Tip #1

Add the fresh basil right before serving. You don’t want your salad to get wilted and start to go brown.

Tip # 2

Rip the Basil. If you rip the basil it will be kept fresh longer.

Tip #3

Use whatever bread you want, as long as the bread has a crust on it. Don’t use brioche or challah. A crunchy exterior and soft interior is important to have.

Tip #4

You can cut the bread, but the best Panzanella salads are intended to tear the bread into cubes. The idea is so that the dressing can get into all the uneven pieces of the bread.

Tip #5

Try to stack the basil leaves in a pile and then roll them up tightly.

Tip #6

Spinkle salt onto your onions. This will help draw out any juices that have a bitter taste.

Tip #7

The best way to make sure you are happy with the final flavor of your dressing is to dip a piece of tomato into the dressing. It’s better to use a tomato than a spoon because a tomato is what you are going to be what is going to be in the salad.

Tip #8

It is important not to add the croutons too early. If you add the croutons early, this will absorb too much dressing and become soggy.

Tip #9

If tomatoes are not enough, add diced cucumbers, corn or sliced peaches to your Panzanella salad.

Tip #10

You can always whisk the olive oil and red wine vinegar with a teaspoon of dijon mustard

Reminders

The fresher the veggies, the better the salad tastes. There is nothing like garden-fresh tomatoes in a Panzanella salad