and Frequently Asked Questions below the recipe 

Ingredients

  • 4 Heirloom Tomatoes 
  • Head of Butter Lettuce
  • 3 Peaches 
  • Burrata 
  • Avocado
  • Half a loaf of stale bread (french, country, sourdough, etc)
  • Hemp seeds (optional)
  • Salt & pepper 
  • 2 diced shallots
  • 3 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard 
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Juice of 1 orange 
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

Citrus Vinaigrette 

  1. Zest then juice the orange.
  2. Combine the shallots, white wine vinegar, honey, orange juice and zest into a small bowl. Stir. 
  3. Slowly pour and whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. 

 

Salad Instructions

  1. Dice and salt 2 tomatoes. Slice and salt 2 tomatoes. Set aside.
  2. Soak half of the bread in half of the dressing for 10 minutes. Reserve half of the crunchy bread and dressing to use later in the salad.
  3. Slice the peaches and avocado. 
  4. Combine the soaked bread, crunchy bread and 2 diced tomatoes together in a bowl. 
  5. Start plating by layering the avocados on the plate in a circle. Add the bread mixture to the middle of the avocados. In the center, add the sliced tomato and top with a generous piece of burrata. Place the peach slices on top of the avocado. Add the butter lettuce to the side of the plate and drizzle the remaining dressing. Sprinkle a tablespoon of hemp seeds over top of the entire dish.
  6. Serve and enjoy! 

 

Tips

  • You can double batch the vinaigrette to save some in the fridge for other recipes in the week.
  • Be sure to salt the tomatoes at the beginning. The salt causes the water to be pulled out leaving you with a better tasting fruit for the salad.
  • Any loaf of bread that is starting to dry out is great to use in this recipe. I personally would avoid sliced or grain breads. When I have time beforehand, I like to make my own herb croutons from a loaf of French bread or ciabatta. 
  • I’ve chosen to plate this panzanella salad in a way that presents well for summer. It’s more common to dice the ingredients into large chunks for the salad. 



    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I substitute heirloom tomatoes for a different variety?

    Yes! Most tomato varieties will work. I’ve made my panzanellas with the following: beefsteak, plum, Early Girl, heirloom and tomatoes on the vine. 

    Can I substitute fresh mozzarella instead of burrata?

    You can swap burrata for mozzarella which can be more cost-friendly. 

    What if I don’t want to make the dressing, will store-bought be okay?

    I understand that dressing isn’t for everyone. Store Bought dressings are great for convenience. I recommend choosing an herbal bottled vinaigrette, nothing too thick as it will need to soak into the stale bread.

    Can I make this salad in advance?

    It depends. If you’re fully preparing the salad, then it is best to serve it immediately. If you want to bring this to a summer picnic or bbq, I recommend waiting to soak the bread and slicing the avocado. That way the bread doesn’t get too soggy and the avocado doesn’t oxide. Everything else should be okay in the fridge for about 2 days. 

    Back to blog

    Leave a comment

    Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.