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Plate of Vegan Panzanella topped with fresh basil leaves.
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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Panzanella

My vegan panzanella is the best thing about summer! It’s loaded with juicy tomatoes, garlicky dressing, and chunks of crusty bread that soak up all the flavor. Hearty chickpeas make this vegan spin on the classic Italian salad extra satisfying. Perfect for everything from cookouts to weeknight dinners.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8
Calories: 241kcal
Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh shallot
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Salad

  • 10 ounces sourdough or French bread, cut or torn into about 1-inch chunks (about 6 cups of bread chunks)
  • 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (15.5 ounce/439 gram) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (Note 1).
  • Place all of the dressing ingredients into a small jar with a lid. Seal the lid onto the jar, then shake it until the ingredients are fully combined. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients together in the jar or a small bowl.
  • Arrange the bread chunks in a relatively even layer on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the oven and let the bread bake until it feels slightly dried out, about five minutes. Place the baking sheet onto a cooling rack and let the bread cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  • Place the tomatoes, chickpeas, basil, capers, and cooled bread chunks into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the ingredients with dressing, then gently stir and toss to coat the ingredients in dressing. Use as much dressing as you like.
  • Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Optionally, let the salad sit for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the ingredients to soak up dressing. Serve with any leftover dressing on the side.

Notes

  1. If your bread is really crusty or already a bit stale, you can skip the step of drying it out in the oven. 

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1106IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg