Bread salad. Do I have your attention? Bread is my not-so-secret addiction, so naturally it would make any salad better. This avocado panzanella salad is a spin on an Italian bread salad. Packed with juicy heirloom tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, creamy burrata and a creamy avocado dressing, this salad is anything but boring! With everything good packed into this salad, this is a meal in itself.
Traditional panzanella salad is a Tuscan salad made with fresh vegetables, soaked bread, and the addition of anchovies. Traditionally, panzanella is dressed with a simple olive oil and vinegar based dressing. Our twist uses a delicious avocado goddess dressing, for a fresh twist on a classic!
If you love summer salads, you will love this fresh Caprese pasta salad too!
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Ingredients
- Heirloom tomatoes
- Shallots
- English cucumbers
- Fresh burrata
- Sourdough croutons
- Avocado goddess dressing
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Instructions
Start With...
Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Prepare the vegetables - Peel and thinly slice your shallots, chop tomatoes into rough chunks, and slice the cucumbers.
- Prepare the croutons: On a baking sheet, prepare one batch of sourdough croutons. Set aside once done.
- Prepare the avocado goddess dressing: Blend together one batch of avocado goddess dressing.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl or a platter, layer together the croutons, tomatoes, cucumbers and shallots. Nestle the whole burrata in the middle of the bowl.
- Serve: Drizzle the avocado goddess dressing over the salad right before serving. Cut open the burrata when you are ready to eat, and enjoy!
Expert Tip
Bring the burrata to room temperature. To best enjoy the creamy centre of the burrata, take it out of the fridge 15-25 minutes before you want to cut it open and enjoy!
Remove the seeds from the cucumber. Even though the seeds of an English cucumber are edible, they contain a lot of moisture and add a different texture to the salad. Deseed them using a spoon, and enjoy!
Substitutions
- Heirloom tomatoes - You can use any tomatoes that you have on hand, if you cannot find heirloom tomatoes.
- Shallots - Feel free to use red onions in place of shallots. For less punch, soak the red onions in cold water.
- Burrata - I will suggest burrata strongly because of the creaminess that it gives. If you cannot find it, freshly torn mozzarella will also work!
- Sourdough croutons - If you don't have time to make the croutons first, you can also use cubed stale bread. It will have a different texture, but will work just as well.
- Avocado goddess dressing - You can use a simple vinaigrette like the one on our village greek salad instead.
Variations
- Fruity - Add some fresh fruit, like peaches or nectarines, for a summery twist!
- Basil twist - Try our basil feta dressing instead of avocado goddess! Slice in some fresh avocado for some creaminess.
Equipment
This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.
- Mixing bowl
- Blender
- Baking sheet
Storage
I do not suggest pre-mixing the salad and storing for later use. Bread gets soggy, which kind of ruins the fun of this salad!
If you wish to prepare the ingredients ahead of time, you can bake off the sourdough croutons 2-3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in a cool cupboard.
You may also make the avocado goddess dressing one day in advance. Because avocados tend to discolour, I would not suggest anything further in advance!
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Avocado Panzanella Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Large heirloom tomatoes - cubed
- 2 Shallots - thinly sliced
- 1 English cucumber - deseeded, sliced in half moons
- 1 8 oz. ball Fresh burrata
- 1 batch Sourdough garlic croutons
- 1 batch Avocado goddess dressing
Instructions
- Prepare the croutons: On a baking sheet, prepare one batch of sourdough croutons. Set aside once done.1 batch Sourdough garlic croutons
- Prepare the avocado goddess dressing: Blend together one batch of avocado goddess dressing.1 batch Avocado goddess dressing
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl or a platter, layer together the croutons, tomatoes, cucumbers and shallots. Nestle the whole burrata in the middle of the bowl.3 Large heirloom tomatoes, 2 Shallots, 1 English cucumber, 1 8 oz. ball Fresh burrata
- Serve: Drizzle the avocado goddess dressing over the salad right before serving. Cut open the burrata when you are ready to eat, and enjoy!1 batch Avocado goddess dressing
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