Vegetarian Recipes

Panzanella Salad

https://www.loveandlemons.com/panzanella-salad/

If I had to choose one ingredient that best represents summer, it would have to be the tomato! Everyone loves perfect bright, juicy summer tomatoes, and in my opinion, there’s no better way to celebrate them then with panzanella!

This recipe has been a fan favorite (and one of our favorites) for awhile, so I thought I’d share it again now that all of these ingredients are in peak season. If you look closely, you’ll see that there are more than just tomatoes in this panzanella. I call this one my “everything summer” panzanella because I took the liberty of tossing in a few sweet peaches and some fresh corn, in addition to a plethora of colorful heirloom and cherry tomatoes. It’s basically the salad you want to make for dinner the day you come home from the farmers market with all kinds of good stuff.

What is Panzanella?

Panzanella is an Italian bread salad. Traditional panzanella features cubes of stale bread, plenty of ripe tomatoes, onion, vinegar, and olive oil. I keep the vinegar, oil, onion, and tomatoes in this variation, but as you can see, my “everything summer” twist is wholly unconventional. With the sweet, juicy peaches, crisp corn, and chewy chickpeas, it’s a delectable showcase for late summer produce.

How to Make This Panzanella Salad

First, gather all of the best tomatoes, peaches, corn, and basil that you can find.

Second, find some good bread! I nabbed a gorgeous round of sourdough at my farmers market. You’re ready to cook!

Did I mention that this is a one bowl recipe? The dressing gets stirred at the bottom of a large bowl, before everything else gets added. It couldn’t be easier!

Next, add “everything summer” to the bowl – the tomatoes, peaches, corn, basil & some shaved red onion. Stir to let the peach and tomato juices mingle together.

Fold in some crusty day-old bread. Let it sit for a few minutes so that the bread can soak up some of the juices. Top with roasted chickpeas (optional for a little protein!) and plenty of sliced basil leaves.

Panzanella Salad Recipe Variations

This salad is flexible, so make it to your liking! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

If you don’t like corn, skip it.
Replace the peaches with extra tomatoes, or with half tomatoes and half sliced English cucumber.
Add grilled or roasted red bell pepper.
Top it with shaved Parmesan.
Stir in some mini fresh mozzarella balls.
Add dollops of fresh pesto at the end.
If you have extra time, toss your bread cubes with a bit of olive oil and bake in a 425-degree oven until they’re nicely golden, about 10 minutes. The stale bread will really soak up the salad’s tangy dressing, and it will hold its shape better if you want to make this salad ahead!

Let me know what variations you try!

What to Serve with Panzanella Salad

Enjoy the panzanella on its own or serve it as a side dish. It would be excellent with classic summer picnic fare like portobello burgers, black bean burgers, veggie burgers, or BBQ sandwiches. It would also be a good starter for a light summer lasagna or roasted vegetable pasta.

No matter what, pair it with some crisp white wine and savor the last bits of summer!

If you love this panzanella salad recipe…

Try my watermelon salad, pasta salad, broccoli salad, potato salad, or any of these summer salads next!

Panzanella Salad

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Salad

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or sherry vinegar, more as desired
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup sliced red onion
Kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
10 small or 5 medium tomatoes, sliced into wedges
16 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 peaches, pitted and sliced
4 to 5 cups cubed crusty bread
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup roasted chickpeas, optional

In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, mustard, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Add the onion, and corn and toss until coated. Let sit for 10 minutes while you prep everything else.
To the bowl, add the tomatoes, peaches, bread, and half the basil. Toss to combine, adding more olive oil if the bread is too dry, and more lemon, salt, and pepper, to taste. Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes so that the juices can soak into the bread. Give it a toss, then top with the remaining fresh basil and the chickpeas, if using.

Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1 lemon $0.89
8 oz. pasta* $0.67
1 cup frozen peas $0.50
1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
1 Tbsp butter $0.11
1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.