Grilled Summer Panzanella
This version of the classic Italian bread salad features grill-kissed summer squashes, red onion, eggplant, fresh tomatoes and chickpeas...all marinated with a lemon vinaigrette and finished with fresh herbs. The chickpeas also add a little plant-based protein and make it feel substantial enough to stand alone as a light lunch.
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 2 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise
- 1 red onion, cut into thick slices (about ¾")
- 1 eggplant, ½" dice
- 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 pint fusion tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves, torn
- 10 oz Ciabatta or sourdough (about ½ a boule)
- 4 oz feta, drained well and crumbled
- 15 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Dressing:
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 oz apple cider vinegar
- 6 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Toss the eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes, until browned and slightly crispy.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the grill. When hot, grill the squashes (cut-side down) and red onion. Flip them when they have some nice color and grill the squashes minimally on the other side, keeping them 'al dente'. If they are too soft they will make the salad mushy. The red onion should be soft with some nice charred bits. When cool, slice the veggies into 1-inch pieces.
- Slice the bread into 1-inch thick planks, brush with olive oil, and grill until crisp. Tear or cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the bread, vegetables, herbs, olives and chickpeas together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the salad marinate for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with feta and serve.
Chef Tips!
The crumbled feta adds a nice creamy element for flavor and texture, however, you can easily omit it to make this a vegan salad and it will still be delicious.
The downfall with panzanella is that it does get soggy after sitting for awhile and therefore doesn't improve with age. Aim to make what you need, or only dress what you plan on serving and save the other half undressed for the next day.
Grilled Summer Panzanella
This version of the classic Italian bread salad features grill-kissed summer squashes, red onion, eggplant, fresh tomatoes and chickpeas…all marinated with a lemon vinaigrette and finished with fresh herbs. The chickpeas also add a little plant-based protein and make it feel substantial enough to stand alone as a light lunch.
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
- 2 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise
- 1 red onion, cut into thick slices (about ¾")
- 1 eggplant, ½" dice
- 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 pint fusion tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves, torn
- 10 oz Ciabatta or sourdough (about ½ a boule)
- 4 oz feta, drained well and crumbled
- 15 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Dressing:
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 oz apple cider vinegar
- 6 oz extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Toss the eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes, until browned and slightly crispy.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the grill. When hot, grill the squashes (cut-side down) and red onion. Flip them when they have some nice color and grill the squashes minimally on the other side, keeping them 'al dente'. If they are too soft they will make the salad mushy. The red onion should be soft with some nice charred bits. When cool, slice the veggies into 1-inch pieces.
- Slice the bread into 1-inch thick planks, brush with olive oil, and grill until crisp. Tear or cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the bread, vegetables, herbs, olives and chickpeas together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the salad marinate for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with feta and serve.
Chef Tips!
The crumbled feta adds a nice creamy element for flavor and texture, however, you can easily omit it to make this a vegan salad and it will still be delicious.
The downfall with panzanella is that it does get soggy after sitting for awhile and therefore doesn’t improve with age. Aim to make what you need, or only dress what you plan on serving and save the other half undressed for the next day.