Spring Panzanella Salad with Peas, Arugula, and Mint
For a fresh take on Italian bread salad, make a spring panzanella salad with peas, arugula, mint, and cherry tomatoes all tossed in a bright, lemony dressing.
Servings 6
Calories 250kcal
Ingredients
Lemon Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
Bread
- 8-10 oz crusty dinner bread, cut into ~1 inch slices
- olive oil and kosher salt, for the bread
Salad
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup peas, either fresh garden peas or thawed frozen peas
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh mint
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 4 cups arugula
Instructions
Make the Dressing
- Mix together the dressing in a bowl.
- Add the red onion to the dressing and let it sit until you are ready to mix the salad.
Prepare the Bread
- Brush the bread with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Toast it under a broiler or in a toaster oven until golden brown on both sides. (You can also grill it.) Cool briefly and cut into cubes.
Make the Salad
- Add the bread cubes, tomatoes, peas, mint, and thyme to a large bowl.
- Pour over the dressing and and toss ingredients together, making sure to coat the bread with the dressing.
- Just before serving mix in the arugula.
Notes
- Make ahead: Panzanella is best eaten within 1-2 hours of preparation. You can make the dressing, prepare the salad ingredients, and toast the bread earlier in the day and then toss it together at dinner time.
- Trimming the bread: If your bread has gotten a bit hard or is particularly crusty, you may want to trim off those bits.
- Herbs: Since this is a spring panzanella I used common spring herbs which I see in my garden early in the season. Feel free to use parsley and/or basil in the salad if you have those on hand. Also, chives or spring onions are nice in addition to or in place of the red onion.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal