Panzanella—an Italian salad made with dried bread cubes—is one of the most delicious versions of salad. That's because it stars bread as the main ingredient rather than lettuce. (Perhaps this is why we love making panzanella as often as possible—with asparagus in spring, with tomatoes and zucchini in summer, and even with peaches and burrata, too.) As great as those version of panzanella are, we like this Sheet-Pan Panzanella best. Rather than toast the bread cubes on their own, you'll roast them alongside tomatoes, onion, and garlic. The tomatoes burst as they roast, mixing their juices with the bread and fresh arugula.
Oh, and did we mention that the combination of roasted tomatoes, toasted bread coated with Parmesan, fragrant garlic, and mozzarella basically tastes like pizza? For an extra-decadent version, use torn burrata in place of the small mozzarella balls. Once you've gotten the hang of the method, try it with other flavor combinations. Try sliced bell peppers in place of the tomatoes and feta instead of mozzarella.
For an extra treat, pop the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and spread on toasted, oiled bread.
Panzanella can be made up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
French bread (about half a loaf) cut into 1" pieces (about 5 c.)
cherry tomatoes
small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
head garlic, halved crosswise
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
grated Parmesan (2 oz.)
small fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine or bocconcini)
packed baby arugula
packed fresh basil leaves
red wine vinegar
Dawn Perry is the author of Ready, Set, Cook: How to Make Good Food With What’s on Hand. Her recipes and writing have been featured in the LA Times, The New York Times, and the Washington Post, among other publications.
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