Spring Panzanella Salad – toasted garlicky croutons, fresh asparagus, cucumbers, peas and tomatoes plus crumbled feta cheese in an herby lemon vinaigrette.
Friends, this bread salad is loaded with the best vegetables spring has to offer.
I also included sweet cherry tomatoes, blended with golden garlicky bread cubes and irresistible crispy chickpeas.
The whole salad is drizzled with an easy homemade herby lemon vinaigrette along with all the crumbled feta cheese.
Though technically not a spring vegetable I snuck in a few tomatoes and this salad just gets better during the height of summer tomato season.
For today, we’re leaping into spring and I’m not looking back with what has become my current favorite salad.
Add as much or as little of the dressing as you like – save the rest for another salad or marinate chicken into – delicious!
— and customize the vegetables with whatever you find near you or you and your family like best.
This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.
WHAT’S IN SPRING PANZANELLA SALAD?
- mini cucumbers
- frozen peas
- half bunch asparagus
- cherry tomatoes
- feta cheese
- small loaf bakery style bread
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- salt
- canned chickpeas
DILL LEMON VINAIGRETTE:
- whole lemon
- red wine vinegar
- garlic clove
- Dijon mustard
- salt and black pepper
- honey
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh dill and fresh mint (can use only fresh dill)
HOW TO MAKE SPRING PANZANELLA SALAD:
BLANCH THE VEGETABLES:
Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and have a large bowl of cold water with ice cubes set aside,
Trim the ends of the asparagus then cut into about 1 1/2″ pieces.
Place asparagus into the boiling water and cook 2-4 minutes or until bright green then drain using a slotted spoon (reserve the water!) in to the ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Add the peas to the same water. Blanch for 1 minute then drain and transfer to the ice water.
Drain both vegetables and transfer to a clean dish towel. Dry well, dabbing an excess water with a paper towel.
GARLICKY CROUTONS:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut or tear bread into about 1″ cubes then transfer to a baking sheet in a single layer.
Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon EACH of salt and garlic powder then using your hands toss bread well to coat.
Bake 10-15 minutes or until the bread is crisp and lightly browned then remove from the oven and cool completely.
Day old bread works well in this recipe and will dry out/brown faster than fresh bread.
SALAD DRESSING:
Add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, Dijon, salt, pepper, honey, olive oil and herbs to a small bowl.
Whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper then set aside.
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY CHICKPEAS:
Chickpeas can be drained, dried and added to the salad but I truly recommend crisping them first because they are life.
Rinse and drain the chickpeas then dry well using paper towels.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet then drop in the chickpeas and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cumin.
Cook over medium to medium low heat 10-12 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE THE SPRING PANZANELLA SALAD:
Add the golden garlicky croutins, asparagus, peas and cucumbers to a large bowl.
Drizzle the dressing over the top a little at a time, give it a good toss to coat then transfer to a serving platter.
Add crumbled feta cheese, halved tomatoes and chickpeas to the top.
Let the salad sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to come together then season lightly with salt and fresh cracked black pepper and enjoy.
VARIATIONS AND SUBS:
- Any kind of bakery style bread works well – sourdough, french bread, italian – you get it.
- Add pine nuts for texture just before serving.
- Fresh peas (spring peas) can be used in place of frozen.
- Try goat cheese instead of feta.
- Spring onions or other spring vegetables.
- Diced bell pepper
- Cherry tomatoes or other juicy tomatoes.
- Green beans
- Canned white beans
- Pickled red onions
WHAT TO EAT WITH SPRING PANZANELLA SALAD:
Enjoy!
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Spring Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
THE SALAD:
- 3-4 mini cucumbers ends trimmed and diced
- 1 cup frozen peas blanched
- 1/2 pound asparagus ends trimmed and cut in 1 1/2" pieces
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halves
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 1 small loaf bakery bread french, sourdough, italian - cut or tear in 1" cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
CRISPY CHICKPEAS:
- 15 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained, rinsed and dried well
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, cumin and paprika
SALAD DRESSING:
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 small garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped (or 1 T dill, 1 T mint leaves)
Instructions
BLANCH THE VEGETABLES:
- Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add cold water and ice to a large bowl for the ice bath.
- Trim the ends of the asparagus then cut into about 1 1/2″ pieces. Add to boiling water and cook 2-4 minutes or until bright green. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the ice bath (this stops the cooking process).
- Add the peas to the same water. Blanch for 1 minute then drain and transfer to the ice water.
- Drain both vegetables and transfer to a clean dish towel, drying well.
GARLICKY CROUTONS:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut or tear bread into about 1″ cubes then transfer to a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Season with 1/2 teaspoon EACH of salt and garlic powder then using your hands toss bread well to coat.
- Bake 10-15 minutes or until the bread is crisp and lightly browned then remove from the oven and cool completely.
SALAD DRESSING:
- To a small bowl, add lemon juice, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, Dijon, salt, pepper, honey, olive oil and chopped herbs. Whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper then set aside.
CRISPY CHICKPEAS:
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas then dry well using paper towels.
- To a large skillet add 1 tablespoon olive oil then once hot, drop in the chickpeas and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cumin.
- Cook over medium to medium low heat 10-12 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned,
ASSEMBLING THE SALAD:
- Add golden garlicky croutins, asparagus, peas and cucumbers to a large bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top, give it a good toss to coat then transfer to a serving platter.Add crumbled feta cheese, halved tomatoes and chickpeas to the top. Let the salad sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to come together then season lightly with salt and fresh cracked black pepper and serve.
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Christy says
This salas is amazing! My new go to salad. Thank you
Bernie says
Thank YOU Christy! I appreciate you taking the time to comment and so glad you like it 🙂 It’s one of my favorites too — especially when I can grow or buy local tomatoes. Doesn’t get much better.
Robin says
This salad is an absolute winner! I found your recipe in July and have made it 3 times since then. Everyone who has eaten it raves about it! Thank you for sharing such a simple yet tasty dish.
Bernie says
Hi Robin – wow – thank you so much! Makes me happy to read you enjoyed the recipe so much. Thank YOU for your kind words — Bernie