Quick & Easy Tomato Bread Salad
This vegan Panzanella-inspired tomato bread salad recipe is so quick and easy to make! All you need are 6 simple ingredients, like fresh basil, shallots, and sourdough bread. It’s SO fresh, flavourful, and sure to be a crowd favourite!
A few months ago I had a dinner party where one of my friends made this tomato salad recipe. I was SO blown away by how simple it was, yet so beyond flavourful. I immediately told him that I would have to feature it on the blog 🙂
If you’re looking for the PERFECT salad to make as the weather gets warmer – this is it. It’s meant to be a side salad, and it would be amazing at any dinner party, BBQ, or al fresco dining situation.
This tomato and bread salad is made with homemade sourdough croutons that get soaked in the tomato juices as well as in olive oil and red wine vinegar. It is seriously so fresh and flavourful – I can’t wait for you to try it!
And as always, as a dietitian I’m happy to share that tomatoes are jam-packed with nutrition benefits, too. I’ve highlighted them for you below if interested.
Want more summer salad recipe inspiration? Check out my roundup of 20+ easy, healthy summer salad recipes for more ideas!
Recipe Ingredients Needed
All you need to make this simple tomato salad are 6 ingredients:
- tomatoes (see below for tips on choosing the best tomatoes for salads!)
- shallots
- sourdough
- fresh basil
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Recipe Modifications & Ingredient Swaps
- You can use chopped onions in place of shallots.
- You can use a different type of crispy bread in place of sourdough (e.g. french bread, baguette, etc.)
- While red wine vinegar tastes amazing here, I’m sure it would taste delicious with balsamic vinegar too.
- If you’d like, this would probably taste delicious with some fresh burrata as well 🙂
Which Types Of Tomatoes Are Best For Salad?
Here are some tips for selecting the perfect tomatoes for salads:
- I would recommend using a medium-sized tomato variety, like campari, cocktail, or pearl tomatoes. If you don’t have access to these, you can use smaller tomatoes like cherry or grape!
- Heirloom tomatoes would also work well (and are so beautiful).
- I would NOT use larger tomatoes (like big beef, beefsteak, roma, or other ones that you may use more in sandwiches and burgers.) I don’t find that these have the same, strong flavour and have a bit of a meatier taste.
- For the BEST flavour – try to purchase vine-ripened tomatoes if ever possible. They are so much juicier, in my experience. Purchasing tomatoes in peak season (summer time) or grown locally also helps to ensure a stronger flavour.
- While not necessary for flavour, getting multi-coloured tomatoes (some red, orange, and yellow) can make your dish look extra pretty and appetizing. You can often find these sold in packs called “tri-coloured” tomatoes 🙂
Can You Make This Salad In Advance?
This tomato salad is meant to be made about 30 minutes in advance, to allow the flavours to soak into the sourdough bread.
Otherwise, you can slice the shallots and prepare the sourdough croutons in advance. A half hour or so before serving, add the rest of the ingredients and toss together.
Leftovers
Leftovers get a little soggy, but seriously in the best way possible. While you may not want to serve them at a party, they are totally fine to enjoy for about a day after (although they may not last that long)!
Simply store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Tomato Nutrition Benefits
Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamin C and other phytochemicals that act as antioxidants, like lycopene and beta-carotene.
These antioxidants help to reduce risk of many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer. They also have other beneficial effects, such as promoting skin health.
In addition, tomatoes are a good source of:
- dietary fibre (important for gut health)
- potassium (important for blood pressure control)
- folate (important for normal tissue growth + cell function)
- vitamin K (important for blood clotting + bone health)
Tomatoes are also 95% water, making them super hydrating!
More Salads With Tomatoes
- Strawberry Tomato Avocado Salad
- Grilled Nectarine Salad With Burrata & Tomatoes
- Halloumi Salad With Couscous
- Summer Salad With Corn, Strawberries & Tomatoes
- Simple Caprese Pasta Salad
Did you give this Easy Tomato Bread Salad Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Quick & Easy Tomato Bread Salad
Ingredients
- 4 heaping cups tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size (see notes for varieties)
- 1/2 a small shallot, sliced thin
- 1 ounce fresh basil, chopped
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt + pepper, to taste (be generous!)
Sourdough croutons:
- 2 slices sourdough, thick cut
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- MAKE CROUTONS: cut sourdough into 1/2 inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet and toss in olive oil and salt. Arrange in an even, spaced out layer and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add sliced tomatoes, shallots, and basil to a large serving bowl.
- When croutons are done, add them to the serving bowl along with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Add salt (liberally) and black pepper, to taste.
- Toss everything together, then let sit for about 20-30 minutes to allow the croutons to soften.
- Serve + enjoy!
Notes
- I like to use varieties like campari, cocktail, pearl, heirloom, cherry, or grape tomatoes. Avoid ones like beefsteak or roma.
- If you can purchase vine-ripened or locally grown ones, they will have the sweetest flavour.
- If you can, multicoloured tomatoes make this dish extra pretty 😉
- You can use chopped onions in place of shallots.
- You can use a different type of crispy bread in place of sourdough (e.g. french bread, baguette, etc.)
- While red wine vinegar tastes amazing here, I’m sure it would taste delicious with balsamic vinegar too.
- If you’d like, this would probably taste delicious with some fresh burrata as well!
- This tomato salad is meant to be made about 30 minutes in advance, to allow the flavours to soak into the sourdough bread.
- If you’d like to prepare it earlier, you can slice the shallots and prepare the sourdough croutons a day in advance. A half hour or so before serving, add the rest of the ingredients and toss together.
- Leftovers get a little soggy, but seriously in the best way possible. While you may not want to serve them at a party, they are totally fine to enjoy for about a day after (although they may not last that long)!
- Simply store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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