you're making mealtime meaningful.
Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite summer dishes, the refreshing Crouton Salad. Also known as Panzanella, this Italian dish is traditionally made with crusty bread and tomatoes for a simple, but flavorful meal. We’ve made the process even easier by starting with store-bought croutons, a recipe hack I highly recommend. Let me walk you through the simple process!
You’ll start out by whisking up a simple dressing made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Next up, combine the croutons, veggies, and basil in a large bowl, then drizzle the homemade dressing over the top. For the final touch, sprinkle in the mozzarella pearls and gently toss it all together.
Let all those flavors meld together for about 10-15 minutes, and then it’s time to dig in! The gorgeous colors in this dish are bound to impress and the combination of flavors and textures sure keep every bite exciting. Everything we want in a salad! Whether you’re enjoying it as a light lunch or delicious side alongside your favorite protein, this Crouton Salad is sure to steal the show.
Crouton Salad
Yield(s): Serves 6
5m prep time
10m inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 (5 oz) bags garlic croutons
- 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup shallot, sliced
- 1 cucumber, finely diced
- ½ cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup mozzarella pearls, halved
Preparation
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- In a large serving bowl, combine croutons, tomatoes, shallot, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle on balsamic dressing and toss to combine.
- Add mozzarella and gently toss once more.
- Allow salad to absorb flavor for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Recipe adapted from Saltysidedish.com