And because I’m never one to keep things traditional when it comes to Panzanella (I’ve made so many variations), I swapped in pan-fried polenta for the typical crouton. This is seriously genius, and it’s so easy to make. All you do is cut the store-bought polenta into one-inch rectangles, and fry it in a cast iron skillet until it’s browned on all sides. The result is this super crispy, slightly chewy “crouton” that soaks up all the juices from the tomatoes and vinaigrette. Trust me, once you use polenta in your Panzanella, you’ll never go back!
What Is Polenta?
Polenta is a popular Italian staple that’s usually made from dried corn. It has a pretty neutral taste, which means its great for soaking up other ingredients like butter, oil, and cheese. You can make polenta from scratch (just transfer it to a container and let it chill in the fridge before slicing), or you can buy it pre-cooked in tubes at the grocery store. I use the tubed polenta in this recipe because it cuts down on time, and you can easily slice it into cubes for the croutons.
A Smart Trick for Making Your Tomatoes Taste Even Better
The trick to making your tomatoes taste even more incredible is to salt them ahead of time! Salt draws out the water from tomatoes, which makes your tomatoes taste more tomato-y. I like salting my tomatoes and letting them sit in a colander for 30 minutes before I make the rest of the salad—I stir them about every 10 minutes to help release the juices.
My Make-Ahead Tip
If you’re making this for a crowd and want to prep ahead, you could fry up the polenta in the morning, and then add it to the salad right before serving.
Need More Summer Salad Ideas? Here’s a Few!
Panzanella Bread Salad Easy Cucumber, Peach, and Basil Salad Grilled Corn Salad Summer Squash Salad
Keep the accumulated tomato juices in the bowl. Add the shallot, garlic, mustard, and balsamic. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Then, slowly pour in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil while whisking constantly. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Garnish with whole basil leaves. Serve. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!
