Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›The Arms›Panzanella Salad Recipe

Panzanella Salad Recipe

Inspired by The Arms
Time35m
Serves4

heirloom tomatoes, croutons, basil pesto, cucumber, onion, white balsamic

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Ingredients

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Salad

Pesto & Dressing

Method

Prepare Bread and Croutons

  1. 1

    cut bread

    Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the ciabatta or country bread into roughly 3/4- to 1-inch cubes to yield about 4 cups cubed bread.

  2. 2

    toss with oil

    In a bowl, toss the bread cubes with 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of salt until evenly coated.

  3. 3

    toast

    Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Toast in the oven 8–12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove and let cool.

Prepare Vegetables & Basil

  1. 4

    tomatoes

    Core and slice the heirloom tomatoes into 1/2-inch wedges or large bite-size pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl. You should have about 4 cups.

  2. 5

    cucumber

    Peel (optional) and halve the English cucumber lengthwise. Scoop seeds if watery, then slice on the bias into 1/4-inch half-moons. Add to the bowl with tomatoes (about 1 cup).

  3. 6

    onion

    Thinly slice the red onion into half-moon slivers. Rinse quickly under cold water if you want milder flavor, then drain well. Add 1/2 cup of the sliced onion to the bowl.

  4. 7

    basil

    Stack and chiffonade or roughly tear the basil leaves to produce about 1 cup packed leaves. Reserve a few whole leaves for garnish if desired.

Make Pesto-Balsamic Dressing

  1. 8

    combine dressing

    In a small bowl or jar whisk together 0.25 cup basil pesto, 2 tbs white balsamic vinegar, 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, 0.5 tsp honey (or sugar), 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper until smooth and slightly emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more vinegar for brightness or a pinch more honey to balance acidity.

Assemble Salad

  1. 9

    combine components

    Add the cooled croutons and the torn/chiffonade basil to the bowl with tomatoes, cucumber, and onion.

  2. 10

    dress salad

    Pour about three-quarters of the pesto-balsamic dressing over the salad and gently toss with tongs or two large spoons until the bread soaks up some dressing but remains somewhat crisp. Let sit for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to meld; if the bread soaks up too much, reserve additional dressing to serve on the side.

  3. 11

    season and finish

    Taste and adjust with remaining dressing, additional salt or pepper as needed. Garnish with a few whole basil leaves. Serve at room temperature.

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