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See 5 recipes Download free cookbookCharred Corn and Tomato Panzanella
Corn Tomato Panzanella
Juicy summer tomatoes, smoky sweet corn, and crisp-edged bread meet in a basil vinaigrette for a colorful farmers market salad.
Prep Time:25 minCook Time:15 minTotal Time:40 minServings:6Difficulty:Easy
Panzanella turns peak-season produce and sturdy bread into a salad with real substance. Here, corn caramelized in a hot skillet brings a smoky sweetness that plays especially well with juicy mixed tomatoes and peppery red onion.
Salting the tomatoes briefly is worth the extra bowl: their released juices become part of the vinaigrette instead of making the bread soggy. Toasting the bread gives each piece a crisp shell that can absorb dressing while keeping a pleasant chew.
This salad is best assembled in two stages. Give the bread, tomatoes, and corn a short rest in the vinaigrette, then fold in the basil just before serving so its fragrance and bright color stay fresh.
Serve the panzanella as a shareable opening salad for a casual summer meal. It travels well when the toasted bread and basil are packed separately and mixed with the dressed vegetables shortly before everyone sits down.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories:340 kcal
Protein:8 g
Carbs:42 g
Fat:17 g
Directions
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1
Place the tomatoes in a colander set over a large bowl and toss with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Let them drain for 15 minutes while you prepare the bread, saving the tomato juices in the bowl.
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2
Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until golden at the edges and dry on the surface.
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3
Cut the kernels from the corn. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, add the corn in an even layer, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring only twice, until browned in spots but still juicy.
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4
Add the red onion, vinegar, mustard, garlic, honey, black pepper, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the reserved tomato juices to a large serving bowl. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil until the vinaigrette looks blended.
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5
Add the drained tomatoes, charred corn, and warm toasted bread to the vinaigrette. Toss gently until every bread cube is lightly coated, then let the salad stand for 10 minutes so the bread absorbs flavor without losing all its crunch.
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6
Fold in the torn basil just before serving. Taste and adjust with a small splash of vinegar, a pinch of salt, or more black pepper, then transfer to a wide platter.
Ingredients
- Mixed ripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size wedges:2 lb
- Kosher salt:1 1/4 tsp
- Rustic country bread, cut into 1-inch cubes:6 cups
- Extra-virgin olive oil:6 tbsp
- Fresh corn:3 ears
- Red onion, thinly sliced:1/2 small
- Red wine vinegar:3 tbsp
- Dijon mustard:1 tsp
- Garlic, finely grated:1 clove
- Honey:1 tsp
- Black pepper:1/2 tsp
- Fresh basil leaves, torn:1 cup
Tips & Notes
- Use a mix of tomato sizes and colors, but cut them into similar bite-size pieces so they season evenly.
- For transport, keep the toasted bread and basil separate; combine them with the dressed vegetables 10 minutes before serving.
- A very hot, uncrowded skillet gives the corn dark spots before the kernels soften.
