This peach panzanella with honey vinaigrette is a fruity twist on the classic Italian salad! It uses fresh peaches, mozzarella, and sourdough bread!
What is panzanella salad?
Panzanella is a chopped salad from Tuscany, made mainly of stale bread and tomatoes, but often with cucumbers, onions, and basil. The chunks of stale bread absorb the juices from the tomatoes, as well as the dressing made from olive oil and vinegar.
Although the highlight of traditional panzanella salad is the juicy tomatoes, many people substitute it or add different vegetables or fruit to switch up the flavors!
Fattoush vs Panzanella
A salad similar to the Italian panzanella is the Mediterranean fattoush. Although it has the same ingredients like tomatoes, cucumber, and extra virgin olive oil, it uses lemon juice as the acidity in the dressing, parsley and mint for the herbs, and toasted or fried pita bread.
Peach Panzanella Salad
My take on panzanella has fresh peaches, sourdough bread, baby greens, fresh mozzarella, bacon, basil, and walnuts!
Whether you use yellow or white peaches, it'll be delicious! Yellow peaches are more acidic, whereas the white peaches are sweeter. Just choose what you prefer, or what's available to you!
Although I added fresh mozzarella, you can substitute it for mozzarella di bufala (buffalo mozzarella), or even some crumbled feta. If you're a fan of stinky cheese, even some blue cheese or gorgonzola would pair well too!
How to make the honey vinaigrette
I dressed the salad with a honey vinaigrette. It sounds like the whole salad would be too sweet between the peaches and the honey in the dressing, but it won't be! I promise.
In a small bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil. Slowly pour in the balsamic and apple cider vinegar while whisking to emulsify the mixture. Whisk in the honey, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and taste for seasoning. Make sure not to make it too salty, since you've got both mozzarella and bacon in the salad which will add saltiness!
How to make Peach Panzanella Salad
In a large bowl, add the stale or toasted sourdough bread chunks, sliced peaches, baby greens, torn mozzarella, bacon, and walnuts. Pour half of the dressing and toss the salad. Don't forget to taste it to see if you'd like more dressing!
That's it! How easy was that?
What should I serve with peach panzanella?
Panzanella salad is quite hearty so it can most definitely be served as a healthy meal on its own. It would also go well with grilled meat or seafood, making it the perfect salad for a barbecue! You can also leave the bread out of the salad and serve with with some cheese-stuffed arepas.
Can I make peach panzanella salad ahead of time?
Because we're using delicate baby greens and peaches, I wouldn't make peach panzanella salad more than an hour before serving it. You could prepare the individual ingredients ahead of time - wash and dry the greens, tear and toast the sourdough, crisp the bacon, crush the walnuts, mix the dressing - and assemble right before serving the salad.
Need another salad to serve at your barbecue? Try my mom's potato salad! Want an easy dessert to serve after eating this peach salad? Make a batch of my chocolate chip chickpea cookies or peach cobbler with canned peaches!
Peach Panzanella Salad with Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Peach Panzanella Salad
- 5 cups sourdough bread pieces (either cubed or torn)
- 2 fresh peaches (either yellow or white)
- 5 cups baby greens, washed and dried
- 4 oz / 113g fresh mozzarella
- 3 strips bacon
- ½ cup walnuts
Honey Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Honey Vinaigrette
- Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a small bowl. Slowly pour in the balsamic and apple cider vinegar while whisking to emulsify the mixture. Whisk in the honey, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and taste for seasoning. Make sure not to make it too salty, since you've got both mozzarella and bacon in the salad which will add saltiness!
Peach Panzanella Salad
- Add all the ingredient. to a large bowl. Pour half of the dressing and toss the salad. Taste it and add more dressing to your liking.
chahinez @lifestyleofafoodie says
The honey vinaigrette sounds so so good!
Ai says
Thanks Chahinez! I'm not always a fan of salad so I need to make it over the top to motivate myself to eat it 😉
Alyssa & Marissa says
This salad looks too perfect and that honey vinaigrette is the cherry on top. Going to need to make this.
Ai says
Thanks so much ladies! Hope you like it 🙂
Alyssa says
I love panzanella! This looks and sounds amazing, I’ll be making it ASAP!
Ai says
Hope you liked it Alyssa! Panzanella is hard to beat when it comes to salads 😉
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
After all those donuts, burgers and all things naughty I ate during the last few days, I deserve a good salad with amazing vinaigrette. This look so delish, Ai!
Ai says
Thanks Jhuls! I know right? I have to eat more salads so I can fit into all my summer clothes haha 😛
Relle says
Ooh this looks amazing. Can't wait to try it.
Ai says
Hope you like it Relle!