A hearty and delicious Greek Panzanella salad, with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, homemade croutons and feta cheese, all in a tarragon vinegar vinaigrette.

Greek panzanella salad in bowl with lettuce

Jump to:

Why you’ll love this Green Panzanella Salad

Panzanella salad is a wonderful use for day-old bread. It’s also a little heartier than many salads, with the addition of the large pieces of bread together with all the beautiful vegetables.

This version of panzanella salad brings a Greek influence to the usual version, with feta cheese and a Greek-inspired herb vinaigrette.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Tomatoes – multi-coloured cherry tomatoes are nice in this salad, but any tomato will work here, including whole tomatoes that are chopped.

Red Onion – red onion has a flavour and texture that is perfect for salads, so I highly recommend.

Feta Cheese – Feta is a classic addition for any Greek inspired recipe. It also brings a salty note to this salad.

Cucumber – I feel like Persian style cucumbers work best in this salad.

Tarragon Vinegar – I love tarragon vinegar and think it’s well worth seeking out as an addition to your pantry. If you can’t find it though, red or white wine vinegar can be used.

Black Olives – You may notice that there are no black olives in my “Greek” salad. I don’t like olives, so I leave them out (well, sometimes I serve them on the side for the olive-lovers in my family :) In any event, feel free to add some to your salad, if you like!

Recipe Tips

For the croutons, keep in mind that you are aiming for lightly toasted, but still soft and bread-y (so not the completely dried out, rock hard variety). The drizzle of olive oil helps keep them softer, but be sure not to over-bake, as well.

If making ahead, prepare all the ingredients, but refrigerate them separately. Combine the ingredients and add the vinaigrette right when ready to serve (so your croutons don’t get soggy).

You will probably won’t use all the croutons you bake up. They keep well at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.
This salad would be perfect served alongside my Souvlaki Marinated Pork Tenderloin.

Greek panzanella salad in bowl with lettuce

Greek panzanella salad in bowl with lettuce

Get the Recipe: Greek Panzanella Salad

A hearty and delicious Greek panzanella salad, with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and homemade croutons, tossed in a homemade vinaigrette.
5 stars from 2 ratings
Print Recipe Pin This Leave a Review
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the croutons:

  • 3 slices (3 slices) day-old crusty bread, 3/4 inch thick
  • 1 Tablespoon (14 ml) olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Pinch (Pinch) dried oregano leaves

Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup (56 ml) olive, vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 Tablespoons (14.9 ml) tarragon vinegar, or red or white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon (0.25 ml) dried oregano leaves, or 1 tsp. fresh oregano leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 ml) white sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon (0.75 ml) salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

For the salad:

  • 1/2 large (0.5 large) English cucumber, unpeeled and cut in to large dice
  • 20 (20) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup (7 ml) red onion, sliced about 2-inch long slices
  • 1 cup (150 g) feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
  • Black olives, optional, to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 375° F. Place diced bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine well. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake in the pre-heated oven until, stirring once, until lightly golden, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  • Prepare the vinaigrette: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine. Taste and adjust as necessary (if too vinegary, add a bit more oil or likewise, if not vinegary enough, add a touch more). Set aside,
  • To prepare the salad, combine the prepared cucumber, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Add the feta cheese and some salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Finally, add some cooled croutons and toss. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Cuisine: Greek
Course: Salad
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 323kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 592mg, Potassium: 230mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 575IU, Vitamin C: 19.4mg, Calcium: 214mg, Iron: 1.4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonsandsuppers on Instagram or tag #seasonsandsuppers.

 

More Salad Recipes to Love!

Roasted Broccoli Caesar Salad

Pasta Salad with Salami

Simple Feta and Toasted Almond Salad