In the spirit of no cook summer meals that are light but filling, I present one of my favorite all time salads EVER. I could literally KILL an entire bowl of this when it’s hot out. Featuring some of the best of summer produce  – fresh, flavorful, juice tomatoes, crisp and cooling cucumbers, fragrant and lush basil, and sweet and crunchy red onions. Temper that with some stale Italian style, or sourdough bread chunks, and you’ve got a simple salad that’s crazy delicious!

Sadly I’ve actually not made this salad all summer because I’m on a gluten-free kick, and it’s just not the same without the bread, but I can still share this all time favorite with you. Because the ingredients in this salad are pretty simple, it’s critical that you get the best quality you can find – tasteless tomatoes and weak olive oil will reduce this dish to a bland waste of calories.

The best part of this dish is that the stale bread soaks up all the juices and turn into these flavor bombs that are to die for. The crunch and texture in this salad comes not from the bread, but from the cucumbers and onions. Those onions are raw, so just make sure you’re not about to make out with your lovely after eating this

Summer Panzanella

Italian Panzanella Salad

Ingredients:
4 cups stale (1-3 days old) Italian-style bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or torn into small peices
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cup chopped red onion, large dice
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons good quality aged balsamic or red wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
1. Place the diced bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and basil in a large bowl. Using your hands, toss to combine.

2. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the salad and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings and add more dressing if needed. Serve immediately.