Panzanella Inspired Ciabatta Salad
This Panzanella Inspired Ciabatta Salad with arugula is a delicious and super flavorful dish with roasted red peppers, capers, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. It makes a great treat for celebrating, with a festive feel and bold, yet simple, ingredients.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- cups ciabatta bread cubes cut in 2cm cubes
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes sliced lengthwise
- 2 tsp. + 3 tbsp. olive oil divided
- ½ tsp. kosher salt divided
- ½ tsp. pepper divided
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast optional
- 1/3 cup roasted red peppers thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pitted olives roughly chopped
- ¼ cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp. capers
- 1 cup (somewhat packed) arugula
Dressing
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 heaping tsp. dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp. dried chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sliced tomatoes into a baking dish along with 2 tsp. of the olive oil, ¼ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Place dish into oven and roast for 20 to 25 min until juices are released and skins are wilting. When done, remove from oven.
- Place a large pan on medium heat. Add the ciabatta cubes into pan along with the 3 tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. pepper and toss. Cook for 5 to 7 min, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted / browned. Towards the end of cooking, sprinkle in the 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. dried basil, ½ tsp. garlic powder, and 1 tbsp. the nutritional yeast, and stir. Remove from heat when toasted.
- While the ciabatta toasts, whisk up the Dressing in a small bowl (and 1 tbsp. olive oil, Juice of ½ lemon, 1 heaping tsp. dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp. dried chives) and slice/chop the 1/3 cup roasted red peppers, ¼ cup olives, and ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes.
- Assemble salad by tossing the arugula with a small amount of dressing. Arrange arugula on a serving tray. Top with the ciabatta cubes, roasted tomatoes (and their juices), roasted red peppers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and the 3 tbsp. of capers.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad as desired.