Panzanella literally means “bread salad” in Italian.
How could that be anything but amazing?
If you love bread and veggies as much as I do, then this hearty Panzanella is the dish for you. It comes together so quickly, and is the perfect simple and refreshing salad as we say hello to summer!
I decided to make this more of a one-pot meal than a side dish by adding chickpeas and red kidney beans. This strays from the traditional Panzanella of bread and veggies, but I am telling you, the addition of the beans here is fabulous!
And if we are eating beans, can’t we feel better about consuming a salad that is at least 50% composed of bread?
Use a really sturdy bread here, as the bread will continue to soak up the flavors and juices of the veggies, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar the longer the salad sits. This is a good thing! You just need a bread that can retain its bite and shape amidst all that yummy liquid. Ciabatta works great, and that is my bread of choice for Panzanella.
Also, the parmesan is the only thing here keeping this salad from being vegan. Feel free to leave out the parmesan if you want this to be a vegan meal. Otherwise, go grate some parmesan! You know how I feel about using freshly grated cheese.