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Salad / Mediterranean

Mediterranean Panzanella

Toasted bread cubes soak up a lemony vinaigrette with tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, vegetarian feta, and herbs.

Vegetarian

By Vegetarian Recipes Kitchen · Updated

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Bowl of Mediterranean panzanella salad
Illustrative food photography. See our editorial policy.
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
10 minutes
Total
25 minutes
Serves
6

Gather your ingredients

Everything you need.

Allergen notes

  • Contains milk. Check dairy and cheese product labels.
  • Contains mustard.
  • Check all packaged ingredients and substitutions for allergens; vegetarian or vegan labels do not establish allergen safety.

Check product labels and any substitutions; packaged ingredients can introduce additional allergens.

Let's cook

Step by delicious step.

Tap a step number to mark it complete as you cook.

  1. Toast bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a sheet pan at 400°F (200°C) for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Spread bread cubes in one layer and let their surfaces turn golden; pale, soft bread absorbs dressing too quickly.

  2. Whisk remaining olive oil with vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

    Mediterranean Panzanella: Whisk remaining olive oil with vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a large bowl

  3. Add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, chickpeas, onion, and parsley; toss gently.

    Mediterranean Panzanella: Add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, chickpeas, onion, and parsley; toss gently

  4. Fold in the warm bread and vegetarian feta, let sit 5 minutes so the dressing soaks in, then serve.

0 of 4 steps complete

A little kitchen know-how

  • Use stale bread; fresh bread gets mushy fast.
  • Add the vegetarian feta at the end to keep crumbles intact.

Make it yours & keep it well

Replace feta with marinated tofu and honey with maple syrup for a vegan version, checking the bread.

Storage: Keep perishable components covered in the fridge and use within 48 hours, or sooner if a product use-by date requires. Keep bread and dressing separate from vegetables if preparing ahead. Dressed leftovers soften and are best eaten soon.

For cooling and reheating, follow the Food Standards Agency’s leftover guidance. Rice has a shorter refrigerated storage limit, as described in its recipe notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

320 kcal · Protein 11 g · Carbohydrates 34 g · Fat 16 g

Approximate figures; brands, portions and substitutions change the result.

Good things to know

Can I make it dairy-free?

Skip the vegetarian feta or swap in marinated tofu cubes.

How long does it stay crisp?

Best within 2 hours; keep bread separate if prepping more in advance.

How much dressing should I use?

Add it gradually and let the bread absorb some before adding more. The cubes should soften at their edges without sitting in a puddle.

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