This spring panzanella salad pairs fresh spring veggies with homemade sourdough croutons and a zingy lemon dressing. Shelled edamame adds a touch of protein while crumbled feta adds a salty bite. Enjoy this vegetarian salad when spring produce is at its peak!
Move over leafy greens and make way for crunchy spring veggies! I love all kinds of salads but I especially love the pairing of chopped veggies and toasty homemade croutons in this spring panzanella. Traditionally, panzanella is made with stale bread and tomatoes but for this version, I toasted the bread to get it nice and crunchy. Then, I loaded it with spring veggies, herbs, salty feta, and a bright and tangy lemon dressing. Ready in about 40 minutes, this spring salad is perfect for gatherings or weeknight dinners. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Why You’ll Like this Panzanella Recipe
- It’s filled to the absolute brim with spring flavors.
- It goes beyond the usual salad base of lettuce or leafy greens and relies on crunchy, earthy, and sweet spring veggies like snap peas and radishes.
- The homemade sourdough croutons soak up the dressing and bring a comforting, carb-y quality to the salad.
Ingredients and Substitutions
There are three main components to this bread salad: veggies/herbs, sourdough bread, and a lemon dressing. I used asparagus, snap peas, radishes, and cucumbers as my veggies here but any combination of spring veg will work. For this particular salad, I like to stay away from leafy greens since they will wilt quickly when tossed with the dressing. I love using mint any chance I get so I combined it with dill and chives here to amplify the spring vibes. Basil would also be great! For added protein, I threw some shelled edamame into the mix but fava or lima beans would also be delicious. I prefer a sourdough here because of the slight tanginess of the bread but honestly, any good crusty bread would work really well.
For special diet considerations, this spring panzanella is vegetarian but can easily be made vegan by swapping in vegan feta and maple syrup for the honey in the dressing. To make it gluten free, simply use your favorite gluten free bread! Allium sensitivity? Remove the garlic powder from the dressing and use basil instead of chives.
Tips for Making Spring Panzanella Salad
- Don’t skip out on blanching the sugar snap peas and the asparagus. It makes them a little more tender and amplifies their flavor. To keep them from getting mushy after they’re cooked and preserve the crisp-tender texture, they’re plunged in a bowl of ice water.
- I prefer to tear the bread into bite-sized pieces rather than cutting it because it gives you more surface area to crisp up in the oven and for the dressing to cling to. Plus, it gives the panzanella a lovely rustic vibe.
- Add the dressing right before you’re ready to serve the panzanella. Once you add the dressing, it will begin to soften the bread. Once dressed, the salad is best enjoyed the day it is made as the acid in the lemon juice will start to discolor the veggies and soften them.
Looking for more spring salads? Try this artichoke pasta salad with kale and white beans or this spring lentil salad with creamy dill dressing.
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Spring Panzanella Salad
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This spring panzanella salad pairs fresh spring veggies with homemade sourdough croutons and a zingy lemon dressing. Shelled edamame adds a touch of protein while crumbled feta adds a salty bite.
Ingredients
for the salad:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced on the bias
- 1/2 bunch asparagus, about 6 ounces, woody ends trimmed and sliced on the bias into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup shelled edamame, fresh or frozen
- 3–4 thick slices sourdough bread, roughly torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- 2–3 Persian cucumbers, or 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4–5 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
for the dresing:
- 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven preheats, bring a large pot of water to boil, set a large bowl of ice water by your sink, and get a colander/strainer ready. Once the water comes to a boil, add a large pinch of salt followed by the sliced snap peas, and asparagus. If your edamame is frozen, add it as well. Cook for just 2-3 minutes until the asparagus and snap peas are vibrant green. Drain the veggies into the colander then immediately place in the ice water.
Add the torn bread to a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with a couple of pinches of salt. Toss to coat the bread in the olive oil. Add another drizzle of olive oil if the bread seems dry. Bake the croutons in the preheated 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes until crisp and beginning to turn golden, tossing halfway through. Set aside to cool.
While the croutons bake, drain the veggies in the bowl of ice water then pat them dry. Add them to a large bowl or platter. If you’re using fresh edamame, add it to the bowl along with the sliced cucumber, sliced radish, chopped herbs, and crumbled feta.
Make the dressing – add the lemon juice and zest to a small bowl followed by the olive oil, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch or two of salt. Whisk until smooth then taste and add more salt if needed.
Add the cooled croutons to the bowl with the veggies then drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss well, then taste and add more salt if needed to season. Serve and enjoy immediately!
Notes
- This salad is best enjoyed the day it is made as the croutons will become soggy over time and the lemon juice will soften and discolor the veggies. If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container and enjoy them within 1-2 days.
- Use a vegan feta and maple syrup in place of the honey in the dressing to keep this salad vegan.
- Use your favorite gluten free bread to keep this recipe gluten free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Category: salad
Crisp, delicious, fresh, and fabulous. All the best parts of spring. What a great alternative to relying on leafy greens!
Panzanella is a favorite of mine! Love this version!
Panzanella FOREVER! Glad you like this version 🙂
This spring panzanella sounds so fresh and tasty! Love the idea of homemade sourdough croutons!
The sourdough croutons really take it over the top! 🙂
I have never had this before but I am so excited to! It is on my weekend menu– thank you!
So happy to hear! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
This dressing pairs perfectly with these vegetables. It’s not overpowering, just the right amount of tang.
So happy you like the lemony dressing! 🙂
It is hot here in Florida, and your panzanella salad was the perfect lite dinner for me and Sean. We both enjoyed the freshness of the lemon dressing. YUM!
So glad you enjoyed it! Definitely one of my favorites when it’s hot out 🙂
I made this panzanella salad for lunch today, and everyone in the family loved it! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
Yay! So glad your family enjoyed it. Thank you for leaving such a lovely review!